Looking for a job in the UAE is not for the faint hearted, it can take weeks, months even but it shouldn’t have to. With the right amount of effort and with a good technique you will get noticed.
Here are some handy and brutally honest tips of the best routes to finding your dream job and condensing the time it takes to do it.
Firstly, be patient.
If you can help it do not quit your job before finding something new, yes handing your notice in will give you time…. maybe too much time.
Curriculum Vitae Is your resume up to scratch? Have you identified your biggest achievements and your key responsibilities clearly? Have you got your correct number on your CV? (You would be surprised how many CVs have the wrong number listed!). This piece of paper represents you, what are you proud of? Employers want to know.
Network, Network, Network The power of networking is key, speak to everyone, go to every meeting, join a boot camp (yes seriously), speak to the person in the lift (he could be your future boss/colleague), reach out to the people you know and be as open as possible. This is the most important tactic …if you get it right.
Recruitment is evolving Back in the old days (well 2+ years ago) you would apply for a job and potentially get invited for an interview. Now with the use of social media there are many ways to track candidates down from an employer’s perspective, often by the time a HR manager has looked through the thousands of applicants someone’s aunties best friend’s son has already landed your dream opportunity. In this diverse web of finding talent you need to get in front of the right people and… quickly! Most employers/recruiters do not advertise all their jobs, they go directly to their immediate talent pool first… find a way to jump in that pool.
Dedicated Sector Recruiters Sending your CV out to any recruiter is a waste of your time, look at the backgrounds of these individuals, are they specialist in what you do? If not, who is? Find that diamond in the rough. If you can pick 3 top recruiters to work with then do. Recruiters build on relationships, often exclusively.
“Yeah but recruiters in the region are a waste of time” Well that Finance dedicated recruiter is terrible that he could not place that chef… terrible he is. Would you take your Ferrari and expect it to be fixed in a Kia garage… NO. The same works in recruitment and the generic recruiters are not going to help you if you have a very specific background. Go to a specialist.
Network, Network, Network The power of networking is key, speak to everyone, go to every
meeting, join a boot camp ( yes seriously), speak to the person in the lift (he could be your future boss/colleague), reach out to the people you know and be as open as possible. This is the most important tactic …if you get it right.
Social Media Platforms Make sure your LinkedIn is up to date and if you can have recommendations ofhow amazing you are from previous employers this is a massive bonus. A photo isa must…. No not that snapchat filtered dog picture. A professional picture willmake you STAND OUT.
Follow Up First tip is to not act desperate, a weekly email should suffice, not a dailywhatsapp. Often people in the region can be very busy, no they are not avoidingyou. Decision makers often take time, are travelling, have budget constraintsetc. If your recruiter is open and honest they will just tell you as it is.This is often why its better going through a middle man, as to not annoy the employer!
Combination Use a combination of the above and dedicate your time to the cause, but most importantly do not get deflated, stay positive and go out and find that dream job.
-Nicki Wilson is the Managing Director of Genie (www.genie.ae) a consumer dedicated recruitment agency. She has worked in recruitment since 2011and is a thought leader and subject matter expert across the GCC.