PHOTO
As the UAE economy continues to grow, companies are scaling up operations and hiring again to replace jobs lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to recruitment specialist Robert Half, businesses in the country are looking to fill various roles, from accountants to cybersecurity experts.
However, many employers are finding it difficult to find the right candidates. With leaner budgets and higher productivity targets, the drive for highly skilled candidates is high.
“Businesses in the UAE are in a hiring frenzy as they try to make up for lost time, but unfortunately, many are finding it difficult to find the talent they need,” said Gareth El Mettouri, Associate Director for Middle East at Robert Half, a hiring specialist.
In its latest report, Robert Half shared some insights into the current hiring trends and what employers in different sectors a are looking for.
Technology
With digital transformation becoming the top priority for a growing number of businesses, there are several employment opportunities within the technology space.
According to Gartner’s forecasts, IT spending across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is expected to reach $171 billion this year. The funds are earmarked for acquiring servers, applications and infrastructure software.
Companies are on the lookout for DevOps professionals who can communicate and collaborate cross-team while managing the operational elements of building and scaling platforms or applications.
Among those in demand are project managers with experience in end-to-end digital transformation projects within fintech or e-commerce.
Other roles in demand are cybersecurity/information security experts, software engineers, stack developers, digital marketing specialists and solutions architects, among others.
“Top soft skills for UAE tech candidates [include] influence, communication [and] relationship building,” Robert Half said.
In-demand technical skills are front and back-end programming languages experience, data science and analytics, machine learning and cloud computing/AWS.
Human Resources
Businesses across various sectors, especially fast-moving consumer goods, technology and e-commerce, are expected to expand their payrolls.
However, considering that many organisations today are still striking a balance between restructuring and hiring, the search for talent is focused on candidates with experience in restructuring, redundancy and performance management.
“HR candidates who can create recruitment strategies and brand attraction propositions are in high demand, especially those with volume hiring experience,” Robert Half said.
Candidates who can demonstrate resilience and possess good planning, organisation and critical thinking skills, have a higher chance of beating the competition.
“Candidates who can manage challenging and changing environments, smoothly introducing flexible working and creating positivity at a time of uncertainty, are highly desirable,” said Robert Half.
Finance and accounting
The finance and accounting sector is currently rebuilding its workforce after pandemic-related headcount reductions and salary cuts, and there is a “phenomenal growth” in several tech and digital roles, according to Robert Half.
“Many companies underwent significant restructuring during the pandemic, with finance and accounting roles taking a hit, particularly in the hospitality and aviation sectors. Expo 2020 will play a key part in their recovery efforts.”
Among those looking to recruit are companies in e-commerce, fintech, real estate, retail, professional services, management consultancies and pharmaceutical/healthcare.
Top roles in demand are finance managers, financial controllers, FP&A managers, financial analysts and finance directors.
The search is on for candidates who can speak Arabic and have technical skills, including international reporting, financial modelling and digital knowledge. In-demand soft skills include growth mindset, adaptability, collaboration, emotional intelligence, communication and non-micromanaging management style.
Financial services
Companies are also looking for financial services professionals to fill vacant and new roles that can help their business implement strategy changes and support growth efforts.
However, the most in demand are candidates who can fill senior positions, such as CFOs. Businesses are also hiring fund accountants, finance managers, finance directors and head of compliance/compliance staff.
“The boom in tech start-ups within the UAE, driven by government initiatives, has fuelled demand for senior financial services positions,” Robert Half said.
“Employers are looking for candidates who can fill hybrid, tech-focused positions within the team, such as tech CFO.”
Applicants who are good at teamwork, problem solving, as well as those who are flexible and with global experience have higher chances of landing a job offer.
(Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Mily Chakrabarty)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
© ZAWYA 2021
