| Kippreport.com

Great expectations—Chances are high you’ll get a (or change your) job soon

August 22, 2011 2:44 by p.deleon

Earlier this week, with the help of our friends at YouGovSiraj, took a look at the attitudes of job seekers in the UAE and KSA. We found that those who were working in the private sector are lot more confident about the prospect of finding a new job. We assumed that it was most likely attributed to the confidence that comes from having a database of contacts that may be able to give them a lead in to a new job. And though we found a rather over whelming sense of confidence amongst though in the UAE, we found that fresh graduates are significantly more likely to still be without work and constantly on the lookout for a job. But what do the employers think?

According to the latest Bayt.com Jobs Index survey conducted by Bayt.com and YouGovSiraj, over half of the employers in MENA say they plan to hire new employees over the next three month. Here in the UAE, 53 percent of respondents expect to recruit in the next quarter, rather encouraging thinks Kipp. At the same time only 6 percent of those surveyed in the UAE said they definitely would not be hiring.

Things are quite positive elsewhere in the Gulf: employers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar seemed slightly more likely to hire than others, with 33% and 31% respectively saying that their organisations will “definitely” be recruiting new staff in the next quarter.

As far the most sought after qualifications are concerned, those with engineering degrees stand to benefit the most: 25% of organisations around the MENA say they are employing staff qualified in engineering. Demand for business management graduates or postgraduates follow shortly after, with 23% of respondents agreeing g that recruits in these fields are greatly required.

Besides the qualification specification, 59 percent employers said what they look for most in a potential employee is their ability to communicate both in English and Arabic.