Too many people start looking for jobs in Dubai before taking the time to prepare properly. Without proper preparation, you could apply for hundreds of jobs in Dubai without success.
Worse still, you could end up in a job you quickly hate.
To save you months of pain I’m going to outline three key steps that you should take to prepare for a successful Dubai job search. Don’t skip any of these steps! Not if you want to begin a fulfilling Dubai career.
Before you update your CV or apply for jobs, step back and think about what you really want. What does the ideal job look like? What are your non-negotiables? What kind of position are you best suited for?
Don’t rush this process, if you plan to spend 5 years in your next job you can afford to take a month to give this some thought. This process will help you find a job in Dubai that’s more meaningful and satisfying. It will also help you to say no to jobs that aren’t right for you.
When job hunting in Dubai, you’ll be tempted to say yes to the first offer you get. This is particularly true when you are job searching on a Dubai visit visa. You only have 30 days to land a contract, that’s a lot of pressure.
This is why you should do all of your preparation before you land in Dubai. Don’t wait until you arrive in Dubai before deciding exactly what job you should be targeting.
What kind of work do I want to be doing?
What would my ideal responsibilities look like?
What would I like to be doing on a daily basis?
What are the likely job titles for a role like this?
Am I best suited for a large corporate company?
Do I thrive in a smaller start-up environment?
How long or how far am I willing to commute each day?
What’s most important to me, career progression, flexibility or money?
What is my target salary, what is my minimum salary?
By the end of this exercise, you should be able to write your ideal job description on a single page.
If you can do this, you’re much more likely to be successful.
It’s not unusual to see an objectives statement at the top of a candidate’s CV. This statement outlines what they want in their career and what they want a company to do for them.
“Looking to join a progressive organisation where I can contribute my unique skills and experience and can continue learning to advance in my career.”
If your CV starts like this, change it before applying for jobs in Dubai.
The problem with a statement like this is that the focus is on what you want from an employer and not what you can do for an employer. You need to give a potential employer a very good reason to read your CV, invite you for an interview and then hire you.
The first step in knowing what you have to offer is to ascertain exactly what the employer is looking for. What problems do they need to solve?
Your CV needs to demonstrate that you have the skills, experience and expertise they need. It must do this within the first half of the first page.
This is also the same for your LinkedIn profile, your cover letter, your networking emails and even the examples you use in an interview.
You need to be crystal clear about what you bring and why they should hire you. Candidates who do this are more likely to get headhunted, need to apply for fewer vacancies and generally land jobs faster.
“In a single year I generated $10 million of sales by leveraging my extensive global network of manufacturing contacts”
“My passion for sustainability and my engineering background uniquely positions me to lead sustainable development initiatives”
This kind of statement is what a hiring manager wants to hear. You are no longer one of the thousands of Dubai job seekers desperate to land any role.
You are now the solution to a hiring manager’s problems. You are someone who can help a company meet its goals. Before you continue in your Dubai job search, think about how you’re positioning yourself.
There are different tools that you'll need to use for finding and applying for jobs in Dubai.
Not all of these tools or channels are equally effective so it’s important to decide which are most likely to yield you results and focus more of your efforts on these. However, you should still be aware of ,and prepare, them all.
Most companies in Dubai will advertise their available positions either on their websites or through Dubai job boards.
Because of this you should have an up-to-date profile on the major Dubai job boards and use them to apply only for roles for which you are a great fit.
The three main job boards in Dubai are Gulf Talent, Indeed.ae and Bayt, there are also others but they are smaller and less effective.
Bear in mind that job boards are often the less fruitful method for finding a job in Dubai. Nevertheless, you should still use them.
LinkedIn is very important for your Dubai job search and one of the most effective resources. Most recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to advertise jobs and to search for candidates.
However, you shouldn’t just set up your LinkedIn profile and leave it. You need to regularly engage with content from your target companies and people within your industry. You should post your own unique content and maintain a regular presence on the site.
Your LinkedIn profile should also be setup and optimised for the Dubai market.
Networking plays an important role in any Dubai job search. Most companies prefer to hire people that have been recommended to them. Some companies even have a dedicated employee referral scheme.
This trend is so prevalent that many people talk about the ‘hidden job market’, that is roles that are filled through networks without ever being advertised.
There are two sides to networking. You might be thinking about networking events and going out there to meet new people. This can be effective but it’s not the only definition of networking.
Another definition of networking is getting the support of your network in your Dubai job search. This is a network that you should be building at all times.
Your network could be friends, family, ex-colleagues, people you studied with, people in your industry and also your LinkedIn contacts. Think about who you already know in Dubai and reach out to them. If you don't know anyone, think about who you know that might have contacts in Dubai.
Remember that great networking is about giving and adding value, not just about what you can get. This is a longer-term approach, but if you only engage with your network when you need something, people will be less eager to help.
Another key is to be clear on how your network can help you. You might have a great network of people who would love to help you find a new job, but they might not know how to do that. When you ask someone for help, aim to be clear on what they could do.
Instead of saying “I need a new job, please let me know if you have any leads.”, you could say “I’m looking for a new role as an Executive Assistant. I love working with top executives that need help organising their busy Dubai lives. Do you know anyone like that? If so, would you be happy to introduce me?”
Dubai recruiters are a great resource. A good Dubai recruitment consultant will be connected and have a good understanding of the market.
Once you know what kind of job you’re targeting and what you bring to the table, you need to start working with one or two recruitment agencies.
1. Say ‘yes’ to a meeting or phone call. As with networking, it pays to invest in relationships with Dubai recruiters.
2. Seek out recruiters in your industry. As you start a job search, look for Dubai recruiters who are recruiting in your space. Don’t waste time contacting recruiters who do not recruit for your specific industry, they won't be able to help you.
3. Understand who recruiters work for. Recruiters are paid by the companies who are looking to hire. Don’t be disappointed if a recruiter doesn’t spend time telling you why you weren’t shortlisted or what is wrong with your CV, it’s simply not their job to find you a job. Instead, focus on demonstrating how you are the right candidate for their clients. Once you have been submitted for a role, ask your recruiter for support with your interviews.
Getting headhunted is the best way to land a job in Dubai. In many ways, it’s passive, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things you can do to increase your chances of being headhunted.
This is where you need to revisit LinkedIn. If you want to be headhunted, you need a great LinkedIn profile. Most Dubai recruiters and HR managers will use LinkedIn to headhunt candidates.
Roles in Dubai are often headhunted when a company needs candidates with a very specific set of skills or experience. Your LinkedIn profile needs to clearly articulate all of the unique skills that you possess.
This means your LinkedIn profile will be most effective when you know exactly what you are looking for and what you bring to the table.
With your target role in mind update the following six sections of your profile.
1. Profile picture.
2. Headline. Includes your target job title and some keywords relating to your industry.
3. About section. Highlight your key achievements and exactly what you bring to the table.
5. Your skills section. Use all the skills that you are allowed and make sure that they are specific to your target role.
6. Recommendations. The more recommendations you have the more powerful your LinkedIn profile will be.
Don’t begin your Dubai job search until you’ve followed these three steps. Define your target role, articulate the value that you bring and can add to a company or team and lastly make sure that your toolkit is ready.
If you need more help on any of the above, check out our Dubai Job Search Toolkit.
