Future-Proof Your Career: UAE’s Top Job Skills And Industry Trends For 2023

The latest Job Index survey by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site, and market research agency, YouGov, indicates that over two-thirds (67%) of UAE employers are planning to hire new employees in 2023. Interestingly,most UAE employers demand good communication skills in Arabic and English (48%) when hiring candidates, followed by the ability to work under pressure (43%) and teamwork skills (42%).

The survey is an in-depth, bi-annual study that attempts to measure job availability and hiring patterns. Additionally, it examines trends in the Middle East and North Africa job market and explains essential skill sets and credentials in the region.

Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “The MENA region is fast becoming a hub for innovative companies and start-ups, offering diverse career paths for those looking to break into new markets. This has the potential to make the region one of the most sought-after destinations for jobseekers from around the world. By monitoring and providing insights into the job market, the bi-annual Job Index survey enables employers to connect with top talent from around the world, facilitating their growth and opening opportunities for thousands of job seekers in the MENA region.”

Job roles and requirements

Sales Executive (21%), Sales Manager (15%) and Marketing Executive (15%) are the top roles to be hired in the next 3 months in the UAE.

Interestingly,nearly one-third (31%) of survey respondents state that they are looking for candidates with managerial experience, while 34% are searching for those with sales and marketing experience and 26% want candidates with mid-level experience.

Business Management (22%), Computer Science (19%) and Information Technology (18%) are the most sought-after academic qualifications amongst employers in the UAE.

Industries attracting top talent

Real Estate/Construction/Property Development (29%), IT/Internet/E-commerce (27%) and Banking/Finance (26%) emerge as the industries that attract or retain top talent in the UAE. Overall, Banking/Finance emerges as the main industry attracting the national talent(32%).

Hiring trends in the MENA

In regard to hiring potential by industry, Commerce/Trade/Retail (87%) emerges as the top industry claiming to hire the most in the next one year. This is followed by Business Consultancy/Business Management/Management Consulting (85%) and Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals (76%).

Applicants will be glad to hear that hiring intentions in a variety of sectors are optimistic in the near term as well, as top industries were Business Consultancy/Business Management/Management Consulting (79%), Human Resources (68%) and Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals (63%).

“The Job Index survey gathers data from the MENA region to analyze hiring trends in the region. Companies prefer to hire local talent and invest in the long-term development of the regional workforce. This has led to an increased focus on Arabic and English language proficiency, as more private sector employers consider it as the top skill that will boost candidates’ chances of securing employment. By gauging current market trends in the region, employers and HR professionals can better align their recruitment efforts with job seekers’ qualifications,” said Zafar Shah, Research Director at YouGov.

Data for the Middle East Job Index survey was collected online between 30 November 2022 and 18 January 2023. Results are based on a sample of 1,014 respondents from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan among others.