Have you ever thought about pursuing your career goals in a country that has a blend of culturally rich and urban lifestyle (and amazing Arabic coffee)? Well then, Saudi Arabia should be at the top of your list. Economically, the kingdom’s development is steady, as it's integrating more and more with the world market and is thriving as a powerful economic hub in the MENA region. As a result, this go-to destination for job seekers attracts thousands of expats every year, as the employment opportunities across Saudi Arabia are abundant just as they are diverse.
As with working in any country around the world, some level of cultural adaptation and fluency of the spoken language (Arabic) is considered a big plus. So, if you’re planning to relocate to Saudi Arabia for its promising career opportunities, here are 5 tips that will help you get started in your job hunt as an expat:
Make sure you’re well-prepared
Before making the big move to Saudi Arabia, it’s very important that you do your homework and get an understanding of the expat job market; research what industries are booming at the moment, what roles are in high demand, and what skills are employers looking for in a candidate. It is beneficial to examine your professional and academic qualifications and check whether they will transfer or not, in order to secure a career opportunity.
To start your job search, we recommend you prepare a list of companies you’re interested in working for, and carefully read through job descriptions of potential positions. By doing that you should be able to pinpoint the skills that you need to acquire to add value to your application and have you stand out among a sea of competition.
Perfect your CV
In a competitive job market like that of Saudi Arabia, you’ll need to ensure that your CV and cover letter have that oomph needed to outshine the stack of other applicants. Since these make up the first impression on employers, make sure they are error-free, and that they highlight your best skills and previous professional accomplishments. Because CV formats vary depending on the market, our CV writing experts at Bayt.com can help you in creating a customized CV that captures the interest of Saudi hiring managers and reflects your strengths.
Grow your professional network
Networking with Saudi locals and building a valuable network of professional contacts wherever you can, is of vital importance. Studies have revealed that the majority of expats who have successfully found work abroad will have done so with the assistance of professional contacts, in addition to traditional job search techniques. Strengthen your network by searching for and connecting with the employees of major companies in Saudi Arabia. Be open about the fact you are currently looking for a job and enquire if the people in your network are aware of any suitable opportunities you can pursue.
Update your online profiles
Having an online public profile and CV is a great way to start applying for jobs when you’re thousands of miles away from your job destination. Before you start applying for jobs in Saudi Arabia, use the Bayt.com CV builder to ensure that your CV is fully searchable and rich with all the right keywords so that the right employers can easily find you. Not only is it free, but it will also make you visible to employers and search engines, such as Google.
Consider new career opportunities
When you decide to relocate to a new country with a whole different job market, it is not always possible to restart your career at the same level that you had in your home country. You need to need to keep an open mind about the possibility of settling for a job that is not quite what you are looking for, you will be able to gain experience working in your chosen destination and start developing a network of business contacts that may be able to assist you in securing better work in the future.
What are you still waiting for? Start the hunt for your dream job today by checking out Bayt.com’s job search tool where you can find 5,000+ jobs in Saudi Arabia alone!
