Applications have been flooding in from around the world for positions at Expo 2020 Dubai, with people vying for operation, planning and communication roles in pavilions and across the site.
Some jobs are to begin as soon as the start of next month, while others will start a week before the doors to the Dubai South site open in October.
Recruitment experts and diplomats have said they are looking for people who can engage with visitors from around the globe.
Salaries range from Dh10,000 ($2,722) a month for a receptionist to Dh40,000 for a senior manager.
Most short-term contracts will end in March next year, but some will extend until April when the site is cleared.
Micah Styles, director at Barker Langham Recruitment, said the company had received tens of thousands of applications.
“We have been seeing a huge remobilisation of the market in 2021 and that momentum is going to continue,” he told The National.
“There is a palpable sense of excitement and a sense of pride, certainly in the local market, about Expo.
“We have waited a long time for this. There is a desire to be part of it. If you are in Dubai and not part of it, then what are you doing? It is the biggest show in town, the biggest in the world.”
With less than three months to go before the Expo opens The National spoke to recruiters and pavilion commissioners, who discussed the jobs on offer and revealed what makes a perfect candidate.
Video CVs for nearly 300 Expo roles
Barker Langham is looking to fill about 240 Expo positions, including operational roles, and is currently holding interviews in Dubai.
“We are welcoming applicants from five continents and the interest across the board has been phenomenal,” Mr Styles said.
“[Expo 2020] was always going to be an amazing event. It feels more vital now than perhaps previously because of the kind of remobilisation of large parts of the economy following the pandemic.
"There is a huge amount of interest for visitor experience and events positions - that market was decimated in 2020.
“These opportunities are creating a real sense of enthusiasm and interest because it’s Dubai, it’s Expo and because of the timeframe in which we live.”
The company has asked applicants to send five-minute video recordings along with their resumes to help identity candidates with good communication skills.
Language skills are a bonus, with many positions available for people who can speak English and Arabic.
The company is also recruiting people to work at the Canada pavilion, with roles that require people to speak French and English.
Italian and Chinese language skills are also valuable for several openings.
“What we are looking for is a great personality. There is a real need for individuals who can engage with visitors,” Mr Styles said.
“One of the things we look for is candidates who have some sort of emotional and intellectual connection, either with the subject matter of sustainability or perhaps great architecture, design, business or commerce.”
Apart from one-to-one interviews, team-building exercises and role-play sessions will be used to assess candidates and determine how they respond to situations such as an unexpected guest or lost child.
Overseas applicants are being interviewed online.
People interested in applying for a position at the Expo can email recruitment@barkerlangham.com
Canada calls on citizens to be face of the pavilion
There are 41 positions available, from hosts to minibus drivers. Recruiters are looking to hire Canadian citizens who live in the UAE to interact with visitors.
Service staff and drivers should be UAE residents.
Aleksandra Braska, project manager for the Canada pavilion at Barker Langham, said the company aimed to hire from within the UAE.
“We are focusing on local talent, so people who know Dubai, the local culture, language,” she said.
“When international visitors come to Expo, they can recommend places to visit in Dubai and the UAE.”
What could you earn?
A hosting staff co-ordinator at the Canada pavilion could earn about Dh17,050 a month, but applicants must be Canadian citizens and have knowledge of the country's history.
The job involves supervising host staff, managing the presentation of the pavilion and assisting with events.
A protocol and events officer will be required to welcome dignitaries, provide information about Canada, and handle dinners and media events. The job comes with an estimated salary of Dh11,200 a month.
Details of roles are available on LinkedIn and at www.barkerlanghamrecruitment.com
Those interested can email aleksandra@barkerlangham.com
France pavilion needs hosts to welcome visitors
France Expo officials are looking to hire about 20 hosts and hostesses and an intern to work at its pavilion.
Erik Linquier, commissioner general for France at Expo 2020 Dubai, said teamwork, creativity and quick thinking were essential.
“The France pavilion team is very close-knit. That is why we are looking for profiles with an excellent ability to work as a team and, above all, with team spirit,” he said.
“Moreover, given the intensity of this international event, a good reactivity and stress management are important. And finally, the applicants should be creative and have ingenious profiles.”
French speakers from anywhere in the world can send their resumes to tharecruitment@thehostessagency.ae
Details for an internship position are available on the France Dubai LinkedIn page.
America is looking for team players
The US pavilion is hiring people for positions in management and administration, operations and logistics, media and communications, hospitality, customer service and retail.
A list of the positions and application instructions are available at https://usapavilion.org/get-involved/
Philip Frayne, acting commissioner general of the US pavilion, said the country was proud of its diversity, innovation and professionalism.
“At the USA pavilion, we celebrate 'life, liberty and the pursuit of the future,'” he said.
“We’re looking for team members who will amplify these values and show a track record of pride in their work; a passion for the themes of the USA pavilion and Expo 2020; a commitment to teamwork; and a customer-oriented attitude ready to welcome guests from around the world.”
One of the roles to be filled is a media and communication officer, with ideal candidates to have experience of working with an established media team on events or projects within government or public diplomacy.
A venue manager, who will oversee and manage daily operations of the pavilion with a focus on visitor experience, operational responsibilities, is also being sought.
Another vacancy, operations officer, will support ground logistics at the pavilion. The position involves the co-ordination of deliveries, vehicles, logistics, accommodation services, accreditation and visas.
Poland is looking for logistics experts
The Poland pavilion is looking for applicants living in the UAE residents and around the world to fill positions in planning and administration. Those interested should have a university degrees and be fluent in English.
Officials are looking for a logistics expert to oversee food presentations in temporary exhibitions from regions in Poland and arrange food certificates and permissions from local authorities.
Another role, logistics specialist, will cover assistance with visas, arrangements for accommodation, SIM cards, catering and guest transport. The successful candidate will manage a team of five.
An administration specialist at the commissioner’s office to handle the commissioner general’s meetings, correspondence and secretarial duties is also needed, while an administration specialist at the pavilion will handle taxes and legal duties, and look after administration in co-operation with the director and the Expo team.
Those who apply to become an administration expert in the pavilion must have skills in management of the pavilion and will be required to handle health and safety issues, fire regulations and monitor Covid-19 compliance.
Another role, specialist responsible for temporary exhibitions, will involve close co-operation with the marshal's office of Polish districts, looking after business delegations and assembling and taking down the temporary exhibitions.
Those interested can email anna.tukalska@paih.gov.pl
