Dubai is a destination of choice for jobseekers around the world, with recruiters eyeing top talent locally, regionally and internationally.
What’s more, the UAE has been recognised as the top destination for international professionals seeking employment visas.
According to the Annual Global Hiring Report by the Global HR platform Deel, industries including financial services, IT, computer software, marketing, advertising, and management consulting are attracting international talent to the UAE.
Dubai job search tips
Additionally, the UAE exhibited the highest labour market stability in the Arab region.
Dubai is a magnet not only for highly skilled talents but also for young professionals.
This city offers unique opportunities for professional advancement, as it hosts major international corporations and continuously nurtures progressive startups.
HR specialists from UAE property firm Colife have created a guide with insights of the job market and share their experience and hacks for finding vacancies and landing jobs in Dubai.
Ekaterina Kukushkina, an HR Manager at Colife Dubai, said: “The job search process in Dubai can take some time. From applying to a job vacancy to the first day of work, it can range from a few weeks to several months.
“This is due to various stages of interviews, as well as formalities related to obtaining visas and work permits”.
Finding job openings in Dubai can be done through various channels, with online portals such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Bayt.
Kukushkina said: “LinkedIn and Indeed are professional social networks where employees can post their resumes and apply for vacancies, while employers can post advertisements seeking new talents.
“LinkedIn is most popular for hiring management positions and is more suitable for business hiring, whereas Indeed is primarily used to search for employees in linear positions.
“Depending on the business specifics, this could be anyone: administrators, secretaries, cleaners, maintenance workers, and so on”.
In Dubai, job seekers also actively use messenger chats, social networks, and offline events for job hunting.
Karina Zabolotnaia, Head of Acquisition at Colife, said: “Offline methods can help find vacancies that don’t require high qualifications. Simply submitting your resume to companies/shops can suffice.
“Various offline events, exhibitions, networking are also popular — attending them, meeting people, creating a so-called network of acquaintances in your field, potentially can help with job hunting”.
Preparing for employment in Dubai
“I would allocate about a week for employment after applying and being invited to an interview. However, the employment process greatly depends on the nature of the job”.
The classic workflow for employment consists of two mandatory stages and one optional:
- HR interview: This is an interview with an HR manager or recruiter. Typically, organisational matters are discussed during this meeting. The candidate learns about the company, the team, and other organisational matters such as employment format, payments, holidays, sick leave, and so on
- Hiring manager interview: At the second stage, candidates can expect a more substantive dialogue regarding the functional responsibilities of the position and immediate work-related questions. At this stage, you can ask more specific questions about functionality and team interaction to the hiring manager, as this person usually serves as your potential supervisor. The hiring manager, in turn, will tell you about the tasks you will be performing, the expectations of the candidate in the company, and how communication is built within the team
- Meeting with the CEO (optional): Usually, if you have already passed the first two interview stages, this constitutes 70 per cent of success. If the company is interested in you, the CEO will motivate you to choose this job, share high-level business development plans, ultimately providing a final “yes” or “no” on hiring the candidate
For certain creative professions, the process of getting a job may also include a test assignment. The entire employment process in this case may look like this: HR interview, test assignment, then hiring manager interview and, optionally, a meeting with the CEO.
Dubai recruitment tips
The key to success in any job selection process is thorough research about the company before the interview. Colife suggests familiarising yourself with all the company’s social media pages, articles in the media and current news.
Preparing questions for the interview will show recruiters your interest in the vacancy and the company.
Here are a few examples of good questions:
- What are the financial goals the company aims to achieve in the next quarter or three months?
- How is the hierarchy structured within the company?
- Who will I primarily report to in my position?
- What is the main communication channel within the team?
Be confident and answer questions. Before the interview, think about how you will position yourself, how you will talk about your experience.
It is important that the story about your experience is logical and goes in chronological order.
If it is a sales position, talk about numbers, tangible results, and achievements. For example: in February 2024, I sold X apartments with an average check of X AED.
What is the best way for foreigners to find a job in Dubai: remotely or locally
It greatly depends on the position, the company, and so on.
Highly qualified specialists, so-called C-level professionals, are relocated from other countries, offering various bonuses not only in terms of flight, accommodation, transportation but also with relocating the employee’s family and prepaid relocation vacations.
For other positions, companies usually hire those who are already in Dubai.
Colife Dubai recruiters advise to study the conditions offered by the company in advance.
Even if you agree to collaborate, the employer may not necessarily provide you with a relocation package. As a result, the flight and accommodation for the first month will significantly impact your budget and time.
Kukushkina said: “If you are considering moving to Dubai or looking for a job, I would recommend having some safety cushion, studying the market, offers, preparing a resume, learn how in-demand your specialty is, how many job vacancies are open in your field”.
Moreover, being in Dubai, you can create an environment around you that will help you find a job, which is harder to do remotely.
Once you’ve moved, you can easily meet in this city with an entrepreneur, business owner, or employee of a company you’re interested in and ask for a recommendation.
Recommendations and professional networking are very strong tools for job search.
Follow us on
