How To Find A Job In Dubai Without Any Prior Experience
Life after college heralds the start of a new phase–finding a career. However, in this competitive job market, finding a job in Dubai is not an easy task, particularly if you are a freshman. With a focus on cost-cutting, several companies nowadays have started reducing entry-level jobs for fresh graduates, while demanding more responsibilities from them. Thus, college graduates are expected to be more job-ready than ever for their first day!
Such developments have definitely created a challenging situation for young people trying to get their dream jobs abroad. That being said, Dubai’s mature job market hasn’t made it any easier.
It isn’t the developing city it was ten years ago, when the exotic Emirate was looking for anyone and everyone to help its booming job market. But no worries, there are surefire ways to find a job in Dubai without any prior experience.
If you are looking for work in Dubai, here is a list of tips based on my personal experience that helped me find a job in Dubai. It is by no means a complete list, but is certain to help you in your quest to find a job a job in Dubai.
My 7 Tips On How to Find a Job in Dubai:
1. Identify the potential employer
Begin your job search by identifying prospective employers on the Internet. There are several online job portals, Free Zone websites, and the Dubai Yellow Pages to help you find listings of companies and their businesses. Popular job portals in the area are Naukrigulf.com, Bayt.com and Monstergulf.
2. Verify details before choosing a company/employer
Once you have identified potential companies, verify the company’s details on Google to see if it is featured in international or national news. It helps you get an idea about the nature, scope, and size of the company. Moreover, if a company is always in the news for bad business practices, knowing this in advance will help you in the long run. Similarly, verify the company’s contact details, licensing, and trading activities to prevent being employed by an unethical company.
You should be more alert if your prospective employer only has a Hotmail or Yahoo email address. Several legitimate companies in Dubai use these types of email addresses. However, I feel if any company does not care or cannot afford to get a registered web page or email address, that you should think twice before applying for a job with them.
3. Relying on Recruitment agents
If you want to contact recruitment agents to help you find a job in Dubai, I would recommend being extra cautious of any agents who ask for money for either a placement fee, documentation, or registration fees. Such agents are undoubtedly unlicensed. Moreover, all major recruitment costs are always borne by the employer under the law. Some recruitment costs include job post advertising, medical examination fees, residency visa expenses, and labor deposits.
4. Customize your CV
Provide your prospective employers with an up-to-date resume/CV. It is advisable to customize your resume for different job roles and companies to make it a better fit.
Provide all the important information in bullet points to make it readable, since most employers will only scan your resume for relevant details at first. Overall, try to keep the information in your CV accurate and brief, listing your achievements and percentage growth contribution.
5. Apply online
Several companies include “Career” links to their website to allow job seekers find job openings. Before applying, make sure your qualification and skill sets match the job requirement. Keep a record of the companies and job roles you have applied for–this will help you follow up with them on a weekly basis.
6. Widen your Social network
As a young graduate, do not be shy to ask for assistance from your friends, alumni, family, and other people in your social network to help you find a job in Dubai. Career networking plays a crucial role in finding a new job. Hence, create your profile on reputed social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This will help you connect with professional individuals and groups in Dubai. It will also enhance your visibility to potential employers.
Moreover, employers nowadays are increasingly using these networking sites to find their future employees by heavily advertising their open positions.
7. Know your earning potential
So as not to get disappointed with your job search in Dubai, it is vital to analyze your earning potential. There are several online salaries platforms such as payscale.com which will let you check the average salary for any freshman job commensurate with your qualifications and industry. This will help you in accepting the right job offer. The actual package, however, depends on the size of the company, the business of the employer, and your negotiation skills.
Anyone looking to find a job in Dubai should also be aware of its distinct geo-location and tax advantages. The small Emirate is located only hours away from Europe, Africa, and Asia. You can easily find great weekend deals to places like Thailand or the UK, since Dubai is a major airport hub.
If that isn’t enough to convince you, then knowing your salary is non-taxable may do the trick. Dubai imposes no income taxes on money you earn and is very affordable. You keep your entire paycheck, which helps you save for future travels, and are typically provided top-class medical insurance.
If you are looking to work in one of the most exotic Emirates in the world, I highly recommend you look for a job in Dubai.
You will experience an eclectic mix of entertainment and Arabian culture, all the while working in world-renowned establishments which have made Dubai a business hub.
So, start your job search now for a brighter career waiting for you in beautiful Dubai!
Have you thought about working in the United Arab Emirates? Do you have any other tips for someone looking to find a job in Dubai?
Photographs used under Creative Commons licenses: Thamer Al Hassan, Paolo Margari, AD Teasedale, Elmar Bajora, tmlvngs, James Chan.
