A large majority (86 per cent) of UAE companies intend to hire new people in the next year, and three quarters (75 per cent) saying they will be hiring in the next three months, a report said.

Nearly four in five (79 per cent) working respondents in the UAE claim that their company has hired new employees in the last 12 months, added the latest Middle East Job Index Survey from Bayt.com, a leading job site in the region.

For UAE companies looking to hire in the next three months, two thirds (67 per cent) say they will be hiring for ‘up to 20 jobs’, while 14 per cent say they will be hiring for ‘up to 100 jobs’, and the remainder are unsure how many jobs they will be hiring for in the short term.

In the UAE, the greatest demand in the coming three months will be for ‘junior executives’ (43 per cent), ‘managers’ (36 per cent), ‘coordinators’ (30 per cent), ‘senior executives’ (30 per cent), and ‘executives’ (28 per cent). Regarding the specific roles UAE companies are looking to fill in the next three months, the most common positions are ‘sales executives’ (28 per cent), ‘accountants’ (26 per cent), ‘project managers’ (20 per cent), ‘sales managers’ (19 per cent), and ‘directors’ (18 per cent).

Across the region, ‘small/medium local companies’ in the private sector took the leading spot in terms of hiring potential, where 76 per cent of them said they will be hiring. Meanwhile, industries that are most likely to hire are: ‘Consumer Goods/FMCG’ (81 per cent are planning to hire), ‘Real Estate/Construction/Property Development’ (80 per cent), and ‘Hospitality/Recreation/Entertainment’ (78 per cent).

Regionally, ‘small/ medium local companies’ as well as ‘multinational companies’ seem to have the highest hiring potential in the long term, where 89 per cent of them said they will be hiring in the next year. In regard to specific industries that have the strongest hiring plans for the next 12 months, ‘Business Consultancy/Business Management’ (97 per cent are planning to hire), ‘Consumer Goods/FMCG’ (95 per cent are planning to hire), ‘Hospitality/ Recreation/ Entertainment’ (94 per cent are planning to hire), ‘Banking/ Finance’ (93 per cent are planning to hire), and ‘Commerce/ Retail/ Trade’ (92 per cent are planning to hire) were the top five.

In terms of candidates’ skills that are in demand in the UAE this year, being a ‘team player/cooperative/helpful/flexible’ emerged as the top skill to look for in a candidate by 49 per cent of employers. Forty-eight per cent of employers say good ‘communication skills in Arabic and English’ is a top skill. These were followed by ‘ability to work under pressure’ (45 per cent) and ‘good leadership skills’ (45 per cent).

Regarding educational and academic qualifications, ‘business management’ (29 per cent), ‘commerce’ (28 per cent), and ‘engineering (23 per cent) emerged as the most sought-after qualifications amongst UAE employers.

For UAE employers looking to hire, four in ten (40 per cent) say they are looking for ‘mid-level experience between three and seven years’, more than a third (36 per cent) are seeking experience in ‘sales and marketing’, and another third (32 per cent) are seeking ‘managerial’ experience. Meanwhile, just over a quarter (27 per cent) of UAE employers are looking for candidates with ‘senior level experience between 7 and 10 years’, with another quarter (25 per cent) looking for candidates with ‘junior level experience of less than three years’.

“Perceptions of the job market in the Middle East and North Africa are more positive for 2018, with employers predicting improvements in hiring potential in the immediate future,” said Suhail Masri, VP of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com.

“At Bayt.com, we are really excited to work with tens of thousands of employers to help them recruit their top talent of choice. We are constantly improving our recruitment tools and getting feedback from clients to make it easier than ever before to hire for the skills they need. In fact, we just launched the Bayt.com Small Business Plan, which provides our recruitment suite to employers with budget constraints. Now, and as we look at the survey findings, we are delighted to see these hiring trends moving in an upward direction and we are looking forward to work with even more companies, organizations, and governments to facilitate hiring activities in the short as well as the long term.”

As for the most appealing industries in their country, UAE respondents believe the industries attracting and retaining ‘top talent’ are ‘Real Estate, Construction, and Property Management’ (31 per cent) and ‘Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations’ (30 per cent).

‘Banking and Finance’ (34 per cent) is believed to be the main industry attracting and retaining ‘national talent’ and ‘fresh graduates’. Meanwhile, ‘Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations’ (45 per cent) is believed to be the main industry attracting ‘top female talent’.

“The Middle East Job Index is a very critical indicator that shows the region’s hiring activities. With an upward trend this year, the number of job openings in the UAE is forecasted to grow. It is also worth noting that with so many local SME’s planning to hire this year, growth of this vital sector seems to be a priority in 2018,” said Nehal Jibouri, head of Custom Research, YouGov. - TradeArabia News Service