Released bi-annually, the survey is an in-depth study that aims to measure the job availability and hiring trends. The study also identifies trends in the MENA job market and provides an understanding of required skill sets and qualifications in the region.
Hiring intentions in the UAE
The top industries looking to hire the highest number of candidates in the next three months across the MENA region are Business Consultancy/Business Management/Management Consulting (58%), Healthcare/Medical Services and Oil/Gas/Petrochemicals (both at55%).
UAE companies will be mainly hiring entry level staff especially Junior Executives (38%), followed by Managers (36%) and Coordinators (26%). Furthermore, Sales Managers (18%), Receptionists (16%), and Customer Service Representatives (14%) are the top roles UAE employers are looking for.
Echoing the short term, Business Consultancy/Business Management/Management Consulting industry (81%) continue to have the highest hiring intentions in the next one year in MENA, followed by IT/Internet/E-commerce (68%) and Consumer Goods/FMCG (66%).
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “The Bayt.com Job Index Survey gives us the opportunity to measure the job availability and hiring trends, twice a year. Faced with an unprecedented global crisis in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, our region continues to evolve and transform affecting the most in-demand jobs and skills, as well as the factors which are crucial in attracting and retaining top talent."
Skills and qualifications
When it comes to skill sets in the UAE, good communication skills in both English and Arabic languages are highly sought after (55%), followed by being a team player (41%) and ability to take on new challenges (38%).
One-third of UAE employers (33%) state that they are looking for candidates with managerial experience (ability to manage a team), while31% want candidates with sales and marketing experience and30% are searching for those with mid-level experience (3 to7 years).
In terms of academic qualifications, Business Management (30%), Engineering (25%) and Information Technology (16%) are the most sought-after amongst employers in the UAE.
Industries attracting top talent
Overall, Healthcare/Medical services (32%) is seen as the industry that attracts or retains top talent in the UAE, followed by IT/Internet/E-commerce and Oil/Gas/Petrochemicals (both23%).
Healthcare/Medical Services (28%) emerges as the main industry attracting national talent, followed by Oil/Gas/Petrochemicals (27%). On the other hand, Real Estate/Construction/Property Development (25%) attracts the most fresh graduates, followed by Banking/Finance (24%).
When it comes to female talent, Healthcare/Medical Services and Hospitality/Recreation/Entertainment (both37%) are considered the most attractive, followed by Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations (33%).
“The Job Index Survey is a key indicator of the MENA region’s hiring activities. For job seekers, this survey is a useful guide outlining the general perspectives and sentiments regarding matters like job availability and skills required. For employers and managers, the survey depicts many findings and predictions regarding the regional business and job market,” said Zafar Shah, Research Director, Data Services at YouGov.
Data for the Middle East Job Index Survey2020 was collected online from June23,2020 to August6,2020. Results are based on a sample of1,055 respondents from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, and others.