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Oct 15, 2018

By Sohaib Hasan

Job hunting in the UAE? Why you should be in the country to increase your success!

In one of our previous blog posts, we revealed the best time to hunt for a job in the United Arab Emirates (if you missed it, check it out here!) – but did you know that being physically in the UAE when job hunting is so essential to one’s job search that many consider it at least as important as being in the country at the right time of the year?

Sohaib Hasan, independent career coach, clarifies: “The UAE is characterized through a transient workforce that requires both employees and employers to be agile and flexible. While, at least for some industries, hiring procedures are changing, many employers favor candidates that are already in the country – so it is definitely advisable to be present and available for interviews when hunting for a job.”
Here are the top five reasons why being in the UAE when searching for an opportunity is important:
 
  1. Face-to-face interviews. With more than 88% of the total population of the UAE being expatriates, the country is hosting a variety of cultures with cultural awareness and tact being but two of the most important competencies in succeeding in one’s career. Being a rather qualitative skill, employers often favor meeting candidates directly to learn as much about the applicant as possible – especially those insights that cannot be derived from solely reading a CV.
 
  1. Supply and demand. Due to the UAE’s tangible growth and diversification, talent is continuously pouring into the country in the search for opportunities. Openings often attract hundreds of applicants, ultimately empowering employers to be spoilt by choice. Given that there is so much great talent available at their doorstep, employers often do not need to consider talent abroad.
 
  1. Short notice periods. The UAE’s legislation defines mandatory notice periods to be as little as one month only, leading to organizations favoring those who are already in the country to streamline the immigration and selection process – after all, immigration procedures are much faster for those who are currently or have been in the UAE before.
 
  1. Relevant UAE experience. Residing in the United Arab Emirates requires sponsorship, which, in most cases, is provided through one’s employer. As the UAE is incomparable to other countries with a unique mixture of cultures and ways of work, the previous local experience is highly valued and sought-after – and through the sponsorship system, most applicants who are in the country are likely to have worked in the UAE before.
 
  1. Networking. Being physically present in the country renders it possible to attend relevant exhibitions, fairs, and events, as well as meeting recruitment consultants. Remember that meeting someone directly often leaves a lasting impression and memory and is therefore beneficial even if no job offer will directly result from such an interaction. Schedule activities within your trip beforehand to maximize your exposure and stick to your plan – as a rule of thumb, make at least 5 meaningful connections every day!
 
Mr. Hasan concludes: “Every organization is unique, especially in their hiring procedures. However, I would argue that in 80% to 90% of all cases, preference is given to applicants who are either in the country when applying or at least have worked in the country before. Imagine a country like no other – being here, and experiencing the way the UAE work, is definitely a criterion considered by employers.”
In summary, it is advisable for job seekers to be in the country when job hunting – after all, the saying goes ‘being at the right place at the right time”.

 

Sohaib Hasan is an initiative-driven and internationally seasoned HR Consultant with close to a decade of success in infusing efficiency into the HR Operations, Ideation and Development of HR based software programs to performing the core HR functions of Recruitment, Selection, Training, Development and Performance Evaluation to imparting expert counseling to the candidates.

He is a motivational speaker at heart and a trainer who is primarily branded for outstanding creative solutions to enhance organizational efficiency and as well as developing and unleashing human behavioral potential. Strongly knitted with HR professionals globally, his career tips and advice on LinkedIn are queued every day to be engaged in and learn from.

Job seekers significantly get benefited from Mr. Hasan’s exclusive thoughts and strategies to transform their passion into a career. He loves to socialize, meets his network and is very much accessible for guidance and mentoring.

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Tags: #SohaibHasan ,  #Careers ,  #JobSearch ,  #Networking ,  #HR ,  #HumanResources ,  #3Cs
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