Most folks in Kuwait know what a mandoub is and have a general idea of what he does. But the daily reality of the mandoub can be shocking. Kuwait Times interviewed a company representative to learn more about the ins and outs of mandoub work. Hamad Al-Marei, 42, spoke about his daily activities and the challenges he faces. Some excerpts:
Kuwait Times: When did you star
Hamad Al-Marei: I started working in this job in 2014.
KT: What benefits has this job brought you?
Hamad: I do my job regardless of its benefits. I think that the best thing I gained from this job is the good relations with people in different positions at various institutions.
KT: Which are the most common problems or obstacles that you face in your job?
Hamad: The most problematic place is the Ministry of Social Affairs. It suffers from a staffing shortage, especially at the Capital governorate department, as this department has the highest rate of patrons. At some institutions, there are special counters for mandoubs, which makes our work easier.
KT: What are the most important requirements to work as a mandoub?
Hamad: The person should have good knowledge of the locations of all public institutions, and be aware of the procedures followed there. Also, he should be polite to be a good representative of the company he works for. Being good looking is also an advantage! It can make the work easier as some paperwork that requires long procedures can be processed faster.
KT: Is your work limited to public institutions, or do you also do transactions in the private sector?
Hamad: My work is not limited to ministries, as I also have to complete paperwork at some private institutions such as banks and insurance companies.
KT: Why did you choose this job? And do you love it?
Hamad: This job teaches one patience and to respect time and appointments. In this job, the mandoub also comes in contact with people of different cultures and many nationalities, which teaches us new things.
But it is a stressful and demanding job, with pressure from every side and sometimes I want to quit.
KT: What was the job of your dreams?
Hamad: When I was a child, I always dreamed to be a lawyer so I could defend the oppressed and unjustified acts. Unfortunately, my dream didn't come true.
KT: How does your day start? Do you also work in the evening?
Hamad: Usually, I start my day early in the morning by visiting the Public Authority for Residency Affairs, then I go to the Ministry of Social Affairs. This is followed by going to the ministries complex. Sometimes I go to other institutions depending on the papers I need to process. Then I head to the office. I stay there until 3:00pm, where I finish filing the paperwork and documents. Sometimes I collect the documents that need to be processed from the staff at the company where I work. Sometimes I also have to type, print, scan or photocopy some documents for the next day. Yes, sometimes I have to work in the evening if I have work to finish.
KT: What experience have you gained from your work as a mandoub?
Hamad: As I said before, this job has taught me patience. I have also gained valuable work experience and got to know many new people, which I consider great for my career and social life.
By Nawara Fattahova