Working in a new place is always a bit of stress for a person. You have to get used to new rules, new people, speak and behave differently than in your previous place of work. That is why changing jobs is very difficult. But everything can seem even harder if you get a new job in another country. Not only is it a new place and a new job, you also find yourself in a place that is unusual for you, has a different culture and customs. And usually, in any case of such major changes, in order to get used to everything, you need to spend some time in such an environment and in such a place.
Usually, it takes about a year to adapt to life in a new country, but of course, everyone has their own way. Someone feels at home after a couple of months, while someone continues to suffer even decades after emigrating. But usually everything happens quite simply, and people come to a new place without any problems, accept new customs, find a new job and live their lives. And if you too are thinking of trying life in Saudi Arabia and are looking for a job in this country, start by visiting various job search platforms like Layboard. You can find a waiter job here and quickly adapt to your new place.
Below you will find important points regarding work as a waiter, and especially work as a waiter in Saudi Arabia.
Safety rules and legal employment
This is where work in another country begins. Unfortunately, at the moment you cannot simply come from your home to another country and get a job and work there. Many aspects require additional attention and steps, for example, in order to work legally and receive a salary, you must apply for a work visa and a work permit, which will ensure your trouble-free stay in Saudi Arabia and work there. Also, all these steps are important, for example, so that you can open a bank account where your salary will go. Legal employment promises workers protection and an advantage over those who work illegally, since very often illegal workers are treated very badly and have problems with wages, and the worst thing is the threat of deportation, fines and bans on entry into the country. It is really easier and safer to work legally.
Language barrier
I think it is obvious that in order to work outside of your own country, a worker must at least know English, and it would be nice (but not necessary in most cases) to also know the local language, in Saudi Arabia this is of course Arabic. But even with English, you will easily find a job. Also, knowledge of English will be useful when filling out documents, drawing up contracts, visa issues and, in fact, in the work process itself. Without English, getting such a job is generally unrealistic, but if you are reading this text, you probably still speak English, which is very good.
Religious norms and their impact on everyday life
Saudi Arabia is a religious country to the core. So much so that both capitals of Islam – Mecca and Medina, are located in this country, and people come here from all over the world for various religious issues. Therefore, it is obvious that Islam is deeply rooted in the culture of this country and that everyone who comes here for work or tourism must adhere to certain rules in order to avoid problems.
For example, the dress code and appearance of the locals are most likely not the same as in your country, laws regarding men and women, holy days, forbidden food, rules of conduct and communication with employees and the local population, and various small traditions that must also be followed in order to avoid awkward situations. Even if you are not a Muslim, you will need to adhere to most of these rules in order to avoid uncomfortable situations. And regarding food, for example, Muslims are forbidden to eat pork and products with blood. And general rules, for example, prohibit gambling, drinking alcohol, and so on. You will learn about many rules already in the process of living in a Muslim country. And some things work here on their own – for example, most people have working days from Sunday to Thursday. But the weekend for waiters is a different story.
Workload
It is worth saying that, in general, for all waiters around the world, the system of working in shifts works rather than on weekdays and weekends. So your workload will most likely not be Sunday through Thursday like everyone else’s, since being a waiter means having a flexible schedule. Here the focus is more on two aspects of the possible load on a person who wants to work as a waiter – psychological and physical.
- Important to understand that working in the service industry and especially in the catering industry is hard, and from the psychological side the difficulty lies in constant contact with people. Some people are your team with whom you will work. It is very important to find a common language and make friends with employees in order to work together more effectively and avoid unpleasant situations in the work process. But employees are not the largest part. But working with clients of the establishment in which you will work is already more serious. Life experience of each person has already proven that each person is special with their own weaknesses. And although basically the work of a waiter does without unpleasant encounters, there are also many who like to complicate the life of those who help them. And although this sounds illogical, unfortunately this is not uncommon. In order to deal with this, it is important for you to have such skills as stress resistance and sociability in order to resolve any situation and be able to reduce the degree of any conflict.
- And although psychological stress is rare, let’s say only with clients who like to complicate things, physical stress is constantly encountered in the work of a waiter with all clients. According to average data, a waiter walks about 10 kilometers or even more during his shift during 10-12 hours of work. You can imagine what happens during very busy shifts when you constantly need to take orders, bring them, check if everything is okay at all the tables you serve, then clear the dishes after everyone and bring the bills. Therefore, in addition to successful work, rest after such a load is also important in order to have good results at work and receive appropriate payment for your hard work.
Salaries
Depending on the place of work, waiters in Saudi Arabia will receive from 2500 SAR to 6000 SAR per month. And this is approximately equivalent to a comfortable standard of living for one person in Riyadh. Basically, the salary of a waiter depends on the place where he works and the prestige of the establishment, and with a lucky coincidence of circumstances and also having experience, you will find a job with a higher salary. And in addition to their salary, waiters usually receive about 10-15% tips, which are either included in the bill or given separately.
In conclusion, it can be said that no information will help you immediately integrate into a new society, and as we mentioned in the beginning – on average a person spends about a year on it and for real adaptation you have to experience all this and get used to everything new. But having passed this step, you will be able to confidently live and work in Saudi Arabia, moving up the career ladder.
