Recruiters target more Emiratis

Local headhunters and job-searching sites are ramping up efforts to target Emiratis, as more companies seek to boost the number of UAE Nationals they employ.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates- January 25, 2011 ; Visitors browse the Abu Dhabi Airports Company stands at the Tawdheef Recruitment Show in Abu Dhabi . ( Satish Kumar / The National )
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Headhunters in bid to attract nationals

Job-search sites and traditional agencies are increasingly focusing on workers from the UAE

Neil Parmar

Headhunters and job-searching sites in the UAE are increasing efforts to target Emiratis who are looking to enter the workforce or move up ranks in their current employment.

Some recruitment firms are quietly reaching out to locals who come highly recommended within their industries, to determine whether a higher position, shorter commute or other perks could help them poach suitable recruits when the right position opens up.

Websites, meanwhile, have been launching new features and virtual events aimed at Emiratis as more companies seek to boost the number they employ.

Bayt.com is next month due to host a five-day virtual job fair, where people register online, visit digital stands profiling different companies and then submit a CV for open positions.

Many of the companies are expected to be looking specifically for Emirati jobseekers, some of whom may be invited to take part in video interviews through the site.

Monster.com started a "Return2Home" initiative last year that lists job postings for non-resident Emiratis who live abroad but are looking to return to the UAE. The company's aim was to better help employers find the right kinds of workers with relevant global experience and awareness of the local culture.

"Emirati professionals today are vying for all jobs on an equal footing as non-local professionals and are securing these jobs as well as specific Emiratisation jobs based largely on merit and ability," says Amer Zureikat, the vice president of sales at Bayt.com.

Employers, Mr Zureikat said, were "looking at experience, track record, professional potential and relevance of qualifications even with the strictly localised jobs".

Other recruitment events are also in the pipeline.

Tawdheef, which starts at the end of this month in Abu Dhabi, is an annual recruitment show featuring companies from across a range of industries including the energy, finance, and oil and gas sectors. Many of them, much like last year, will be focused on finding qualified Emirati professionals.

One poll released by Bayt.com in October found 49 per cent of companies across the Gulf region planned to hire more local talent.

And 41 per cent of those companies noted they would be recruiting online, compared with 21 per cent that said they would use traditional headhunters.

However, some regular headhunters argue job-searching sites are inferior as they do not go far enough to cater specifically to Emiratis looking to make moves within the workforce.