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 UAE will definitely be hiring in the next3 months.
69% of those surveyed in the UAE believe that their country of residence is more attractive as a job market in comparison to other MENA countries. Moreover,46% of working respondents in the UAE rate their industry as being more attractive as a potential employer in comparison to other industries.
Hiring expectations
66% of UAE employers will be hiring in the next3 months, with43% definitely hiring and23% probably hiring. According to them, only3% of UAE companies are definitely not hiring. Moreover, in a year’s time,31% of UAE current employers state that their companies will definitely be hiring, and41% will probably be hiring.
75% of those looking to hire candidates in the UAE will be opening up to10 new positions to potential employees in the next3 months. The majority of these jobs will be for junior executives (45%) and executives (40%). Only a minority are seeking top-level candidates.
Roles and experience
When looking at specific roles in the UAE, according to working respondents, the most popular candidate positions will be for human resource professionals and executive assistants, both at21%, followed by sales managers (17%), accountants (15%) and receptionists (14%).
37% of UAE working respondents said that their company is generally seeking candidates with mid-level experience, while almost one third of them said they are looking for candidates with managerial skills. Moreover,31% are ideally looking for candidates with administrative skills, experience in sales and marketing (27%) and computer skills (25%).
Candidate qualifications and skills
A graduate/post graduate degree in Business Management (35%) is the most sought-after academic qualification when looking for candidates in the UAE. This is followed by a degree in Commerce (25%) and Engineering (24%).
Half of UAE working respondents mentioned their company values candidates who are team players. Good communications skills in Arabic and English (49%) and good leadership skills (47%) are also highly esteemed.
Industries attracting top talent
When asked which industry is attracting top talent in the UAE,42% of respondents replied the banking and finance industry, followed by oil, gas and petrochemicals (36%) and construction (34%).
“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 the UAE 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.”
“With66% of UAE 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.
Almost8 out of10 UAE respondents work in the private sector, with32% of them working for a multinational company.12% of respondents in the UAE are unemployed. The most popular industries among UAE respondents are construction (12%), banking and finance (7%) and oil, gas and petrochemicals (7%).
21% of current employees in the UAE hold executive roles with no managerial responsibilities, while20% are junior managers or team leaders 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.