According to the latest Bayt.com Middle East Job Index Survey conducted by Bayt.com, the number one job site in the Middle East, and leading research and consulting group, YouGov, approximately2 out of5 employers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will definitely be hiring in the next3 months.
63% of those surveyed in KSA believe that their country of residence is more attractive as a job market in comparison to other MENA countries. Moreover,52% of working respondents in KSA rate their industry as being more attractive as a potential employer in comparison to other industries.
Hiring expectations
72% of KSA employers will be hiring in the next3 months, with41% definitely hiring and31% probably hiring. According to them, only4% of KSA companies are definitely not hiring. Moreover, in a year’s time,44% of current KSA employers state that their companies will definitely be hiring, and34% will probably be hiring.59% of those looking to hire candidates in KSA will be opening up to10 new positions to potential employees in the next3 months. The majority of these jobs will be for junior executives (46%) and executives (41%). Only a minority are seeking top-level candidates.
Roles and experience
When looking at specific roles in KSA, according to working respondents, the most popular candidate positions will be for human resource professionals (26%) and accountants (23%), followed by sales managers (18%), customer service representatives (17%), and mechanical engineers (16%).
45% of KSA working respondents said that their company is generally seeking candidates with managerial experience, while37% of them said they are looking for candidates with administrative skills. Moreover,35% are ideally looking for candidates with mid-level experience and32% for sales and marketing experience, while26% are looking for candidates with good computer skills.
Candidate qualifications and skills
A graduate/post graduate degree in Business Management (39%) is the most sought-after academic qualification when looking for candidates in KSA. This is followed by a degree in Engineering (28%) and Administrative Qualifications (25%).83% of KSA working respondents mentioned their company values candidates with good communications skills in Arabic and English. Overall personality and demeanor (50%) and trustworthiness (46%) are also highly esteemed.
Industries attracting top talent
When asked which industry is attracting top talent in KSA,42% of respondents replied the banking and finance industry, followed by construction (37%) and telecommunications (32%).
“Our goal at Bayt.com is to arm job seekers with the tools needed to thrive in today’s increasingly competitive job market. The Bayt.com Middle East Job Index Survey is a biannual study conducted to gauge perceptions of job availability and hiring in the region, as well as identify the key skill sets and qualifications in the current job market,” said Suhail Al-Masri, Vice President of Sales, Bayt.com. “The survey shows that there is a positive trend in hiring practices in KSA within the next3 and12 months. Results show that employment opportunities will mostly be geared towards the younger generation who are looking for entry-level positions. For them to increase their eligibility, young job seekers need to focus on fine-tuning their communication and leadership skills. Entry-level candidates can also tap into different tools on Bayt.com that are designed to improve their skills and increase their professional knowledge. Bayt.com Specialties is a platform where anyone can ask and answer questions related to their field and professional specialties, and get ranked based on their interactions. Bayt.com Tests is also a great way for younger candidates to test and display their knowledge.”
“With72% of KSA working respondents stating that their company is planning to hire within the next3 months, it is refreshing to see that hiring schemes in the country are on an upward trajectory. And while a majority of these employers will be looking for junior executives and executives, now is the time for fresh graduates and job seekers with little or no experience to hone their skills and apply for the thousands of job vacancies that are advertised daily on leading job sites across the region,” said Elissavet Vraka, Research Manager, YouGov.
Almost9 out of10 KSA respondents work in the private sector, with26% of them working for a multinational company.4% of respondents in KSA are unemployed. The most popular industries among KSA respondents are construction and banking and finance.
A quarter of current employees in KSA are junior managers or team leaders, while24% are directors or senior managers, and17% are in middle management.
Data for the Bayt.com Middle East Job Index Survey was collected online between May28 and July14,2015, with a total of807 online interviews conducted with respondents from the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Pakistan.