After a rough patch from 2020-2021, the United Arab Emirates’ unemployment rate has decreased to around 3.9 percent.
This drop in unemployment is great for UAE residents, but it has presented unique challenges for the country’s employers. For example, candidate sourcing in the UAE has gotten trickier due to a significant talent shortage.
The good news is that the right information can make finding the best candidates in the UAE much easier. If you’re not sure how to spot a good candidate at an interview or which job sites to use for your company’s recruiting, this guide can help.
Discover everything you need to know below:
15 Tips to Employ the Right Candidate
Whether you’re looking to hire an entry-level employee or a new executive, you want to employ the right candidate at your company. Recruiting can be challenging and time-consuming, though.
Here are 15 tips for simplifying the process and finding the best candidates in the UAE:
- 1. Start early: Finding a good fit can take a while, so start searching as soon as possible.
- 2. Post ads on multiple platforms: When you advertise job openings on various sites, you cast a wider net and increase your chances of filling vacancies quickly.
- 3. Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS): An ATS helps you organize and keep track of candidate information. It also enables you to stay in touch throughout the recruiting process.
- 4. Write detailed job descriptions: Include specific information about job roles and responsibilities, salary and benefits, etc.
- 5. Include company culture-related information: In the job ad, include details about the company culture, mission, and values to help job seekers understand what makes your business unique.
- 6. Get multiple people involved in the interview: Involving multiple people helps you overcome potential biases and ensure you’re truly hiring the best person for the job.
- 7. Prepare interview questions in advance: Make a list of questions and ask all candidates the same ones to ensure a fair interview process.
- 8. Ask candidates to perform a task: Ask them to do something similar to what they’d have to do if hired. This helps you see how they handle pressure and if they have the proper baseline skills for the job.
- 9. Use phone interviews to narrow down the candidate list: A brief phone consultation can help you learn the basics of a candidate and decide if you want to continue moving them through the interview process.
- 10. Don’t be too picky: A candidate doesn’t necessarily have to meet every requirement on your job ad to be a good fit. If they meet most of the criteria, keep them in the running.
- 11. Don’t rush: When dealing with a labor shortage, it can be tempting to pick the first person to apply for the job. Be patient, though, and make sure they’re actually the right match before you pull the trigger.
- 12. Expand your offerings: Remote and hybrid work are becoming more popular in the UAE. Consider offering these options if possible to attract more job seekers.
- 13. Consider team fit: When asking candidates to complete tasks, consider having the work with current employees to see how they get along with others at your company.
- 14. Include and abide by visa requirements: The UAE is home to many ex-pats, and you’ll likely get some of them applying for openings at your company. Make sure they have the correct visa before hiring them.
- 15. Prioritize cultural competence: Because the UAE is such a diverse country, you likely work with customers or clients from various backgrounds. Make sure anyone new to your company is culturally competent and comfortable working with a diverse client base.
Top 8 Qualities of a Good Employee
As a business owner, you need to know how to spot a suitable candidate at an interview. You don’t have much time to evaluate someone and decide if they’re an appropriate fit, so you need to know what to look for.
Here are eight essential qualities of a good employee in the UAE
- Good communication skills
- Active listening skills
- Punctuality and reliability
- Enthusiasm for the job and company
- Collaboration and teamwork skills
- Attention to detail
- Time management skills
- Cultural awareness and competence
The Best Job Sites for Finding the Best Candidates in the UAE
If you want to hire job seekers in the UAE, you should use the internet to your advantage.
Hundreds of job sites exist to help you connect with candidates, review resumes, and fill openings at your company. Not all of them are created equal, though.
Listed below are 20 of the top job sites for finding the best candidates in the UAE.
GrabJobs is one of the world’s top recruiting platforms. It assists with all aspects of the recruiting and hiring process, from talent acquisition and job posting to candidate engagement and recruitment analytics. GrabJobs also offers an extensive resource library with information on employment regulations, writing effective job ads, and more.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- The free plan comes with one job listing and one active user
- Paid plans start at AED 125 per month
- All plans come with a free 14-day trial
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Dubizzle is a Dubai-based online classifieds website. It features ads for cars, property, personal items, and, of course, jobs. If you want to connect easily with job seekers in Dubai, Dubizzle is an excellent place to start your recruiting.
Subscription: Paid
- Ads start at AED 199 per post
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Buzzon is the classifieds section of the Khaleej Times. Like Dubizzle, Buzzon features ads for all kinds of jobs and is a good starting point for companies of all types and sizes, from startups to enterprise-level organizations.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Naukri Gulf is a convenient job database for employers and job seekers in the Gulf Region. It allows you to search millions of CVs from candidates in over 160 countries, with new candidates available every four seconds. Sixty percent of the site’s candidates have been active in the last six months, and 80 percent have over three years of experience.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Paid plan pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Bayt is another popular job posting site for employers in the UAE (and employers in other countries who want to connect with UAE-based job seekers). It provides access to over 47 million CVs, all with verified contact information to increase your chances of getting a response.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Paid options start at $157.5 per post
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Laimoon offers an affordable and easy-to-use platform for employers looking to hire all kinds of employees, including urgent hires. You can use it to post jobs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain.
Subscription: Paid
- Posts start at AED 99.00
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Gulf Talent is another popular job site for recruiters looking for talent in the Gulf region. It’s trusted by over 10,000 companies and has been featured in numerous global news outlets.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Pricing for paid options available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Google is one of the first places people go when looking for anything, including job opportunities, so it makes sense to include Google Jobs in your recruiting strategy. Post ads on Google Jobs to easily connect with job seekers in the UAE and beyond.
Subscription: Free
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Indeed is a well-known global job platform used by companies worldwide. It allows you to advertise jobs of all kinds easily and affordably. It also offers sponsored ad options to increase visibility and connect with your target candidate.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Sponsored ads use a pay-per-click model and work with your budget
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
In addition to building your professional network, you can also use LinkedIn for candidate sourcing in the UAE. Use this platform to post job ads, connect with potential new hires, and support your colleagues in other industries.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Paid ads use a pay-per-click model and work with your budget
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Foundit Gulf (formerly Monster APAC & ME) is used by employers and job seekers worldwide, including in the UAE. You can use Foundit to create and share job ads, employer branding, and more. It also offers a convenient mobile app for on-the-go recruiting.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
If you want to connect with potential interns and recent graduates, check out Oliv. Oliv is used by over 1,000 companies and offers robust customer support to help you get the most out of the platform.
Subscription: Paid
- Posts start at AED 190
Focusing hiring on interns and recent graduates
GradlinkGulf is another excellent job site for those who want to hire recent graduates in the Gulf region. If you’re looking for new entry-level employees for your company, this is an excellent place to start or continue your search.
Subscription: Free
Focusing hiring on recent graduates
Formerly known as Neuvoo, Talent.com is a great choice for UAE-based businesses looking to connect with a large audience. It’s visited by over 75 million people each month. It also features valuable salary information to help you ensure you’re paying employees fairly.
Subscription: Free
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
CareerJet is a simple job search and recruitment platform that allows you to create and share job ads with your target candidates easily.
Subscription: Paid
- Job posts start at AED 180 for 30 days
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Glassdoor is a popular site among job seekers because it features reviews from current and past employees of various companies. You can also use this site to your advantage to build your employer brand and advertise openings at your business.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Paid plan pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
GetThat is another classified ads site you can use to post job openings. Over 22,500 employers utilize it, so you’ll be in good company.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
If you run a jewelry, gems, or precious metals business, consider posting a job ad on Mintly. Mintly connects skilled professionals in this exclusive industry with employers throughout India and the UAE.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on professionals in the jewelry, gems, and precious metals industries
Kingston Stanley is a recruiting agency catering to job seekers and employers in the marketing, digital, and tech support fields.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Focusing hiring on marketing, digital, and tech support professionals
Jooble is a global job search platform used by companies across the globe, including those located in the UAE. It’s easy to use and features a wide range of jobs.
Subscription: Free
Focusing hiring on Blue collar workers, White collar workers, entry-level workers, highly skilled workers, etc.
Simplify Candidate Sourcing in the UAE with GrabJobs
If you want to hire job seekers in the UAE, the 20 job sites discussed above can help you streamline the recruiting process and connect with the best candidates.
For more help finding the best candidates in the UAE, check out GrabJobs. This popular platform provides everything you need in one centralized location — even resources on critical topics like employment regulations.
Check it out today and get a free 14-day trial.
