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Finding Work in Dubai - UAE Expat Jobs and Employment
| Published: | 17 Sep at 2 PM |
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Filed: Expat Guide to Dubai,United Arab Emirates
I think finding a job in Dubai was probably in the top 5 of to do list. Sure I wanted to be a tourist for a while but after a few days reality set in and a lot of research ensued. Being an expat brings with it some challenges in terms of employment.
As expats, we move because we're incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to live in different countries. But that means starting from square one every time; researching a new country and a new job market and refining the CV. And moving every few years and translating your skills to suit the job market, means your CV often looks a little fragmented on the surface.
I guess my biggest tip in that sense would be to flip the negatives into positives; I can demonstrate my flexibility and how easily I can fit my skills to suit any position, I have lots of experience working in different cultures, with a range of people and in international markets. Sure I have had wobbles along the way where I question myself and my skills and navigating a new city and getting over first interview nerves can be difficult. But the more I go through life, the more more my confidence grows and as my Cv develops I realise how much I have to offer.
Dubai can be a little intimidating with its skyscrapers and hot climate and everyone seems so confident, straight talking and sure of themselves. I was therefore pretty nervous to throw myself into this new job market. But there are a whole range of industries in Dubai thanks to the free zones created by the UAE government which allow international companies to establish here. This means you have a range of industries from technology to fashion design and publishing, engineering and architecture to financial and business services and recruitment.
With a steady flow of expats in and out, the opportunities to find a job in Dubai are certainly out there. I found my job through Linkedin after typing marketing jobs Dubai into the search bar. A whole host of jobs appeared for a variety of companies so I started applying. A couple of days later I was invited for an interview, an interview which I left with a huge grin on my face because they passion around the company and opportunities this job would offer me, made me very excited to be an expat in Dubai.
It might have been quite easy for me and not everyone will have such an easy ride, but if your willing to put in the effort, you will find a job in Dubai.
1. Get on LinkedIn. Fix up your profile and add all your skills and experience. LinkedIn is the perfect way for recruiters to find you and for potential employers to see your CV. Companies in Dubai are definitely using LinkedIn to search for employees and that means you need to be visible and have a decent amount of info on your profile.
2. Use any social situation as a chance to put yourself out there. I mean you're new to Dubai, you will be making friends and you are looking for a job in Dubai. So use social situations as an easy way to let people know you're looking for a job. Just talking to people about your situation, what you do, what your looking for may result in an introduction or an interview. You never know where you might find a job in Dubai.
3. Use keywords. When I started looking for a job in Dubai, my first stop was Google. I wanted to look for writing jobs and marketing jobs in Dubai, so those were the words I Googled. But think outside the box too. I searched for publishing companies in Dubai, advertising and marketing agencies in Dubai and creative companies in Dubai. All searches churned out a load of job search platforms, but also companies, which I then researched and contacted directly. Another tip is to think of relevant international companies you might want to work for and then search to see if they have offices in Dubai. They just might!
4. No vacancies. So what. Just because there are no relevant vacancies at a specific company, doesn't mean you should exit the website. Write a nice cover letter, attach your CV and email them anyway. Your CV may catch someone's eye or there may be a vacancy not listed yet. The worst that can happen is they don't reply. No biggie. I found a big English speaking publication here, but they didn't have any vacancies that suited me. I found said publications media kit and it had the actual contact details of a person from the marketing department. Ok I wanted to write for them, but I sent my CV over anyway and a few minutes had a reply saying that my CV had been forwarded to the head of the editorial department. You never know....
5. Sign up to local recruitment agencies. As a newbie looking for a job in Dubai, I searched local recruitment agencies and recruitment websites and contacted/set up an online profile on all of them. Their job is to fill vacancies so putting yourself out there as a prospective employee is the easy bit. Setting up job email alerts is a must too, so you are always in the know about new jobs in Dubai. Some of the websites you must look at if you want to find a job in Dubai are; bayt.com, indeed.ae, gulftalent.com, laimoon.com, randstadmena.com and michaelpage.ae.
Mimi is a British expat living in United Arab Emirates. Blog description: The life and loves of an expat now living in Dubai, have relocated from Cyprus. From food to fashion, photography, design, art, culture, lifestyle and the weather.
As expats, we move because we're incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to live in different countries. But that means starting from square one every time; researching a new country and a new job market and refining the CV. And moving every few years and translating your skills to suit the job market, means your CV often looks a little fragmented on the surface.
I guess my biggest tip in that sense would be to flip the negatives into positives; I can demonstrate my flexibility and how easily I can fit my skills to suit any position, I have lots of experience working in different cultures, with a range of people and in international markets. Sure I have had wobbles along the way where I question myself and my skills and navigating a new city and getting over first interview nerves can be difficult. But the more I go through life, the more more my confidence grows and as my Cv develops I realise how much I have to offer.
Dubai can be a little intimidating with its skyscrapers and hot climate and everyone seems so confident, straight talking and sure of themselves. I was therefore pretty nervous to throw myself into this new job market. But there are a whole range of industries in Dubai thanks to the free zones created by the UAE government which allow international companies to establish here. This means you have a range of industries from technology to fashion design and publishing, engineering and architecture to financial and business services and recruitment.
With a steady flow of expats in and out, the opportunities to find a job in Dubai are certainly out there. I found my job through Linkedin after typing marketing jobs Dubai into the search bar. A whole host of jobs appeared for a variety of companies so I started applying. A couple of days later I was invited for an interview, an interview which I left with a huge grin on my face because they passion around the company and opportunities this job would offer me, made me very excited to be an expat in Dubai.
It might have been quite easy for me and not everyone will have such an easy ride, but if your willing to put in the effort, you will find a job in Dubai.
1. Get on LinkedIn. Fix up your profile and add all your skills and experience. LinkedIn is the perfect way for recruiters to find you and for potential employers to see your CV. Companies in Dubai are definitely using LinkedIn to search for employees and that means you need to be visible and have a decent amount of info on your profile.
2. Use any social situation as a chance to put yourself out there. I mean you're new to Dubai, you will be making friends and you are looking for a job in Dubai. So use social situations as an easy way to let people know you're looking for a job. Just talking to people about your situation, what you do, what your looking for may result in an introduction or an interview. You never know where you might find a job in Dubai.
3. Use keywords. When I started looking for a job in Dubai, my first stop was Google. I wanted to look for writing jobs and marketing jobs in Dubai, so those were the words I Googled. But think outside the box too. I searched for publishing companies in Dubai, advertising and marketing agencies in Dubai and creative companies in Dubai. All searches churned out a load of job search platforms, but also companies, which I then researched and contacted directly. Another tip is to think of relevant international companies you might want to work for and then search to see if they have offices in Dubai. They just might!
4. No vacancies. So what. Just because there are no relevant vacancies at a specific company, doesn't mean you should exit the website. Write a nice cover letter, attach your CV and email them anyway. Your CV may catch someone's eye or there may be a vacancy not listed yet. The worst that can happen is they don't reply. No biggie. I found a big English speaking publication here, but they didn't have any vacancies that suited me. I found said publications media kit and it had the actual contact details of a person from the marketing department. Ok I wanted to write for them, but I sent my CV over anyway and a few minutes had a reply saying that my CV had been forwarded to the head of the editorial department. You never know....
5. Sign up to local recruitment agencies. As a newbie looking for a job in Dubai, I searched local recruitment agencies and recruitment websites and contacted/set up an online profile on all of them. Their job is to fill vacancies so putting yourself out there as a prospective employee is the easy bit. Setting up job email alerts is a must too, so you are always in the know about new jobs in Dubai. Some of the websites you must look at if you want to find a job in Dubai are; bayt.com, indeed.ae, gulftalent.com, laimoon.com, randstadmena.com and michaelpage.ae.
About the author
Mimi is a British expat living in United Arab Emirates. Blog description: The life and loves of an expat now living in Dubai, have relocated from Cyprus. From food to fashion, photography, design, art, culture, lifestyle and the weather.
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