I wish there was a straight one, two, three steps plan that if you followed, you’d land a great job in Dubai. The truth is: a job search is not that simple. But there are resources which you can utilize to make your job search more effective. This entire free website was created to help you find a great career in Dubai.
I’ll walk you through the various resources at your disposal.
If you’re just starting your Dubai job search…
There are a few things that you need to understand. First, you need to know how companies go about recruiting people from within and outside of Dubai. Understanding the recruitment process in Dubai will allow you to more efficiently allocate your job hunting efforts.
And if this is your first time looking for a job whether in or outside of Dubai, I highly recommend reading the guide on the nature of the relationship between a job seeker, a job, and an employer.
Preparing for your Dubai job search.
Having the right frame of mind in your Dubai job hunt is probably the most important thing. Next in importance is how you present yourself to hiring managers and recruiters. Your CV/resume is the document that you use to market yourself. I have created a guide to help you understand the unique requirements of a Dubai CV/resume.
I also recommend that you get the help of a professional CV/resume writer. This company does a free CV review as part of their outreach to job hunters. To submit your CV to them, click here.
You’re now ready to launch.
It’s time to attack the Dubai job market. You’ll tackle your Dubai job search challenge from multiple fronts.
- Recruitment agencies in Dubai
- Companies and hiring managers in Dubai
- Your own network
Recruitment agencies in Dubai
You can start by contacting and working with headhunters and recruitment agencies in Dubai. I have written a guide to help you understand the role of recruitment agencies in helping you secure a job in Dubai. I have also compiled a list of the most trusted recruitment agencies in Dubai. And it’s one of the most popular pages on this website.
Hiring Companies in Dubai
One of the most feared, yet most effective, job hunting methods is cold-contacting companies. Yes, I know it is difficult. I been there. But it is vital that you do it. And by contacting companies, I don’t mean simply digging up any email address you find on their website and emailing them your CV. I mean that you should prepare a polished sales pitch and present it to your target company. Approach companies by building relationships with professionals who already work in your targeted companies. You can find such professionals on online networks such as LinkedIn (recommended) or Xing.
To research companies in Dubai, checkout this guide. Using this companies in Dubai guide, build a short list of companies and focus your efforts on them.
Your own network
Another very powerful job hunting medium is your own network. These are the people you know who may connect you with hiring managers and companies in Dubai. Don’t under estimate the power of the people you know. Contact your friends and family and ask them for help and to forward your information to anyone else who might be interested in hiring you or helping you in your job search.
The reason I didn’t mention using your own network first, before recruitment agencies and companies, is because you will want to first familiarize your self with the job market, polish your presentation and pitch, and enhance your job hunting skills. Your own network is probably not as vast as recruitment agencies and companies. Therefore, opportunities from your own network are scarce and more valuable.
“What about job sites?”
You may be thinking “But what about job sites, should I upload my CV there?” Job sites are for lower quality jobs and they are the least effective job hunting method. Your time is much better devoted to the methods mentioned above. But if you would still like to use job sites, I compiled a list of all the job sites that list Dubai-specific jobs.
When you get job offers and hot leads…
Once you start getting job offers and leads, there are a few things you’ll want to do.
Research salaries in Dubai to see if you’ve been given fair compensation for the position you’ve been offered.
If you want to negotiate a better compensation (and you always should), understand how a Dubai salary is broken down and get some negotiation tips here.
You’ll also need to know your rights when it comes to your employment contract and labour law in Dubai.
To know about living and moving to Dubai
If you’re outside of Dubai and planning to travel to Dubai or if you have questions about the city, I have a few resources for that.
For those who are planning to move to Dubai, I have a guide on how much transportation, accommodation, and food generally cost in Dubai. And you can find answers to Dubai visa, residency, and sponsorship questions. For other general frequently asked questions about moving and living in Dubai, you can check out this guide.
A bit more to know about Dubai jobs
Here are a few more job hunting resources that you may find useful, depending on your current job hunting phase.
- Dubai Jobs Scams — in this area you can find information about the various scams that dishonest people use to steal money from unsuspecting job hunters.
- Executive Jobs in Dubai — if you’ve heard about the high salaries that company executives get paid in Dubai and if you’re interested in getting a piece of the action, you can find tips and information here.
- News by job sector — you can also read up on the news in a specific job sector in Dubai. For example, accounting jobs in Dubai, construction jobs in Dubai, IT jobs in Dubai, and more. You can find a complete list on the right sidebar.
So, I hope you’ll find all of these resources helpful to your job search in Dubai. Good luck! 
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