How to get hired in Dubai?

A lot of people have the misconception that it is easy to apply for a job in Dubai or the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai is one of the most competitive Job markets in the world, as millions of people apply from all over the world. Based on the data from JobXDubai.com, candidates from India, Pakistan and Europe make up the most volume.

Popular positions such as Accountant, Sales & Marketing and HR receive easily over 500 applicants within 24 hours. When a recruiter receives an overwhelming amount of resumes, he or she is unable to process them all. From the feedback we have received, recruiters tend to open at the most the first 100 Resumes and try to pick someone from that list.

Video – how to apply in Dubai
Recruiters work on a performance based compensation – meaning they receive a commission, when they fill a vacancy. Their motivation is to find the right candidate as soon as possible and receive the commission for their work. Most likely if they go through all of the 500 resumes, they will be able to identify the perfect candidate for the position. At the moment, nobody does it and it consumes too much time to look through each resume.

Assuming that a recruiter spends approximately 1minute on a single CV, he would need to spend at least 8hours non stop to look through 500.

So how do you stand out in such a competitive environment?
On average, a candidate needs to apply 200 times before being invited to an interview and get eventually hired. Since your Resume is the only piece of paper that actually markets your skills and yourself, you need to have a winning CV. If you want to learn how to write a winning CV, you can read our article.

Considering you have already followed our guide and created a winning CV, your next step is to set a strategy of where you are going to apply.

1. Jobboards A job board is a website where employers post job openings and job seekers can browse and apply for positions. The top job boards in the UAE are the following :

Bayt.com
Gulftalent.com
JobXDubai.com
NaukriGulf.com
LinkedIn
Please consider, as a candidate, you should never pay a fee when applying for a Job. Platforms such as JobXDubai.com offer various premium services to help candidates stand out and improve their chances to getting hired in Dubai.
For example, we offer a professional CV service or you can also check your Resume with AI and receive feedback on how to improve it.

Some jobboards are more specialised than others. All of the above mentioned post jobs across MENA, whereas JobXDubai only focuses on Dubai and the UAE.

The process to apply for a job on these platforms is relatively straightforward. You register free of charge, upload your cv, add some personal information and apply.

Strategy: Apply on Job Boards such as JobXDubai.com
We would suggest to start applying via those above mentioned platforms and see how you perform. As the job market is very competitive, we suggest to apply for at least 200 positions, on a daily basis. This strategy should yield result and get you at least shortlisted.

Here is a break down of the strategy:

Register on all of the above platforms
Setup email alerts for your particular position
Speed is key – so make sure you are ready to be the first to apply when a position opens up
Be consistent – apply daily and do not give up
Do not expect to receive any feedback from the Companies / Recruiters, as most of them receive a very high number of applicants and could not provide individual feedback.

If there is no feedback within 2 weeks then most likely you have not been shortlisted and would not advance to an interview. Recruiters might send you an automated email saying something like “we are not moving forward with your application“.

This is not a reflection on your skills or experience, there could be several reasons why the application did not go forward. Do not think about it too much and just keep going and apply daily.

If you should get to the point that you have been applying for over 200 positions and still have not received any single feedback, maybe you should revisit your CV – here is a comprehensive guide how you can improve it.

1. Independent Recruitment Agencies In Dubai, a lot of smaller to midsize companies tend to outsource their talent search to independent recruitment agencies. There are some well established agencies and non regulated recruiters, which you should avoid at all costs.

There are some shady recruitment agencies, who contact candidates and ask for a fee upfront for a guaranteed job. In all of those cases, these are scams designed to extract money from the candidates and there is no guaranteed job waiting. So please avoid those as much as possible and do not pay.

Strategy: Approach Recruiters
Another strategy on how to get hired in Dubai is to approach recruiters directly. In this article, we have provided Top 30 reputable recruiters in Dubai and the UAE.

How to approach Recruiters:

Step 1

You can start by visiting their official website and see if they have open vacancies that fit your criteria
Submit your CV with recruitment agencies even if there are no open positions
If you contact the recruiters via email, do not write an automated email. Draft the email in a more personal approach.
An example of an email could be:

“Dear Accel team, I hope my emails find you well. I am a chartered Accountant with over 10 years experience at a big 4 company. I believe your company is specialised in this field and I would like for you to have a look at my Resume and see if there would be a position I would be perfect for.

Currently in Dubai on a Visit Visa, I am available for Interviews. I appreciate your time and effort and I am looking forward working together”
Step 2

Most recruiters are using LinkedIn as their main social network. Find the recruitment companies from the list, visit their pages, start following them and setup alerts for new posts.

A lot of companies tend to post their open vacancies on their LinkedIn pages, so make sure you will receive an email, when a new job post goes live.

Furthermore, open the LinkedIn page of any of those Recruitment pages and click on the tab “People”. In this field, you will be see all the employees working for a particular Recruitment Agency.

Research all the agents from the company and start approaching them – if the option to connect is available , then sent out an invite.

Most of the recruiters have a public page and have a “Message” button. Use the message button to get in touch with the recruiter.

As you can see from the above picture, this particular agent has over 17,000 followers on LinkedIn. This is in indication that a lot of candidates are Messaging him with their Resumes.

If you decide to send a message, make it very personal. Do not use any automated / chatgpt generated text. Be polite and friendly. You can write something like this :

“Hey Tommy, hope you are well. As you are Senior Technology Consultant, I would like to share my Resume with you. I have seen that you have [open position title] and I believe my expertise would fit perfectly.
I am currently in Dubai and would be available for an interview”

Do not expect a response here, as you can imagine that a lot of candidates follow the same strategy. In most cases, the recruiter will look at your CV and if he has an open position that he is trying to fill and your skills align with that position, he will invite you to a short interview.

However, if you do not receive a reply, do not panic – try to follow up with another message in a couple of days, reminding him to have a look at your Resume. Be polite, be patient – these are the keys to landing a job in Dubai.

List of reputable and well established Recruitment Agencies
HR Consultancy Firms in Dubai
HR Consultancy Firms in Dubai

1. Accel Human Resource Consultants
   Services: HR solutions and recruitment in various sectors.
   Address: UAE OFFICE 108, First Floor, Al Nasr Plaza, Oud Metha, Dubai, UAE.
   Phone: +9714 396 96 00
   Email: jobs@accelhrc.com, info@accelhrc.com
   Website: Accel HR Consulting

2. Adecco Middle East
   Services: World’s largest HR provider and temporary staffing firm.
   Address: Marina Plaza, Dubai Marina Road, Office 1206, Dubai, UAE.
   Phone: +971 (0) 4 368 7900
   Email: adeccoae.info@adecco.com
   Website: Adecco

3. Agile Consultants
   Services: Customized services to clients and candidates in the UAE & GCC.
   Address: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE.
   Phone: +971 4 8769064
   Email: info@agileconsultants.ae
   Website: Agile Consultants

4. Alliance Recruitment Agency
   Services: International recruiting, staffing, and HR services provider.
   Address: PO Box No: 336899 Dubai, UAE
   Website: Alliance Recruitment Agency

5. ANOC
   Services: Recruiting and Manpower Consultancy.
   Address: 14 Boulevard Plaza, Tower 1 Downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates
   Email: info@anoc.ae, jobs@anoc.ae
   Website: ANOC

6. BAC Middle East
   Services: Professional recruitment consultancy.
   Address: 919 Liberty House Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai,
   Phone: +9714 – 4398500
   Email: recruit@bacme.com
   Website: BAC Middle East

7. Budge Talent
   Services: Recruitment and HR Consultancy in Construction, Real Estate, and Asset Management Sectors.
   Address: Office 208C, Diamond Business Center 1 Arjan, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
   Phone: +971 (0)4 374 8101
   Email: hello@budgetalent.com
   Website: Budge Talent

8. Charterhouse
   Services: Represents job opportunities across various sectors.
   Address: P.O. Box 75972 Suite 903 Maze Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, U.A.E
   Phone: +971 4 372 3500
   Email: info@charterhouse.ae
   Website: Charterhouse

9. Cooper Fitch
   Services: Recruitment, executive search, and HR advisory services.
   Address: 13th Floor Tiffany Tower Jumeirah Lakes Towers PO Box 118468, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
   Phone: +971 4 352 2506
   Email: talktous@cooperfitch.ae
   Website: Cooper Fitch

10. Candor Human Resources Consultancy
    Services: Global employers-oriented manpower recruitment agency.
    Address: Suite # 1449, Damas Tower (Burj 2000), Sharjah, UAE
    Phone: +971 6 563 9142, +971 6 563 9149
    Email: info@candorintl.com
    Website: Candor HR Consultancy
    HR Consultancy Firms in Dubai

11. Dawaam
    Services: Headhunting services and staffing solutions.
    Address: 2nd Floor, Office 203 Nassima Tower, Trade Center 1, Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 49260 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Phone: +971 (4) 353 4774
    Email: info@dawaam.net
    Website: Dawaam

12. Engage Selection
    Services: Personalized recruitment service.
    Address: PO Box 390380 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Phone: +971 4 447 8955
    Email: dubai@engageselection.com
    Website: Engage Selection

13. First Select Employment
    Services: Professional outsourcing and workforce solutions.
    Address 01: Dubai, UAE, Al Manara Building. P.O.Box 32634
    Phone: +971 4 380 7491
    Address 02: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Al Jazera Sports Tower A. P.O.Box 6314
    Phone: +971 2 4451130
    Website: First Select Employment

14. Greenland UAE
    Services: Bridging the gap between employers and job seekers.
    Address: Level 30 – The H Hotel Office Tower One Sheikh Zayed Road – Dubai
    Phone: +971 4 405 8198
    Email: admin@greenlanduae.com
    Website: Greenland UAE

15. Gulf Recruitment Group
    Services: Locally owned recruitment agency.
    Address: One Business Bay, Omniyat Tower, Business Bay, P.O Box 300179, Dubai
    Phone: +971 (0)4 210 9000
    Website: Gulf Recruitment Group

16. Guildhall
    Services: Executive HR consulting and recruitment.
    Address: Dubai Logistics City – United Arab Emirates
    Phone: +971 48874527
    Email: asia@guildhall.agency
    Website: Guildhall

17. Hays
    Services: Global recruitment expert.
    Address 01: Dubai & Saudi Arabia, Hays FZ LLC, Block No 19, Knowledge Village
    Phone: +971 4 559 5800
    Address 02: Hays FZ LLC, Guardian Tower 4th Floor (Technip Building), Abu Dhabi
    Phone: +971 4 559 5800
    Website: Hays

18. HR Source
    Services: Multi-dimensional recruitment and HR consultancy.
    Address: Fortune Executive Tower Office 2001 (20th floor) T Cluster, JLT Dubai
    Phone: +971(0)4 441 2289, +971(0)4 447 4707
    Email: info@hrsource.ae
    Website: HR Source

19. Inspire Selection
    Services: Boutique recruitment consultancy.
    Address: Level 14, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai
    Phone: +97143680852
    Email: info@inspireselection.com
    Website: Inspire Selection

20. Mackenzie Jones
    Services: Recruitment consultancy.
    Address: Jumeirah Business Centre 3, (JBC 3) Cluster “Y,” Jumeirah Lake Towers
    Phone: +971 (0) 4 457 1700
    Email: info@mackenziejones.com
    Website: Mackenzie Jones

21. ManpowerGroup Middle East
    Services: Global workforce solutions provider.
    Address 01: Regional Head Office, Dubai Internet City, Building 1, Office 204
    Telephone: +971 43910460
    Address 02: DIFC, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Precinct Building 2, Level 3, Office 306 PO Box 26359, United Arab Emirates
    Website: ManpowerGroup Middle East

22. Meethaq Employment Agency
    Services: HR services and employee outsourcing provider.
    Address: Unit 113, The Offices 2 One Central, World Trade Center, P.O. Box: 33663, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Phone: +971 4 208 3000, +971 4 297 3333
    Email: info@meethaq.ae
    Website: Meethaq Employment Agency

23. Mindfield Resources
    Services: Specialist recruitment consultancy.
    Address: Level 14, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, P.O. Box 334155, Dubai
    Phone: +971 43695011
    Email: info@mindfieldresources.com
    Website: Mindfield Resources

24. NADIA Global Group
    Services: Recruitment, training, and HR services.
    Address: 904, Grosvenor Business Tower, Barsha Heights, Dubai, UAE
    Phone: +971 4 331 3401
    Email: info@nadiaglobal.com
    Website: NADIA Global Group

25. Michael Page
    Services: Specialized recruitment consultancy.
    Address 01: Building 9, Level 6, Dubai Media City, P.O. Box 502440, Dubai, UAE
    Phone: +971 4 709 0300
    Address 02: Level 9, Office 903, Liberty House, Dubai International Financial Centre
    Phone: +971 4 709 0310
    Website: Michael Page

26. People Perfect Advisory
    Services: Human resource solutions provider.
    Address: Al Shafar Tower, Level 14, Tecom, Dubai, UAE
    Phone: +971 4 565 6999
    Email: info@peopleperfectae.com
    Website: People Perfect Advisory

27. RTC-1 Employment Services
    Services: Professional recruitment solutions.
    Address: Office # 601, The Fairmont Hotel, SZR, Dubai, UAE
    Phone: +971 4 394 9993
    Email: info@rtc-1.com
    Website: RTC-1 Employment Services

28. RecruitMe
    Services: HR solutions and recruitment services.
    Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Phone: +971 4 375 8989
    Email: info@recruit-me.com
    Website: RecruitMe

29. Robert Half
    Services: Specialized staffing and consulting services.
    Address: Office 1703, Level 17, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Downtown Dubai
    Phone: +971 4 354 25 44
    Email: info@roberthalf.ae
    Website: Robert Half

30. SOS HR Solutions
    Services: Global HR outsourcing and consultancy services.
    Address: Office No. 804, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, UAE
    Phone: +971 4 396 6000
    Email: info@soshrsolutions.com
    Website: SOS HR Solutions

31. Large Companies
    Large companies usually have a large HR and recruitment department and do not outsource the recruitment process to outside agencies. They usually have a careers portal on their main website.

Careers websites are similar to a job board, where they list all the available positions and candidates can apply after registering.

Please note that larger companies receive a high volume of applicants and use ATS – applicant tracking systems, to identify the right candidates.

If you are not familar with ATS systems, we have provided an indepth article on Applicant Tracking Systems here.

Strategy: Careers Websites

The process is relatively straightforward but very time consuming. You will need to go to each companies website, register your profile (will take you up to 15-20 minutes), then fill out lengthy forms which might take you another 40minutes to do.

As those companies use ATS systems, they require as much information from you as possible, as a lot of CVs will not be parsed correctly. Since those ATS systems do not yet use Artificial Intelligence, they are outdated and have a high error rate.

A lot of large companies in Dubai have hundreds or thousands of open vacancies at all times. Due to their size and employee turnover, they are always hiring new people.

This strategy can prove to be successful, but it is very time consuming.

Top Companies to apply to
The following 100 businesses were chosen as the greatest workplaces because they prioritised serving both their employees’ needs and those of their customers.

We would suggest to go through each of those companies, identify the careers website and apply.

Large Category

McDonald’s UAE
DHL Express
Metropolitan Group
BFL Group
Leminar
InterContinental Group Hotels & Resorts
Hilton
FIVE
Burjeel Holdings
Ajmal Perfumes Group
Globelink West Star Shipping L.L.C
Chalhoub Group – UAE
Teleperformance
Millennium Hotels & Resorts – MEA
Arada Developments LLC
SANIPEX GROUP
Apparel Group
AD Ports Group
Al-Dabbagh Group
Talabat – UAE
Bayut Dubizzle
Massar Solutions PJSC
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
G42
BEEAH
Provis Real Estate & Property Management
AtkinsRéalis – UAE
NAKHEEL
Redington Gulf FZE
Al Khayyat Investments
Aldar Education
PureHealth
Saudi German Hospital
Miral LLC
Gulf Coca-Cola Beverages
Medium Category

Century Financial
Aura SKYPOOL
Majid Al Futtaim – Accor Properties
Cisco Systems, Inc
Eros Group
BANKE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTIES
PIZZAEXPRESS UAE
PetroGas
Emirates District Cooling (EMICOOL) LLC
MVP Tech – A Convergint Company
Nissan Middle East FZE
Sunset Hospitality Group
Edenred
A&A Associate LLC
AstraZeneca
STS Group
Medtronic United Arab Emirates
PSA BDP (BDP Global Project Logistic LLC)
ABBVIE BIOPHARMACEUTICALS GMBH
NOVARTIS
Media One Hotel
L’Oréal Middle East
Gastronomica Middle East General Trading LLC
Telecommunication and Digital Governement Regulatry Authurity
Visiontech Systems International LLC
Khidmah
GYMNATION
Alpha Nero FZ LLC
Messe Frankfurt Middle East
Canadian Medical Center
Hilti UAE
Publicis Sapient
Cigna Healthcare
Property Finder
Wyndham Dubai Deira
Small Category

Mood Rooftop Lounge
GREEN BOX CONTAINERS L.L.C
shift
LUXE PORT
KnowBe4
Mott 32
Amgen Gulf – United Arab Emirates
EATON BUSINESS SCHOOL LLC
The Box Self Storage
Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori
Lola Taberna Española
WAHL Middle East & Africa
KALLEGRA INDUSTRIES LLC
RAISE Fitness & Wellness
Charterhouse Middle East
VOLTA SHIPPING SERVICES L.L.C
HOUSE OF SHIPPING MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCIES L.L.C
SEO Sherpa
Cogent Solutions Event Management
Blue Ocean Corporation
International Diplomatic Supplies
Faith Group
Howden Guardian Insurance Brokers L.L.C.
Smart Salem Medical Center
Sahara Motors
Glander International Bunkering
Stryker United Arab Emirates
Marc Ellis
Joe’s Backyard YOUR BBQ HANGOUT
TishTash Communications
In Conclusion
Dubai is a highly competitive job market and after following this guide you should be equipment and well informed on how to apply.

Make sure your CV stands out , setup job alerts across all the platforms such as JobXDubai.com or follow our Telegram Group, where we post all the vacancies.

Start following all the recruiters on LinkedIn, approach individual agents via direct messages on LinkedIn. Be persistent and do not give up. Do not expect to receive any feedback – just apply consistently.

If you would like us to help you writing a winning CV, please have a look here.