2017 set to be a better year for UAE job seekers

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2017 set to be a better year for UAE job seekers

Published: Mon 2 Jan 2017, 9:14 PM

Last updated: Mon 2 Jan 2017, 11:22 PM

Job seekers in the UAE can look forward to a friendlier job market, as new evidence by Monster.com suggests that 2017 will be a better year for workers in the region.
"With the uncertainty surrounding the new oil production cuts by Opec and the strengthened US dollar, it appears that UAE businesses are taking a cautious approach to growing their workforce, however this is likely to change in 2017 as confidence is restored with more stable market conditions. While online hiring activity in the UAE currently remains very low, the movement of employees and employee talent gaps will create more opportunities but higher competition for job seekers, making it important for job seekers to find ways to stand out," said Sanjay Modi, managing director of Monster.com, APAC and Middle East region.
The latest Monster Employment Index (MEI) registers a 35 per cent decrease in November's online job opportunities in the UAE compared to the same period in 2015. According to the index, 'Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain' occupations were the only segment to register growth at 19 per cent, while the 'Education' industry registered the least decline in online hiring at -1 per cent.
According to research recently conducted by Hays, more than half of GCC workers surveyed are considering leaving their current employer in 2017 while 14 per cent of UAE employers claim they do not have the talent needed to achieve next year's objectives. This is further emphasised in separate study by Manpower Group which shows that over two thirds of surveyed employers are looking to expand their workforce in the coming 12 months. With employees leaving and employers in need of relevant talent, job opportunities are likely to rise in 2017.
The Monster Employment Index also found that 'Finance and Accounting' occupations demonstrated the steepest decline among industries surveyed with a -49 per cent fall from the same period last year while 'Banking, Financial services' and the 'Insurance' industry showed the lowest year-on-year growth in online recruitment at -39 per cent. In the wider Middle East region, online recruitment is down by 44 per cent with the 'Hospitality' sector demonstrating the largest decline at -66 per cent, while 'IT and Telecom' is among the only sectors to register growth at five per cent from November 2015.
Online recruitment in 'Production/Manufacturing', and 'Automotive and Ancillary' slipped 15 per cent below the corresponding period a year-ago as the sector registered a 14 per cent drop in monthly activity. This is the first negative growth since December 2015. The 'Health Care' sector saw an 18 per cent decline from the year-ago following marginal improvement in October 2016 (up two per cent). At the same time, there has been a 15 per cent decline in hiring activity in the sector between October and November 2016.
- business@khaleejtimes.com
 

By Staff Report

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