Looking to change jobs? This is your best time

Employers across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region have revealed their intention of hiring new employees, with 67 per cent of organisations in the UAE saying that they plan to hire within the next three months.
The statistics were compiled in YouGov and Bayt.com's recent Middle East Job Index survey, which also revealed that 65 per cent of employers in the GCC plan to hire in the next three months. Notable increases in hiring expectancy were witnessed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with private sector companies having the highest intentions of hiring.
"The Middle East's hiring outlook is looking quite positive, with 64 per cent of employed respondents planning to hire in the next three months; 40 per cent of whom will be hiring for up to five jobs," said Suhail Masri, VP of employer solutions at Bayt.com.
In the next three months, more than two-thirds of UAE employers intend to hire, with 70 per cent of multinational companies, 69 per cent of large local companies and 63 per cent of small or medium-sized local companies 'definitely' or 'probably' hiring. Among UAE companies that plan to hire in the next three months, 62 per cent indicate that they will be hiring for a maximum 10 jobs. A majority of UAE companies hiring in the next three months are looking to fill entry-level positions at 35 per cent and mid-career positions at 13 per cent, with no managerial responsibilities.
Looking to the future, eight in 10 working respondents in the UAE claim that they intend to hire in a year's time. Private sector companies continue to have the highest hiring intentions in the long term, with 77 per cent of multinational and large local companies respectively, and 74 per cent of small or medium local companies 'definitely hiring' or 'probably hiring'.
Almost seven in 10 respondents from the UAE are employed in the private sector, a quarter work for a multinational company, while seven per cent work for the public or government sector and 11 per cent are unemployed.
Human resources at 34 per cent and hospitality/recreation/entertainment at 31 per cent emerged as the industries that attract top talent in the UAE. Real estate/construction/property development at 29 per cent, banking/finance at 27 per cent, advertising/marketing/public relations at 26 per cent and healthcare/medical services at 26 per cent are also popular industries.
Graduate/post graduate degrees in business management at 36 per cent, followed by engineering at 29 per cent are the most sought-after academic qualifications in the UAE. Employers in the UAE are also looking for employees with good communications skills in both English and Arabic at 59 per cent, as well as candidates with good teamwork at 49 per cent and leadership at 46 per cent skills.
"The increase in the hiring expectancy throughout the Mena region is a positive reflection on the economy as a whole. By gauging the perceptions when it comes to the Mena's job market, we can deduce that the private sector is expected to offer the most employment options in the next few months and be the driving force of job growth in the region. It is also interesting to note that employers place the greatest emphasis on language skills, particularly English and Arabic," said Joao Neves, senior research director at YouGov.
Overall, at 87 per cent, GCC companies seem to be hiring for more jobs compared to the Levant region at 77 per cent and North Africa at 82 per cent. When it comes to hiring by industry in the wider Mena region over the next three months, organisations in the banking/finance industry present the highest intention to hire at 74 per cent, followed by the hospitality/recreation/entertainment industry at 73 per cent and the telecommunications industry at 71 per cent. On the other hand, government/civil service has the lowest intention to hire in the same period at 58 per cent.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com