Dubai Employment Tips

Whole some areas of industry have experienced a downturn in recent years there are promising signs that the retail industry is experiencing and unprecedented boom in Dubai and the UAE. The latest reports show a colossal increase in leasable retail space in Dubai itself up to 2010, with an increase of over 260% indicated in research by the Mumbai based Bharat Book Bureau research company.

In an interesting contrast to the rise in available space a report by CB Richard Ellis, consultants in the industry, stated that rental rates have fallen considerably in recent years, indicating a loss of value in what were possibly over-inflated rental costs in recent years. Indeed, to rent retail space in Dubai costs almost half of the amount it would have done in 2006.

With some of the lowest rental charges in the Middle East – let alone Europe – Dubai may be set for an increase in retail that is unprecedented in the region. Global brands continue to move into the city and with such attractive costs there is likely to be an influx of worldwide retail brands in the years to come.

This in turn adds to the possibilities of jobs in the market, with sales and marketing openings coming hand in hand with an increase in retail lets. The way the market is developing indicates that Dubai is settling into its new found position as a retail centre for Middle East businesses, and the more international brands take up residence in the malls of the city the more others are likely to follow.

Western business has long regarded the Personal Assistant as part and parcel of a well run and efficient corporation, but the many differences between the way we work and the underlying traditions in the Middle East have meant the concept of the PA has taken some getting used to in places such as Dubai.

As Dubai emerges from the recent economic slump that affected the whole world and begins to re-emerge as a major growth area the increase in foreign companies operating in the region has led to greater reliance on the PA, and as a result an increased need for those with experience in organising the day to day lives of executives in a fast moving environment.

With a different set of laws – both in business and personal life – to those experienced in western society, the life and job of a PA in Dubai may take some getting used to for many people, but adaptability is very much the key to the position. Being able to act quickly and to play the part of intermediary between businessmen from both the East and the West is a prime objective of the Dubai PA.

With such diverse growth areas as the travel and tourism trade, the construction industry, finance and the media there is a widespread call for PA’s from all walks of life, but to expect a smooth transition may be a touch optimistic. Dubai is a promising place to work, and once the nuances of business in the UAE are understood a good PA can be worth a great deal.

The healthcare industry in the UAE and Dubai is one that operates to a high standard, and the latest figures regarding medical tourism – people coming to the region to be treated – confirms the high regard that the hospitals in the region are held in.

With top class modern machinery and attention to detail in working practices that are second to none there is little surprise that the quality of service is high, yet a figure of over four million people visiting the region to take advantage of the facilities is a colossal amount.

Jobs in the healthcare industry are on the rise directly as a result of the growing interest in the industry, and these figures – official announcements from the UAE government – hold great promise for prospects in the region in coming years.

In the Middle East there is on bigger player in the medical tourism market than the UAE and the value of the industry is some $1.7bn, a major contribution to the income of the region.

One hospital that offers such services, the Canadian Specialist Hospital in Deira, fields some 1500 US patients every month, and Chairman of the hospital Mohammed Rashid Al Falasi explained:

“Treatment rates in the UAE are lower than overseas hospitals. We have hospitals, such as the CSH, offering ultra-high standards of medical services that reflect the development of medicine in the UAE, as well as the world’s simplest and most positive healthcare regulations [in the UAE] when it comes to dealing with patients from all over the world.”

The health industry is a major employer of foreign nationals and growth is expected to be rapid.

The announcement that ITN, the UK news broadcaster, is to open an ITV office in Dubai is excellent news for the fast growing media and PR industry in the city and the rest of the UAE. With recent investment in the advertising industry in the region the presence of a worldwide renowned broadcaster will add to the cache that Dubai already carries in the media world.

With the intention of covering news from the Middle East, the Indian regions and Africa the new office will be a major centre for news in the region, and according to reports in UK newspapers is set to be run by John Irvine, newly appointed as ITN’s International Correspondent.

In an interesting contrast to the opening of the Dubai office it was also reported that ITN would be shutting the outlet in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the understanding that its operations would be covered by the new Dubai bureau.

Explaining the intentions and advantages of the location, Jonathon Munro, deputy editor for ITN news, told the UK Guardian newspaper:

“The strategic decision to open the Dubai bureau will improve our longer-term newsgathering and ability to get teams on the ground for breaking stories in a wide area from Pakistan to Southern Africa.”

The first new ITN overseas bureau since it opened a similar office in China in 2006, the choice of Dubai highlights the city’s perfect location and adds to the potential increase in opportunities for those looking for employment in the media and PR world in the region.

As Dubai undergoes a transformation from a minor player to a major force in the business world the need for good managers in all areas is constant. Management is something that has been handled in decidedly Middle Eastern terms in the region, but with the increase of Western style business – and the influx of western businesses into the region – the tide is turning and the prospects for managers looking for openings in Dubai are on the rise.

With excellent working practices and guarantees of excellent salaries this is a country that has always attracted the cream of the crop, yet these days the competition is even higher. To prove your worth in the Dubai job market you need a certain amount of proven success and a reputation that carries before you.

As Dubai is central to the growth of business in the UAE it is something of a hub for managers in many areas of business. Construction is a major business in the region and the banking and finance world holds great influence and shows great growth with many banks from foreign countries opening branches in the city, while the worldwide reliance on IT and telecommunications means there is much scope for growth in these areas.

With such rapid movement in employment in the region as we are seeing at the moment it is vital that good managers keep a constant eye on changes in the market, and with teaching positions to add to the popular industries mentioned above there are plenty of options.

The ongoing confusion that surrounds the telecoms industry in the UAE and Dubai is one of the factors why this sector of industry is facing uncertain times. With last year’s now famous ‘spyware’ incident that has led to an ongoing dispute between RIM – the makers of the Blackberry range of mobile phones – and the UAE’s Telecoms Regulation Authority leading to increased tension in the region the situation is not likely to be resolved in the immediate future.

The UAE TRA is very strict about what can and can’t be used in the information technology world in the region an governs with an iron rod; any Voice Over Internet Protocols services – such as Skype, so well known and used by Westerners – are banned unless they are used in conjunction with Etisalat or Du, the local providers.

However, the glitches in the development of these telecoms routes should be viewed as another hurdle to be overcome in integrating the Dubai way of life, and laws, with the increasing influence of western attitudes, and the industry as a whole is one that is experiencing a modicum of worthy growth.

Call centres in the region are very much in demand as technology takes a hold in many industries, while attempts by the likes of Google – major industry players – to implement its technology in the region continue. It will take some time but the signs are that the IT industry in Dubai is slowly becoming one of the fastest growing areas of investment.