Obs in UAE: Boom time for seekers, but who is still in demand?

The UAE is emerging as one of the most optimistic economies where more than half of the employers are planning to add workforce in 2013, reveals a new study by Bayt.com and YouGov. In its latest findings, Bayt states that 35 per cent of the companies will definitely be hiring in the next three months (compared to 28 per cent in Q3 of 2012), with 22 per cent stating that they will probably be hiring. In a year’s time, 67 per cent of companies are expected to hire new employees. The figures suggest that by the end of the year, there will be many new jobs available in the market. Industries that are likely to attract and retain top talent in the country include banking and finance, and oil, gas and petrochemicals and construction. Those that will be hiring in the country (67 per cent of the respondents surveyed) are likely to add 10 employees each in the coming three months. Employers will be scouting candidates with an engineering background and qualifications. Engineers will be followed by those with a business management and commerce background. Companies will look to hire candidates who have experience in team management, computer skills, sales and marketing, engineering, and those who have between 3-7 years of experience. Besides the educational qualifications, employers will lay emphasis on finding candidates with good communication skills, ability to be a cooperative, helpful and being having the flexibility to be team player, and having good leadership skills. The UAE also tops the list of most preferred destination for work in the region. “Four out of 10 respondents (38 per cent) state that their current country of residence is more attractive than others in the Middle East, with the UAE topping the list of the most attractive countries in the region, followed by Qatar and KSA,” said the findings. Within the region, it will be the multinational private sector companies that will drive the hiring momentum and will be the biggest source of employment in a year’s time. Regionally, the most desirable qualifications for candidates are in business management, commerce, engineering, and computer science. Good communication skills in English and Arabic are most desirable by employers, though being a cooperative, helpful and flexible team player is also considered highly. In terms of experience, most highly regarded is the ability to manage a team, followed by computer skills and sales and marketing, as per the bayt.com findings. Emirates 24/7