Seeking friendly insight into job market in Dubai...

[seshsh]

I was hoping someone can help me shed some light on applying for work in Dubai. I'm an American currently residing and working in Florida and I've been applying to jobs in Dubai primarily through online sites. Unfortunately I haven't heard one single response back and have not managed to secure one interview yet. I've developed some excellent qualificiations and a proven track record, so I'm a bit surprised at the lack of response. I've applied through MANY of the jobs sites (gulftalent, marketingjobsindubai, monstergulf), directly through companies (google, GM and HP) and even tried to contact and work with recruiters and headhunters...but nothing!

I'm a 32 year old American male working as a Director of Marketing for a large Fortune 500 conglomerate. I have a Masters Degree in Business Administration and over 9 years of work experience in the Marketing and Advertising fields. I also speak both Arabic and English and I'm familiar with the region and culture.

When I visited Dubai, most people encouraged me and told me to apply for work here, and almost everyone made it sound like it would be very easy, given my qualifications. Am I doing anything wrong? Does the process just take time? Are there special recruiters that only specialize in the U.S. as a region? Any direction, or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Maz25]

I didn't have a lot of problems getting a job but saying that I work in the construction industry. I also have a friend who is doing the same job as me and she couldn't even land an interview!! I think that sometimes you get lucky, whilst at other times, you just have to be patient. I'm not knowledgeable enough to advise you about Marketing and Advertising but one way of getting around the brick wall is to maybe take up employment with a US company, with a branch in Dubai. You can then simply ask for a transfer or state that you are interested in working in their Dubai office at the time you apply.

You could always visit Dubai and job search from there but there is no guarantee that you would find anything. Why not get back in touch with companies that you have already contacted and reiterate your interest in working for them. Based on the response you get, you can plan a short trip to Dubai. If you are planning to come to Dubai nonetheless, it would be worthwhile mentioning that you would also be available for interviews between such and such date when making further applications.

Good luck. I hope you find something soon!