UAE: The latest Job Index Survey from Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site, and YouGov, global online market research company, has revealed that over three-quarters (76%) of UAE employers are planning to hire new employees in 2022.
Further, most UAE employers are demanding good communication in English and Arabic (57%), followed by being a team player (46%), ability to work under pressure (41%) and good leadership skills (38%) as top skills for their hires.
Released bi-annually, the Job Index survey is an in-depth study that aims to measure the job availability and hiring trends. It also identifies trends in the MENA job market and provides an understanding of required skill sets and qualifications in the region.
Demand: Skills, Job Roles, and Academic Qualifications
Marketing Executive (18%), Sales Executive (18%), Accountant (17%) and Sales Manager (17%) are the top roles that UAE employers are hiring for in the coming quarter. In terms of experience required, 34% of respondents state that they are looking for candidates with sales and marketing experience, while 31% are searching for those with mid-level experience and 30% want candidates with managerial experience.
In addition, Business Management (32%), Engineering (29%) and Commerce (22%) are the most sought-after academic qualifications amongst employers in the UAE.
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “The Middle East Job Index survey demonstrates that demand for professionals continues to grow in the MENA region. A fast and effective talent acquisition program, being clear about what the organization stands for, its culture and flexible working conditions are the deciding factors in winning talent during this period of growth.’’
Hiring Trends in the UAE
Job seekers in the MENA region will be pleased to know that hiring intention across many sectors is positive in the short term, with top industries looking to hire new employees in the next three months are Human Resources (68%), Hospitality/ Recreation/ Entertainment (67%) and Banking/ Finance (65%).
In addition, 46% of the UAE companies that plan to hire in the next three months will be hiring for a maximum of five jobs, while 19% of the companies will be hiring for about six to 10 jobs.
The outlook looks positive for job seekers in the near future as well. Hospitality/ Recreation/ Entertainment (79%) emerges as the top industry looking to hire in the next one year. This is followed by Business Consultancy/ Business Management/ Management Consulting (78%) and Manufacturing (75%).
Most Attractive Industries
Banking/ Finance (34%), Advertising/ Marketing/ Public Relations (34%) and IT/ Internet/ E-commerce (34%) emerge as the industries that attract or retain top talent in the UAE.
Overall, Banking/Finance emerges as the main industry attracting the national talent (38%), fresh graduates (39%) as well as female talent (38%).
Zafar Shah, Research Director at YouGov said: “The future is bright for job seekers as the MENA starts to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Thanks to robust vaccine programs and people returning to the office, hiring trends reflect an encouraging recovery as this year’s first Job Index tracks, follows and communicates required skillsets.”
Data for the Middle East Job Index Survey was collected online from 8 December 2021 to 10 January 2022. Results are based on a sample of 1,481 from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan among others.
About Bayt.com:
Bayt.com is the leading job site in the Gulf and Middle East, connecting job seekers with employers looking to hire. Every day, thousands of new job vacancies are listed on the award-winning platform from the region’s top employers. The portal is used by over 40,000 global employers and has a database of over 43,000,000 professionals.
