These are 20 Mistakes when applying to jobs
in dubai!
1. Falling prey to Dubai’s employment
agencies
Don’t get caught in one of the most common
mistakes when applying to Jobs in Dubai – relying
on someone who you PAY to get here.
Well, you’re desperately searching for a job which
provides you with at least a decent income to
sustain your family’s lifestyle and nothing comes up.
Voila! Out of nowhere, a Dubai employment agency
appears and promises to get you a job along with a
guaranteed income. The catch?
Just a ‘minor’ up-front fee. Seems pointless right?
Especially when you’re promised a 100% refund if
you’re not satisfied.
This is a very common mistake when applying to
jobs in Dubai – most people think someone will just
hand them a job because of their qualifications or
because they are a recruitment agent, many of
whom are unscrupulous.
These so-called ‘companies’ are interested in
nothing but scamming you and grabbing all the cash
you possess.
While some employment agencies might actually be
earnest and want to help you out, watch out for the
tricky ones and be smart enough to know what to
do.
2. Not building personal relationships
One of the most looked over mistakes when applying
to jobs in Dubai. Relationship building is key –
whether it is a recruitment agent or a connection.
Taking the time and patience to build a personal
relationship with you recruiter or networking
connection will pay leaps and bounds. Not only will
they share their positive feedback with their friends,
you’ll also be the first person they call when a
golden job opportunity in Dubai arises.
Your agent is your contact in Dubai or in your home
country. They will have done this countless numbers
of times before. Maintain a positive relationship
with them.
3. Only looking for jobs Online
Just looking for jobs on the internet can be one of
the mistakes when applying to jobs in Dubai.
While the internet’s probably your best bet at
landing a job, it’s not the only search method.
Try to look for jobs using other sources like Dubai
newspapers, magazines, and of course, your trusty
social networking sites!
Gulf Today and Khaleej times are two of the most
read!
4. Messing up your Passport/Visa status
Having issues with your visa application is one of
the most common mistakes when applying to jobs
in Dubai. It is one of the first things you should
know about. A useful resource is http://
dubaivisa.net/
Contact the UAE embassy and figure out what you
need to do to enter and relocate into the country,
along with figuring out how to apply for your visa.
Simultaneously, check your passport validity and
make sure all your other official documents are in
order.
If you are an expat, upon arriving in Dubai, you must
have applied for a resident permit. The permit is
valid for only three years, but will register you with
the Dubai National Identity Authority which is
required for all residents of Dubai.
You will then receive an NIC (National Identity Card)
which contains all personal bio-data which is used
for Identification everywhere in Dubai and the UAE.
Make sure you have completed all the correct
documentation for the resident permit and do not
miss any details as this can slow down the
application procedure and in some instances
invalidate it.
5. Applying when you’re not qualified
Too many people make this mistake.
You can NOT apply to a job in Dubai if you are not
qualified for the job.
Spending hours on facebook writing in comment
boxes and forums is NOT going to get you a job in
Dubai. Posting your CV everywhere is NOT going to
get you a job in Dubai.
When you are not qualified for a job is one of the
most serious mistakes when applying to jobs in
Dubai – you will not get a job like this.
Wasting both your time as well as your recruiter’s
time when you’re clearly aware that you’re not
remotely qualified isn’t exactly the smartest thing to
do. Apply for jobs according to your skills and
experience instead and save the other jobs for the
future!
6. Forgetting to practice your Interview skills
When doing a list of common mistakes when
applying to Dubai you can not miss Interviews. A
crucial point and something that old and new job
seekers need to constantly practice.
Messing up your entire interview just because of one
simple question isn’t the most difficult thing to do.
Especially if you’re not prepared. If you’re attending
several interviews, go through all of those
company’s strategies. Each company in Dubai is
different hence, each of their strategies are obviously
bound to contrast.
Straighten up and flip through some common
interview skills on the net beforehand.
Practice your interview skills with others, your
friends, co-workers or people who you trust. Often,
recruitment agents over the phone will also interview
you.
7. Bad Manners, Easy Going
This is probably the simplest yet most unnoticed
reason for a job opportunity to go down the drain.
For example, Muslim women might be unwilling to
shake a man’s hand in public.
It’s advisable to wait before extending your hand to
whoever interviews you, be it a man or woman.
Bring out those long lost manners and make sure to
use them!
In Dubai, being polite to Arabic speaking managers
and arabs in general goes a very long way. Arabs
are naturally very hospitable people and will go out
of their way to make you feel welcome.
Work this to your advantage!
You may think that your home country is very
flexible and that people are easy-going. Do not
make this mistake when applying to Jobs in Dubai.
Recruiters will often be from Western countries
where it is the norm to be highly professional, and
using formal language in interviews and
applications.
8. Hesitation to Network
While social anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of,
overcoming it will definitely help increase your job
feed. Get in touch with your former bosses,
colleagues and anybody else who might be able to
help you succeed and land your job in Dubai.
It is important to network in dubai, look for online
meetsups, add people on LinkedIn, take people out
for coffees and dinners.
This is your chance to shine with potential
workmates, managers, and people who may be able
to refer you on.
9. Poor writing and formatting of your resume
Rest in peace English, you didn’t deserve your tragic
demise. Shot to death by a bunch of job hunters
with horrible grammar. Look through your resume,
spot and correct those tiny errors.
Recruiters will at least be able to look through your
resume without crying in pain.
Spelling mistakes when applying to jobs in Dubai will
ensure a recruiter never looks at your resume.
An easy thing to fix. If you come from a country
where English is not your first language make sure
you get it checked by a native speaker or writer.
Spelling and Grammar is a very easy thing to fix,
ensure you have everything spelled right, flowing
right on the page, and is not presented badly.
If you are not from an english speaking country
ensure you have your CV and covering letter checked
through by a native english speaker.
10. Leaving your options too broad
Focus in on what you want to do. Being too open
or broad in your search is one of the most
typical mistakes when applying to jobs in Dubai.
Keeping your options wide is a smart move.
However, when done on a larger scale, it could
wreck your search. Don’t look for just any job, look
for the PERFECT job.
You need to look for a job that you can transfer your
skills to easily and where the employer will not have
to re-train you completely from scratch on the
basics.
For example if you are applying for a job which
involves Sales, make sure you understand the full
Sales lifecycle and you can communicate this to
people in interviews.
If you have been a particular type of sales person,
for example Pre-Sales, make this known to the
employer so they can understand where you would
fit into the company if that particular job you are
applying for is not suitable.
11. Applying from your home country without
visiting
Not visiting the country is one of the deadly
mistakes when applying to jobs in Dubai.
Assuming you’re approaching a job in Dubai from
somewhere other than the city, watch out. Dubai’s
work lifestyle, when compared to your country can
be extremely different.
The laws are different, the working conditions are
different, the people are different. Dubai is a hotbed
of a mix of nationalities and can be overwhelming to
some.
Pay Dubai a visit and get comfortable with the
peculiarities of working life.
The timings of work and free time in particular.
Timings can be sometimes very early morning starts
with finishing times at 2pm.
Get used to the climate and atmosphere of work,
leisure and entertainment.
This is a very important point for all Dubai visitors.
You must have at least visited the country in prior
to moving. Dubai is not a very forgiving place if you
have no money, no accommodation and no friends
to speak to. Make sure you have each of these
things before moving.
12. Not maintaining an online presence
“So you say you’ve got 15+ years of experience?
Then why can’t I find your name on the internet?”
Imagine facing this question in an interview, it’s not
exactly very pleasant. Again, an extremely common
rejection reason: – Lack of online presence.
When a Dubai recruiter puts your name through
Google or any search engine, for that matter, does it
pop up? If not, get working! Vital sites to get your
name up on include LinkedIn, Plaxo and Zoominfo.
We’ve written a handy guide on how to get a job in
Dubai using Linkedin !
13. Not attempting to learn Arabic
Language is very important in Dubai and is one of
the quick-win mistakes when applying to jobs in
Dubai.
Learning an extra language is a plus point to any
recruiter, especially recruiters from UAE.
Not only will learning Arabic help you out on the
streets and when conversing with locals, making an
attempt to learn the local language will show
recruiters how dedicated you are on your search for
a job in Dubai!
Whilst Arabic is not a total essential in Dubai, it will
make recruitment managers and business owners in
particular much more warm when you apply
regardless of nationality.
There are not enough bilingual skilled workers from
other countries in Dubai as Arabic is quite a hard
language to learn, but often people do not realise
the benefits of it when working in an Arab speaking
country.
You may think that Dubai is full of U.S and U.K
expats but most of them do not speak Arabic.
Thinking that everyone speaks English is one of the
most common mistakes
14. Unprofessional attire
Do you get up 10 minutes before an interview and
throw on what comes to sight first? Buckle up!
Sloppy, wrinkled or/and dishevelled clothing or hair
are highly unprofessional and indicate your lack of
seriousness.
Ladies, watch out, don’t wear short skirts or any
provocative tops to your interview, Dubai frowns
upon skimpy attire.
Play it safe and make sure you look
dazzling! Definitely one of the common mistakes
when applying to jobs in Dubai.
We hear this all the time from recruiters, and it’s
something you can fix easily. Dress well!
15. Not keeping your skills current
Does your resume still feature skills used in the
1980’s? Update them! Shine the spotlight on
appreciable and modern skills you’ve picked up
lately! Dubai Recruiters are looking for skills that
will grow their business.
They want candidates who are up to date, trained in
their particular field and know the market fully.
Certainly one of the mistakes when applying to jobs
in Dubai, as recruiters want to see what you can do
now. Not what you could do twenty years ago.
As they say, you are only as good as your last job!
For example if you are an accountant make sure you
are fully versed on UK Accountancy laws and
regulations. Companies will look for your skills that
you are able to transfer to their company.
16. Underestimating your value
Having unrealistic expectations isn’t going to
disappoint anyone other than you at the end.
However, at the same time don’t degrade your
worth.
Know your skills and weaknesses and use them to
your advantage!
If you are underestimating your value, you are
making one of the major mistakes when applying to
jobs in Dubai. Recruiters will try and get as much as
they can out of you, and pay you as little as
possible in the process. Don’t sell yourself short.
Equally, don’t over estimate what you can offer.
Dubai invites candidates from all over the world, so
balance your applications according to your skill
level.
17. Treating Dubai like a stranger
While Dubai might not be your home town, getting
to know the city and considering it home might be
your lucky charm. While you definitely shouldn’t
consider Dubai the same as the previous city you
might’ve lived in, appreciating the city will leave a
lasting impression.
A lot of potential candidates come to Dubai wanting
to get rich quick.
This is the wrong attitude to have. If you have the
right skills and talent, you won’t fall into this trap.
You must have some kind of passion for moving to
Dubai. There is no point thinking you will have a
better life just because someone told you. Dubai is
not for everyone, but it can be if you have a passion
for the weather, the lifestyle and the laid back
attitude to many of life’s problems!
18. Having only one resume
Do you send the same resume to 50 companies
without changing a single thing? Think again.
Recruiter’s can tell the difference between a copy-
paste resume and a resume modified according to
their company’s taste. Tune your resume to reflect
the needs of different companies.
One of the top mistakes when applying to jobs in
Dubai, candidates end up copying and pasting their
resume to each job application – stay away from
this practice.
Look at the job role and skills and match them to
your skills.
Re-write parts of your CV that do not match with
the job. (Of course do not make things up, because
you will be asked about them in the Interview!)
19. Not staying organized
On a job hunt, let it be major or minor, things are
going to get messy.
Considering the number of jobs Dubai offers,
applying for innumerable jobs without a plan is
pretty much one of the biggest mistakes when
applying to jobs in Dubai.
Keep detailed lists of the positions or companies
you’ve applied for and stay on top of everything.
Maintain and chase recruitment agents and keep a
folder of all opportunities you have applied for.
20. Letting your guard down
Time to celebrate, you got the job!
While you’re blessed with a wave of relief, don’t let
your guard down.
No job lasts forever. Update your resume every once
in a while and shoot for the stars!
Keep moving jobs if you have to, or if you are not
getting the opportunities you want in your current
job. You will find in Dubai that people move quickly
between jobs because other employers are willing to
pay far more for the same skills.
Don’t get stuck in a job for years that is going
nowhere!
So there you have it, 20 Mistakes when applying to
jobs in Dubai. Can you think of more? Let us know.
What do you recommend for people wanting to mo
Dubai sucks
