The latest Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Job Index Survey, conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation, reveals that37% of companies in Qatar are definitely hiring in the coming3 months.62% of these will be looking to hire up to up to10 people, mostly for junior executive positions.
Hiring Expectations
In addition to37% of companies in Qatar definitely hiring in the next3 months,24% claim they will probably be hiring within the same time period. In a year’s time,66% claim they will either ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ be hiring.25% of companies will look to fill up to between6-10 positions, most of which (45%) will be for junior executive roles. More specifically, in the next3 months Qatar companies will seek civil engineers (18%), secretaries (16%), and receptionists, foremen and mechanical engineers (all15%).
Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA),62% of companies are definitely or probably hiring in the next3 months. Private multinationals are most likely to hire, with41% claiming to be ‘definitely’ hiring in the next3 months.
Candidate Qualifications and Skills
The most sought-after qualification amongst candidates in the MENA region is business management at graduate or post-graduate level. In Qatar, the most desirable qualification is one in engineering (34%), followed by business management (23%) and commerce (20%). Employers in Qatar are looking for candidates who have good communication skills in Arabic and English (56%), who are team players (48%), and have good leadership skills (48%).
In terms of experience, employers in Qatar like candidates who have the ability to manage a team (33%), who have mid-level experience (32%), or who have worked in engineering (32%).
Recent Hires and Job Attractiveness
66% of Qatar companies have hired new employees in the last6 months, compared to63% around the MENA region who have done so. According to52% of Qatar respondents, Qatar is more attractive as a job market than any other country in the region.51% in Qatar also consider their current industry to be more attractive as a potential employer than any other business.
Qatar respondents believe that the most attractive industries in the country, those that are retaining the top talent, are construction (59%), banking and finance (27%), and oil, gas and petrochemicals (44%).
Suhail Al-Masri, VP of Sales, Bayt.com said: “Overall, the region’s hiring outlook is looking quite positive for the coming3 and12 months. This will particularly be the case for multinationals, which could provide professional residents a foot in the door for some of the world’s largest companies. We can also see an increase in plans to hire in the public sector with37% definitely hiring in the next3 months, compared to31% in January2014. The trend continues from past waves with most employers planning to hire people for junior or middle-level executive positions. At Bayt.com, we are committed to providing employers and job seekers alike with a full perspective of the recruitment environment on a timely basis, empowering them with the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions.”
Sundip Chahal, CEO, YouGov MENA said: “By monitoring the trends for the most desirable job roles – such as accounts, sales and project managers and HR professionals in the MENA region, job seekers can hone their talents in these areas to improve their chances of employment. The specific qualifications and skills preferred region-wide and in each country provide an important benchmark for job seekers to strive for; bilingualism, leadership skills and the ability to work under pressure while being a team player are consistently desirable traits.”
Data for the Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Job Index Survey, July2014, was collected online from June10-July312014. Results are reported on a base of2,279 respondents, of which2,001 were of working status. Countries that participated are the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.