UAE is a prime place to establish a career, but be patient

From keeping your online CV constantly updated, to knowing your own worth - here is a professional's toolkit to help you land a great job in 2016.

Make sure the format, content and flow is professional and appropriate for the role. Getty Images

As a world-class business and industry hub with an enviable cosmopolitan lifestyle and unparalleled soft and hard infrastructure, the UAE is a country rich with opportunity and career potential. It is also consistently ranked one of the top places in the region to live and work. Here are some essential job search tips for professionals looking for that singularly plum assignment in the UAE:

1. Identify what you would like to do

With a plethora of global blue-chip multinationals calling the UAE home, a healthy ecosystem of leading regional corporations and large local conglomerates, as well as a very attractive and career-friendly public sector, the UAE job market is sophisticated, robust and extremely competitive. It is also very dynamic across a wide and varied industry sector base thanks to the sound and well-­diversified economy. Opportunities abound, but you need to be very sure of your objectives, strengths and weaknesses, and be able to readily articulate in a concise “elevator pitch” your unique personal positioning to be a real and immediate asset to employers. Begin by assessing your career aspirations and motivations. What is it that you specifically didn’t like about your past or present job? Ask yourself what it is you would like to have in a new job and how you can make your skills and experience work in that new capacity. Reliable psychometric tests, as well as specific skills and aptitudes tests, can help you evaluate different facets of your professional persona and further leverage strengths, address weaknesses and hone in on that ideal job and career.

2. Research the market

When you’re starting a new job search, it’s important to understand the local job market, as well as the industry and company you are hoping to work in. Online career map tools can help you compare your skills to those most in demand in your industry, country and target job role. Other ways to research the market include reading company and industry literature and regional HR surveys specific to the recruitment needs of local employers. Research will help you identify what companies, departments and positions to target, and what skills they demand, and will uncover who is immediately hiring in your industry.

3. Customise your CV

Your CV and cover letter are usually the first interaction you will have with a potential employer, so use them to leave a favourable first impression. Make sure the format, content and flow is professional and appropriate for the role. Regularly updating your online CV will ensure employers searching for your skills will find you, even if they don’t have vacancies posted. Include plenty of keywords and relevant details, such as the industries you are targeting, desired job roles, career highlights, key skills, etc. All this will make your CV more competitive and more searchable in a job market dominated by online job boards and internet career matching. A prime benefit of having an optimised online profile on a key regional job site is that it enables employers to find you through search engines like Google.

4. Apply to jobs diligently

Finding a new job is often a full-time job in itself and one that takes discipline, planning, foresight, organisation and diligence. Take the time every day to research new roles that are advertised online on the leading job sites and corporate sites, adjust your cover letter and profile to the specific role and follow up with applications already sent. Remember, on the leading job boards there is also a vast “hidden job market” of top roles that are not advertised but are filled directly by employers through the online “CV Search” mechanism. This particularly happens for senior executive roles at leading corporations, which tend to be sourced online without being advertised. By maintaining a cutting-edge profile, your CV can work for you even while you are not actively applying to the full universe of relevant jobs.

5. Grow your network

Connections matter, with many jobs and business leads ultimately found and sealed through online and offline networking. Attend the leading industry and career events, which fill the UAE professional calendar year, as well as the top regional online forums and peer group boards. These forums allow you to meet top industry practitioners, gain insights about peers and competitors, and to remain top of mind with prospective clients and employers alike. They also enable you to get further essential recognition, recommendations and referrals in your field, and establish yourself as an expert in your domain.

6. Understand your earning potential

Before you start accepting job offers, it’s helpful to know what the salary structures and trends are locally and what your peers with similar skills at a similar career level are earning. Use online salary comparison tools applicable to your region to know what you are worth.

7. Be patient

According to a 2015 Bayt.com study, half of professionals in the Middle East said the recruitment process can take up to three months. The UAE is a prime place to establish a stellar career footprint in a thriving world-class business environment, so finding the right role may be worth the wait.

Lama Ataya heads the marketing department at the Middle East job site Bayt.com