X.

Finding a job in Abu Dhabi

X.1. About the Abu Dhabi Job Market

Due to a small percentage of UAE Nationals employed in the UAE public and private sector, the government set few
years ago labor policies to reinforce and give priority to the employment of its citizens in a meaningful and efficient
manner both the public and private sector. These policies are known as Emiratisation policies. Although some
positions are becoming more difficult to get for the expatriates, the current and progressive implementation of the Abu
Dhabi 2030 Plan has created many job opportunities for both expatriates and UAE Nationals population. Therefore,
we can conclude that the Abu Dhabi Job market is still growing.

Below are some figures about the Labor Market evolution from the Abu Dhabi Statistics Centre (SCAD):

There are many ways and places to look for a job in Abu Dhabi or even Dubai for Spouses. Many of them can be
initiated before their arrival in UAE. To help him/her get started, we have gathered together some of the most effective
resources and ways for searching a suitable job in Abu Dhabi.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.2. Job Boards
Today, the Internet is one the most widely used ways to look for work in UAE. Online job boards are therefore
commonly used by job seekers in UAE. They allow you to make customized job-searches where you can specify the
sector and even the emirate where you wish to work. Among the most active job boards, there are an increasing
number of sites with an interactive research option (online posting of CV, standard letters of application, job mailer,
etc.).

Non-exhaustive list of job boards

Name Website Description

GulfTalent.com is one of the Middle East's leading
online recruitment portals covering all sectors and job
www.gulftalent.com categories. It serves as the primary source of both
local and expatriate talent to over 2,000 largest
employers and recruitment agencies across the region

Jobs in Abu Dhabi is an e-Gov initiative that provides

http://jobs.abudhabi
job seekers and employers convenient access to a
.ae
comprehensive online job market.

According to Bayt, over 70% of jobs in Dubai, Abu

Dhabi, and the UAE are filled on Bayt.com without
ever being advertised. Employers search instead. The
www.bayt.com
top jobs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the UAE are found
mostly in the banking, finance, telecom, oil & gas,
construction, and information technology industries.
Search hundreds of thousands of jobs, build and post
http://uae.monstergulf
your resume and access thousands of pages of
.com
career info and advice through Monster
With Naukrigulf, build your CV. Get headhunted by
thousands of employers, apply to jobs posted on the
www.naukrigulf.com site, choose your Privacy Settings - for a confidential
job search, receive instant Job Alerts, wherein jobs
matching your profile are delivered to your mailbox
Dubizzle is a leading community website offers
http://uae.dubizzle.com
classifieds & forums for the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Oman,
/jobs
Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria
GNJobs4U helps you find the right Job specifically in
Secretarial & Office, Sales & Marketing, Information
www.gnads4u.com/jobs
Technology, Engineering & Technical, Managerial &
Supervisory and more industries
Jobs in Dubai is the first recruitment agency of its
www.jobsindubai.com kind, providing a non-traditional online service,
established in Dubai, UAE
AdbuDhabiJobs.net was launched in March 2010 and
www.abudhabijobs is a member of the Omni Job Board Network, a
.net network of niche job boards targeting every major
industry in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE
Bazaar.ae is one of the UAE’s largest online
www.bazaar.ae classifieds listing for work & jobs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Sharjah & the other Emirates
The job section of Khaleej Times enables job seekers
http://www.khaleejtimes
to search for the available vacancies and gives the
.ae/appointment
contacts information to apply directly
CareerJet.ae is a Jobs search engine for the UAE.
www.careerjet.ae Search jobs from more than ten thousands of web
sites.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
Specialized online job boards are also available if you are looking for job opportunities in a specific industry, market or
group of companies. Here are some examples of them (for the Finance, Oil & Gas and Energy industries).

Specialized job boards

Name Website Description

Oilcareers is a Worldwide Oil and Gas Industry Jobs
http://www.oilcareers
Portal which gives you a free access to the best oil
.com
jobs worldwide but also in UAE
EfinancialCareers Gulf is a financial job board for job
seekers located in the Middle East and Gulf. It allows
www.efinancialcareers-
you to browse financial jobs in the Middle East and
gulf.com
worldwide to find vacancies for a high profile finance
career - eFinancialCareers
WorldwideWorker.com is the global leader in energy
jobs (including UAE) for engineers and professionals,
www.worldwideworker
covering all types of energy industry, including
.com
Oil&Gas, Renewables, Mining, Nuclear, Power,
Marine, Aviation

To find a more comprehensive list of job boards, you may use alternatively an Internet search engine like Google or
MSN.

X.3. Employment Agencies

To multiply your chances to find the right job opportunity, it is crucial to liaise with a maximum of Employment
agencies as well since they also play an important role in the UAE recruitment market. Different types of Employment
agencies exist:
 Local agencies and International agencies with Offices in Abu Dhabi and/or Dubai or anywhere else in the
UAE,
 International agencies with Offices based outside UAE which are recruiting also for their UAE clients,
 Agencies specialized in a specific industry (i.e. Oil & Gas Industry), in a specific function (i.e. Finance) or in a
specific type of clients (generally determined according to the size of the company),
 Agencies which work exclusively to recruit UAE Nationals candidates for their clients, therefore are not
targeted to expatriates candidates,
 Etc.

It is important to note that:

 An important number of Employment agencies are located in Dubai. Whether the Employment agency is
located in Abu Dhabi or Dubai is not really important in reality since most of them are also placing candidates
for their Abu Dhabi Clients as well and vice-versa,
 Some Employment agencies have Offices in Abu Dhabi and Offices in Dubai as well,
 An Employment agency can apply for a residence and work permit on your behalf if the nature of the position
is contracted and not a direct hire contract.

To apply to a specific position advertised by the agencies or send your spontaneous application, please visit their
websites (if existing) and send / upload your application directly.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
List of main Employment Agencies

Name Website Name Website

www.roberthalf.ae www.sawaeed.ae

www.michaelpage.ae www.lobomanagement.com

www.manpower-me.com www.kornferry.com

www.clarendonparker.com http://ae.huxley.com/pathway

www.firstselectinternational.com http://ae.huxley.com

www.mphglobal.net www.synergy.ae

www.sosrecruitment.net www.hays.ae

www.abcrecruitment.net www.appleselection.com

www.sparkmos.com www.bacme.com

www.nd-associates.com www.bbtworldwide.com

www.charterhouseme.ae www.budgerecruitment.com

www.iqselection.com www.carmichaelfisher.com

www.nadia-me.com www.careerlinedubai.com

www.allen-york.com/middle-east www.concurme.com

www.3ggulf.com www.dulsco.com

www.rethink-recruitment.com www.dunedenme.com

www.ad-rise.ae www.eurojobs-me.com

www.ipfhr.com www.focusdirect.net

www.millerhay.com www.gulfbankers.com

www.abcconsultants.net www.horwathmak.com

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
 www.adeccome.com http://www.jerryvarghese.com

www.marbco.ae www.kershawleonard.net

www.connectedgroup.com www.medicointernational.net

www.rmcuae.com www.peoplesource-me.com

www.rpint.com http://www.edgeexecutive.com

www.stantonchase.com www.executivesolutionsme.com

www.umegroup.net www.futurefocusdubai.com

http://www.sundusconsulting.com www.gulfconnexions.com

http://www.imsgulf.com www.mrl-financial.com

www.jobtrackme.com www.quantumsearch.ae

www.logisticsrecruitment.ae www.smithandkenrecruitment.com

www.swisslinx.com www.xpertsglobal.com

http://www.chronicle-me.com http://www.nicholsonintl.com

www.emedhr.com www.falconhuntersinternational.com

www.grafton-mea.com http://www.randstadcpe.com

www.intuitconsultancy.com www.jobscan.ae

www.millenniumsolutions.biz www.nextlevel.ae

www.amroprasd.com www.soundlinesgroup.com

www.umcdubai.com

To find a more comprehensive list of Employment agencies, you may use alternatively an Internet search engine like
Google or MSN.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.4. Spontaneous Applications
Sending spontaneous applications directly to the companies’ websites or creating your profile directly in their Career
Section is also recommended in addition to using Job boards and Employment agencies. .

For the companies which don’t have an online career section or email address to be able to send a spontaneous
application and/or apply to a specific position, the common practice or alternative way to still be able to send your
application is to bring a hardcopy of your CV and all related application documents (passport copy, certificate and
cover letter) directly in the Offices of the companies.

It is also worthwhile to mention that checking government entities’ websites as well (such as Ministries etc.) to find a
job opportunity is important. For example, the General Secretariat of the Executive Council enables job seekers to
search for vacancies or post CVs in their career section.

If in some cases, you didn’t receive an auto-reply or a message giving a confirmation of your application, please don’t
be surprised, it happens frequently unfortunately. However, it is recommended to follow-up your application with the
concerned persons within the companies.

To find the contact information or address of any specific company, you can visit the websites of Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Chambers of Commerce or the website of Yellow Pages in UAE.

Name Website Description

UAE Yellow Pages is an online business telephone
www.yellowpages.ae directory with local business listings, phone numbers
& classifieds

X.5. Social Networking and Networking

Like anywhere else in the world, social networking and networking play both major roles in finding a job in Abu Dhabi
or UAE. Therefore, it is highly recommended to develop and use your network in order to increase your chances to
find a suitable job opportunity before, upon or during your stay in the UAE. Please note that developing generally his
networking is also part also of the Arabic culture.

Common social networking websites

Name Website Description

LinkedIn is an Internet platform company launched in
2003 focused on connecting the world’s professionals.
The LinkedIn website and is the world’s largest
http://www.linkedin.com
professional network with more than 90 million
members, representing every country and executives
from every Fortune 500 company
Facebook is a social utility that connects people with
friends and others who work, study and live around
them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends,
http://www.facebook.com
upload an unlimited number of photos, post links and
videos but Facebook might be a way to connect as
well with other professionals in the UAE Market.
Twitter is a real-time information network that
connects you to the latest information about what you
http://www.twitter.com
find interesting. Simply find the public streams you
find most compelling and follow the conversations.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.6. Career fairs, seminars and exhibitions
During the year, a lot’s of career fairs, seminars and exhibitions are organized in Abu Dhabi to help job seekers in the
Emirate to find a job opportunity. It might not be always the most efficient way for expatriates to find a suitable job
opportunity since these career fairs generally target UAE National job seekers and young people and some events are
also not meant for recruitment. However, they stay excellent opportunities for both job seekers and recruiters for
networking.

Name Website Description

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council and
Turret Middle East, TAWDHEEF is the region’ s
most important and influential recruitment event.
Aimed at stimulating employment, it gathers
http://www.tawdheef.ae
together leading government and semi-state
departments and major private companies to
create thousands of employment opportunities for
the benefit over visitors

Najah Exhibition is an annual exhibition that

www.najahonline.com focuses on the education, training and career
sectors in the UAE.

The Al Ain Education & Career Fair is the leading

http://www.alaincareerfair
.com
http://www.algharbia.ae
http://www.arabhealthonline
.com
http://www.worldfutureenergy
summit.com
annual exhibition that focuses on career, training
and education opportunities in the United Arab
Emirates attracting over 5,000 visitors every year.
The Al Gharbia Career Fair organized by the HCT
(Higher College of Technology) provides with a
perfect opportunity to bring together employers
and potential employees
The Arab Health Exhibition & Congress is the
largest healthcare exhibition in the Middle East,
and the second largest in the world. It provides an
unrivalled platform for the world’s leading
manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to
meet the medical and scientific community from
the Middle East and beyond
The World Future Energy Summit brings together
over 24,760 attendees from 148 countries
including world leaders, international policy
makers, industry leaders, investors, experts,
academia, intellectuals and journalists to find
practical and sustainable solutions for today’s
energy security and climate change challenges

To get the planning of all coming career fairs, seminars and exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, you can visit the Abu Dhabi
Chamber of Commerce and Industry website or the ADNEC Group (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company) website.

Name Website Description

ADNEC Group is an international venue development
and business management company. ADNEC
Group's portfolio currently includes the Abu Dhabi
National Exhibition Centre, the Gulf's largest
exhibition centre, ExCeL London, the UK capital's
largest exhibition centre; the Al Ain Convention
http://www.adnec.ae
Centre, a brand new development in the historic city
of Al Ain, Capital Gate, the UAE capital's iconic,
gravity defying tower and a number of hotel projects.
In addition ADNEC is master developer of the Capital
Centre project, the world's first fully interconnected
exhibition lifestyle destination.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.7. Newspapers and Magazines
Job postings can also be found in the classified sections of UAE local newspapers (i.e. The National, Gulf news and
Ewaseet for example), magazines and journals but can be found directly online in the Job Section of their respect
respective websites if existing.

X.8. Government Employment Services

Although the government employment services are generally set in priority to serve the needs of UAE National job
seekers, you may also use them to seek for a job opportunity or at least ask for any specific information related to
your search of jobs of required.

Name Website Description

The National Human Resource Development and
Employment Authority, Tanmia, aims to provide
quality, a UAE federal Independent Recruitment
authority helps to create job opportunities for the
www.tanmia.ae
UAE National Workforce mainly and provides
recommendation with relevant policies to the UAE
Federal Government to improve the Employment
figures within the UAE Market
The Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council is a government
entity established in December 2005 dedicated to
http://www.tawteencouncil offer quality Emirati job seekers to Abu Dhabi
.ae companies to suit the demands of their businesses
as well as form the foundations for sustainable
growth in the long run

X.9. Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Abu Dhabi and Dubai Chambers of Commerce and Industry might receive sometimes requests from companies trying
to fill out a position with someone from a specific country or profile and have also a database of open job positions.

Name Website Description

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry
website provides with information about United Arab
www.abudhabichamber Emirates and Abu Dhabi including business overview
.ae and associates company information, trade, economic
and investment opportunities, seminars, exhibitions.
etc.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry website
provides with information about United Arab Emirates
www.dubaichamber.com and Dubai including business overview and
associates company information, trade, economic and
investment opportunities, seminars, exhibitions. etc.

Both websites will also give you the possibility to search any company’s contact information registered in UAE (per
function, per industry or per size etc.).

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.10. Embassies & General Consulates
Embassies or/and General Consulates in UAE may assist their expatriates to find a job through their provided
services. However if it is not the case, it is always interesting to approach them since they may provide you with useful
contacts or information having close relationships with the concerned companies, the government institutions and the
associations in UAE. For more information, please visit directly your Embassy / Consulate Website in UAE.

Non-exhaustive list of Embassies / General Consulates

Country Website Country Website

Australia http://www.uae.embassy.gov.au Lebanon http://www.lebanonconsulate-
uae.com
Austria http://www.bmeia.gv.at/botschaft/abu- Nepal http://www.nepembassyuae.ae
dhabi.html
Bangladesh http://www.bdembassyuae.org Netherlands http://www.netherlands.ae
Belgium http://www.diplomatie.be/abudhabi Norway http://www.norway.ae/Embassy
Bosnia http://www.bhmc.ae Pakistan http://www.pakistanembassy.ae
Herzegovina
Brazil http://abudhabi.itamaraty.gov.br Philippines http://www.philembassy.ae
Canada http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/uae- Republic of http://www.kenyaembassy.ae
eau Kenya
Czech http://www.mzv.cz/abudhabi Republic of http://are.mofat.go.kr
Republic Korea
Finland http://www.finland.ae Republic of http://www.uae.belembassy.org
Belarus
France http://www.ambafrance-eau.org Republic of http://www.abuzabi.polemb.net
http://www.consulfrance-dubai.org Poland
Germany http://www.abu-dhabi.diplo.de Russia http://www.uae.mid.ru
http://www.dubai.diplo.de
Great Britain http://ukinuae.fco.gov.uk Singapore http://www.mfa.gov.sg/dubai
India http://www.indembassyuae.org/drupal/emb South Africa http://www.southafrica.ae
assy
http://www.cgidubai.com
Indonesia http://www.deplu.go.id/abudhabi Spain embespae@mail.mae.es
Italy http://www.ambabudhabi.esteri.it/ Syria http://www.syrianembassy.ae
Japan http://www.uae.emb-japan.go.jp Thailand http://www.mfa.go.th
http://www.thaiconsulate.ae
Kazakhstan http://www.kazembemirates.net USA http://abudhabi.us.gov
http://dubai.usconsulate.gov

X.11. Other Sources

In addition to the Embassies and the General consulates, you may also liaise with any organization representing the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s activities of your own country in UAE or any organization / association
responsible to extend the business interests and/or relationships of your own country with UAE.

Here is an example: The French Business Group (FBG) in Abu Dhabi

 The French Business Group (FBG), founded in 1974, is a non-profit association part of the worldwide
network of 114 French Chambers (UCCIFE) present in 78 countries. Today the FBG represents 270
members with business interests in France and the UAE. The mission of the FBG is to develop relations
between its members and the local business community and to encourage economic, commercial and
investment relations between France and the UAE. Further it is an information platform for business
services and networking opportunities promoting and supporting all interests of its members.
 FBG provides with a consular section for employment aimed at helping French people to find
employment in the UAE. This consular section also offers a free consultancy service to international
companies based in the UAE who might be seeking French people either because of the specific profile
or qualification of the position or simply because of the French language.

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.12. Tips for writing a CV and Cover Letter
A CV is a brief summary of someone’s life history, job history, achievements and skills. When writing a CV, always
look at it from the recruiter’s perspective. A CV includes the following categories:

1) A CV Heading: A typical CV in Middle East contains generally the following general information:
 First Name and Family Name
 Local address
 Nationality
 Date of birth or Age
 Status
 Type of Visa: Resident / Employment visa, Visit visa, On Sponsorship of someone else’s visa
 Email address
 Phone number

2) An Objective: The Objective must be a short and concise statement informing what type of position you are
looking for including as well the type of role (managerial, supervisor etc.).

3) Work Experience: It includes any work experience that you have in the field you are applying for even if the
position was unpaid, voluntary, summer job, internship or co-op experience. Each work experience must
include the following basic information:
 Name of the organization
 Title of the position
 Duration
 Responsibilities
 Achievements

4) Education: List all your relevant qualifications / education degrees including honors, awards,
accomplishments, relevant courses and any project related to the job vacancy you are applying. If you have
more work experience than qualifications, put your work experience before your qualifications. If your degree
is not related to the applied job, highlight aspects of the courses that are.

5) Skills: It provides with a description of skills mainly through keywords including your languages (with
proficiency level), computer skills (title of software and proficiency level) and other skills (business skills,
trainings and certifications). Do not go into lengthy descriptions of your skills.

6) Interests: List any activity that you do in your free time, any participation in student activities, professional
associations or clubs (which show leadership and managerial abilities). Leave out any activities related to
politics religion or controversial topics, which might alienate the recruiter in this part of the world especially.

7) References: If you have references, which you are willing to provide, include the above statement. Don’t
forget to ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a potential
employer.

Although sending a cover letter is a common practice anywhere else in the world when applying for a job, most of the
applications received in UAE don’t include it generally. However, it is highly recommended and a plus for you if you
add always in your application the related cover letter.

X.13. Job Application Tips

Here are a list of requested documents & information you need to know when applying and getting finally a job in
UAE:

For applicants from Abroad:

 Copy of passport with at least 6 months validity
 Medical exam certificate indicating candidate's clearance from communicative diseases
 Security clearance
 Finger prints report (when applicable)
 For dependents: copy of authenticated marriage certificate and passports of wife and unmarried children at
or below 18 years of age

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
For applicants from within the Country (Transfer of Sponsorship):
 Copy of passport with at least 6 months validity
 Medical exam certificate indicating candidate's clearance from communicative diseases
 Security clearance
 Finger prints report (when applicable)
 Letter of employment of new employer (when applicable)
 Letter of resignation from previous employer indicating "No Objection" to transfer the sponsorship (when
applicable)

Additional Information required by the Government (to process a Resident Visa for example):
 Full name
 Mother's name
 Nationality
 Age
 Passport number & validity
 Academic qualifications / degrees

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011
X.14. CV Template

John Doe

PERSONAL Address: Al Khalidiya, Rawdha Building, Appt 45, P.O. Box 403, Abu Dhabi, UAE
DETAILS Nationality: Spanish
Date of birth: 22/11/1975 - 36 years old
Visa Type: Wife’s Sponsorship
Status: Married

Mobile: +971 50 2222 333

Email: john.doe@hotmail.com

OBJECTIVE

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

EXPERIENCE

Date 1 – Date 2 Company’s Name 1, City, Country

(Duration) Position Title 1
 Mission a
 Mission b
 Mission c

Date 3 – Date 4 Company’s Name 2, City, Country

(Duration) Position Title 2
 Mission a
 Mission b
 Mission c

EDUCATION

Date 1 – Date 2 School Institution’s Name 1, City, Country

(Duration) Degree 1

Date 3 – Date 4 School Institution’s Name 2, City, Country

(Duration) Degree 2

SKILLS

Languages English: Fluent

Spanish: Mother Tongue
Arabic: Basic Knowledge

Computer skills Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook), Microsoft XP / Vista

Trainings & Certificates Training 1, Training Institution Name 1

Training 2, Training Institution Name 2

INTERESTS

Leisure Cinema, Playing Football, Watching movies and Reading Romans

References available upon request

Guide to Living and Working in Abu Dhabi I Department of Human Resources I January 2011