The United Arab Emirates (UAE) offers excellent employment opportunities across a variety of industries. High standards of living, tax-free salaries, and a solid global presence make the UAE an attractive destination for job seekers from around the world. Within the UAE, Dubai is a particularly attractive location to work and is dominating as an international talent magnet.
To effectively secure employment in Dubai, we suggest focusing on understanding the recruitment processes and developing a strategic job application strategy. Writing an impressive CV is one of the key steps in the job search process, and to increase your chances of landing a job, use https://layboard.in/vacancies/jobs-in-uae/jobs-in-dubai.
What should a CV in Dubai contain?
Let’s examine the fundamentals of what a CV should contain when looking for a job. Having this information in your resume will increase your chances of finding a job quickly, and in addition, we advise you to use job search sites such as Layboard. This platform is in demand among job seekers.
Contact Details
We recommend placing a contact details section at the top of your CV so that the hiring team can easily get in touch with you. It should include your full name, mobile phone number (with international country code), work email address, and home address (if you are already based in the UAE, we recommend providing your local address). Additionally, you may provide connections to your online character, like your LinkedIn page or personal website.
Personal Information
In many Western countries, the practice of including personal information on a resume is generally discouraged, as mentioning personal details can create unconscious bias in hiring. Therefore, you might wish to exclude the personal information portion if you are targeting global corporations in the United Arab Emirates.
On the other hand, a personal information part on a resume could be expected by many Middle Eastern local companies. You should also carefully read the desired role’s job description to see whether any personal attributes are included as requirements.
Usually, this section consists of the following elements:
- Nationality: List your passport nationality on your resume. This is frequently necessary when applying for a visa, as visas can sometimes only be issued to individuals of certain nationalities. If you have dual citizenship, you must list both.
- Marital Status: It is important to list your marital status on your resume, as many UAE companies sponsor family visas for employees, and could further pay for perks such as family accommodation, health insurance, and training.
- Driver’s License: This can be a deciding factor for certain positions that require extensive travel within and around the city, such as sales or IT equipment support.
- Visa Status: If you are already in the UAE at the time of your job application, we recommend that you list your visa status on your resume.
- Date of Birth: Some recruiters in the UAE may specify an age range that they accept for certain positions. Therefore, listing your date of birth may make it easier for the recruiter to filter you as a potential employee.
- Gender: Some job postings in the UAE will list a specific gender.
Professional Summary and Key Skills
Employers in Dubai love to see a professional summary in their CV. This section provides an overview of your relevant experience, skills, and achievements. This is to serve as evidence for the employer that you are the ideal applicant for the position and to convince them to read the rest of the document. Below the professional summary, you can include a key skills section.
However, You don’t have to list every ability you can think of. Instead, examine the desired position’s job description in detail and determine what skills the employer is looking for. Include a mix of hard and soft skills that are relevant to your profile.
Work Experience
The Work Experience section is arguably one of the most important components of a resume. It forms the bulk of your resume and tells potential employers what you have done so far that makes you qualified for the job. Therefore, it is important to present your experience in a way that will appeal to hiring decision makers.
First, as mentioned earlier, put your professional background in reverse chronological order. Focus on the aspects of your work history that are most relevant to the target role.
Every job role should include the following elements:
- Company Overview: Briefly describe the nature and size of your company. This is particularly crucial if you haven’t worked in the UAE before. You may have worked for a reputable company in your home country, but if the company is unknown in Dubai, it may not add much weight. To address this, you can highlight the value of your company in this section, such as “XYZ Corporation is the largest consumer electronics company in Australia.” Job Summary: Provide a 1-2 line summary under each job title outlining your role and responsibilities.
- Bullets: Using the STAR format, Give specifics about your main tasks and accomplishments. Some job seekers make the mistake of downplaying their experience and masking their achievements with boring words. This is a big no-no for Dubai employers who love to see a strong and impressive resume.
Certifications and Licenses
In your resume, list the relevant certifications and licenses you have obtained, especially from internationally recognized bodies.
These certifications are more likely to be recognized in Dubai than local certifications from your home country. Dubai employers especially value certifications issued by professional bodies from the US and UK, such as CIMA for accounting and SHRM for human resources.
For some jobs, having a local license in Dubai is a must. For example, to work as an agent in real estate in Dubai, you need to have a RERA license. Doctors and nurses must have a DHA license to work in the Dubai healthcare sector.
Education
Mention your degree first, subsequently the university’s name, location, and date of graduation. You may bring up to two of your most recent qualifications. Additionally, the university you attended may be highly ranked in your home country but may still be little known in Dubai.
Additional Information
You can add a section of additional information to strengthen if it relates to the job you’re looking for, including your resume. This section can include languages, awards, volunteer experience, and technical skills. In the UAE, English and Arabic are the dominant business languages. In addition, Hindi and Urdu are also widely spoken. If you have a good command of these languages, you can mention this in your resume. If the job you are applying for requires a strong set of technical skills, a part on technical abilities ought to be included.