Is your head on the block?
While the worldwide economy continues to struggle it appears as though many people are still receiving job “offers” from headhunters in Dubai. With many of these propositions promising big money with well-known companies it appears as though a number of people are being tempted but what are the risks, what is the truth and what exactly is going on?
Background to the post
This particular thread has been started by an American who is working in the construction industry in China and has substantial experience in the design, engineering, construction and management. The gentleman in question is 50 years old, single and leads a very normal life although his working life has taken in two different countries around the world (America and China). He is being bombarded with headhunters offering big money for posts in Dubai but like so many people he is concerned as to whether he is hearing the real truth or in fact he is being tempted to move to Dubai on the back of false promises.
There are also a number of observations about Dubai, censorship, the government, the economy and job prospects. So what exactly is going on and why are headhunters still as active now as they were before?
Employment in Dubai
While there is no doubt that the Dubai economy has changed dramatically over the last few years, with significant foreign investment in the region, the local economy is suffering as badly as any other country in the world at the moment. We are hearing nightmare stories of people promised positions only to move lock stock and barrel to Dubai and after only a few weeks become surplus to requirements as companies look to cut back on their costs.
Areas such as finance and property have been particularly hard-hit but so has the construction industry which is literally dead on its feet. The massive increase in available property over the last few months will see the construction industry depressed for some time to come which prompts the question as to how headhunters are promising around $10,000 a month for positions in the construction industry.
Employee protection in Dubai
While Dubai has been associated with the rich and famous for some time, unfortunately many of the employment regulations are very immature and yet to be developed. As a consequence, while employees in the region may officially have various rights in law, very often these are overridden and ignored in difficult times such as today. Do not assume that the likes of Dubai, as developed or underdeveloped as it may be, will afford you the same rights as you get in places such as the US, UK and other prominent countries.
There are many people who move to Dubai for long-term employment, but there are also significant numbers who are more than happy to take on short-term positions in the knowledge that they will make substantially more money than they would back home. If you look around the Dubai forum you will see that many people are “coming home” amid suggestions that the economic boom in Dubai is well and truly over.
Cultural differences
As we have seen on so many different occasions, there are many differences between the Dubai way of life and the way of life in America and China for example. The gentleman who started the post is currently working and living in China and interestingly he has brought up a number of cultural differences in the region amid signs that what you see on the TV is not always what you get in China.
He has also highlighted a number of issues with Dubai such as no US TV, Internet sites blocked, restrictions on men and women interacting, smoking ban, alcohol ban, dress code and working conditions. While some of these assumptions, which are listed on the thread, may be a little wide of the mark it does give an interesting example of how Dubai comes across to those who have never visited the region. Interestingly, a number of posts have suggested that visitors to foreign lands need to appreciate and accommodate the local way of life and local culture, although this seems to be something which the poster has already addressed in his current homeland of China.
Media bias
Over the last few months a number of people have brought up the issue of US media bias against places such as Dubai with some even going as far as to suggest that the US government is more restrictive than places such as Dubai. While this is obviously a matter of opinion, with a number of arguments for and against, there is no doubt that Dubai does receive a fairly mixed press depending upon which country you are living in.
When the good times were rolling in Dubai nobody seemed to mind that the regulations were anything but solid but now that the worldwide economy has collapsed it seems everybody “knew it was going to happen” and is now blaming the government. In reality, those who made their money and left the market before the crash are the clever ones and those who were possibly motivated by fear and greed are the ones who are picking up the pieces today. The media has also magnified these particular opinions over the last few years with Dubai going from the next growth market to a graveyard for investors and corporate entities.
Finding out for yourself
As we suggested above, while many of us depend upon various media sources for information, we run the risk, depending on where we live, of being caught up in potentially biased coverage. Places such as the expat forum offer a unique insight and connectivity with those who have been there and done it and while some may have an axe to grind in favour or against a particular argument, on the whole you can formulate your own opinion fairly quickly.
While nothing beats actually being in the region and on the ground this is not always possible for various reasons although speaking to people who’ve been there and done it can give you a significant insight into regions such as Dubai and the truth behind the headhunters.
Conclusion
While so many people today are led by money and the potential to make significant income in foreign lands, this particular poster has obviously had experience in working overseas in different countries. He has taken his time to investigate Dubai and the various headhunters who have approached him with big-money offers. While some of these offers may be genuine the reality is that the Dubai economy has suffered a serious collapse over the last few months and more people are returning to their original “homelands” than are actually moving overseas. There are also strong suggestions that salaries have fallen substantially as the economy has weakened which would suggest that some of these headhunters are possibly a little light on truth or more positive than they should be.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Well it is an interesting article to say the least obviously personal opinioin.I am currently in the UAE in the capital , and its true about the decline for sure and the construction industry is in major collapse , but however the word on the ground and in the local news is they will finish certain projects and have realised due to the decline globally their expectations were somewhat optimistic and have therefore adapted their forcast, however they do seem to still be recruiting in certain areas as they are determined to get round this so new positions appear to be coming up all the time, but i must say the wages are seemingly less than you would expect, so perhaps there is an air of over optimism , but you never know here .I must note however too that i know of many families who have been told to go back after a very short time here….
With regard to the TV issue Im sick of American TV its all i can find besides the Arabic theres a small amount of british tv , well not that small really but i cant get past all the american stuff…lol so again some things a matter of opinion.
The cultural thing for a while i was hearing reports that in Dubai they were overlooking many residents rules , but in the capital they are much more stringent and even if they dont enforce the rules you will get the feeling you have somehow crossed the line especially dress wise where women are concerned…this is an islamic country after all and whilst they wont bother you as such if things aren’t right, if something goes wrong you may not get as nice a recption. Not sure if its on the whole but i know of 2 different ladies who were stopped by police ( they were commiting traffic offences) both western seperate incidences , one was wearing spaghetti strap vest and small shorts, she was detained and ended up being held over night for a relatively minor offence, and the lady who had a shawl over her longer clothes , was cautioned very politely and let go , now it might just be a coindidence, but i myself even,when you first get here a westerners idea of what is decent and what isn’t decent to someone who is very islamic are poles apart and people dont want to admit it but if im more covered i get a much more hospitable relaxed approach /response than if im not …again just a personal experience , and for the record i don’t live in a compound i live in a mainly local building.
Though Dubai is not on the list of countries I have worked in (or would want to), the principal is always the same : Check the company employing you. There are bad agents out there but most realise that a bad placement or one that goes very wrong is just not in their interests.
I once worked in Belgium for six months and made nothing because the agent gave bad advice on my tax options. I will never use that agent again and you can be sure most of my associates have been warned as well.
If employment law is primitive then be sure ALWAYS to have a disaster recovery plan. Please don’t ever believe anything a company (YES, including big-name multinationals) says to you about ‘caring for our employees’ or ‘keeping the team together’…….If it becomes expedient to show you the door then that’s where you are going. You can count on it.
Business exists to make money, not to make jobs. You and only you are responsible for your future.
You will not be able to use voice messenger or skype due to Etisalat trying to charge you about 75 cents US per minute to call home. There are ways around this blocking if you talk to a good computer pro before leaving for the UAE.
Make sure the company provides for your accomodation, expenses and a car prior to deploying. These are usually arranged and provided by decent companies. Most good companies provide 2 weeks vacation with ticket every 3 months. Make sure all of this is in writing.
The company is NOT allowed to keep your passport. If they try this, you are dealing with a problem.
Single men should not worry as there is a lot of commercial female company available there. Ask your fellow expats…
Driving is hazardous there. The fancier the car, the more likely it is to be driven 100 mph by a local youngster. Evade accordingly.
Please do not come to Dubai. I’ve been here for 20 years and can do without the competition.
You hear of salaries being tax free, but you are being taxed in an indirect way by inordinately high rentals.
This may be a good time for those who can long lease rented property.
Having been in Dubai going on 4 years now; with a residence visa, I have noticed one thing.
I keep my resume/CV posted on various websites throughout the year. Prior to this reccession I would get the occasional offer with full benefits package direct from the home office of whatever company was making the offer. Now, when I recieve an offer it’s usually from the local or Middle Eastern Regional office. I belive this due to the fact that I am actually here in the region and would be considered a local hire and therefore they can save quite a lot in terms of the package offered.