Advice please before I pack up my life in London...!

[SaRaHxXx]

Hello!

I am 24 and am going out to Dubai on Sunday and have 3 interviews lined up. Ideally I want to work in Publishing/media sales but to be honest I would consider property- if you can sell, you can sell! The only thing holding me back is the mixed comments I keep hearing. I have friends out there and they have lived there for 2yrs now and they love it, but of course there are people that have warned me not to go as I will feel restricted, 2nd class citizen etc. I have a friend who lives in Saudi Arabia so for her, Dubai is like Las Vegas! But I am used to freedom in London and I'm so worried that socially, I will be giving up so much.

Its very difficult to establish whether or not I will like it as everyone is different but I know going there for a week I will love it (especially coming from London) but of course its alot different actually living somewhere.

I hear the traffic/driving is horrific and the infostructure there has not been updated at the rate the city itself is growing. Also I am concerned about the cost of living. The salary I expect is achievable yet here I live at home, can I afford to rent out there even with a tax free salary. What is a comfortable amount to ask a perspective employer for? I want to actually save some money as well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. x

[Elphaba]

Can you explain what you mean about being a second class citizen? If you mean as a woman, then this is not at all the case. Have those that have given you these warnings ever been to Dubai?

You have as much freedom in Dubai as in London, possibly more as it is safer. The only issue is that you should be a little more conservative in how you dress in certain places, simply as a matter of respect to the culture. It is also illegal to be drunk in public, although this isn't an issue unless you are making a spectacle of yourself. All drugs are a complete no-no.

Rent is VERY expensive, so if you decide to move out, you must make sure that you can afford decent accommodation. Prices for a one-bed apartment vary from DHS 80-120k a year and rents are usually payable yearly in advance. Ideally you should negotiate a decent housing allowance. Where you decide to live will be dictated by where you work.

Traffic is bad, but we live with it. Public transport is minimal, although parts of the Metro may be working by the end of this year or early next.

Try & negotiate for as high a salary as you can get, as you may never see any commission. The company must also provide one free return flight to the UK each year and from July medical insurance is compulsory

Come & have a look & then keep asking questions. Do you know where you will be staying yet?

[SaRaHxXx]

Thankyou for your advice. Regarding women being seen as "2nd class citizens" it was a comment made by a work colleague who lived there for 7 years and moved back to the UK 3years ago. I guess it just depends on the type of person you are, and how sensitive you are.

I will be staying with some friends in their house at the Marina which will be nice and they have arranged lots of things for us to do which include meeting their group of friends and visiting the work place etc, so not just touristy things. I have suffered car accidents driving down my road in London and the Underground in summer here reaches 35 degrees so commuting doesn't bother me too much, everywhere has traffic these days and it can't possibly be as bad as the Ko Sang road in Bangkok!!!

I want to negotiate a good salary but I don't want to come across as concited or greedy. I would like to know what the going rate is for a sales executive in publishing and rightly said, I wouldn't even consider a low basic with an opportunity to earn x amount as I know from previous experience this can be a big error!

Its a big decision to make and I want to think it through so hopefully after visiting and speaking to people (like yourself) I will be better informed. My brother has accepted a job and people he has spoken to are now saying that he won't be able to live comfortably on the salary he has been offered (and now accepted!)

[Elphaba]

I promise you that being a woman is in no way second class. If that was the case I wouldn't be here!! I am here on my own visa and run a successful business.

When it comes to income in Dubai, it is a case of the value of the total package. For example, if you have a big housing allowance you can manage on a smaller salary.

Sorry, but I really don't know the going rate for the positions you are after. Just make sure that they don't try and palm you off with the rubbish about you can live on less than in the UK because you won't be paying income tax.

I did the London commute for 10+ years and I assure you that it's nothing compared to a really hot Dubai summer. It can reach 50 degrees and can be very humid too. The traffic isn't just about being busy, it is the appaling standard of driving.

Hope you have a good trip.