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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a global hub for career opportunities for all types of job seekers, from young graduates to experienced professionals. According to a Boston Consulting Group report, UAE is the 13th most preferred country of employment in the world. In the global city ranking, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are rated among the world’s top ten most desirable cities to work in.
In recent years, attractive work prospects, strong hiring booms, and advanced infrastructure are key factors that have led to UAE’s heightened appeal on the world stage. UAE is definitely an appealing option for an overseas career. However, the job search process can be overwhelming and confusing. To help simplify the process, in this article, we have listed UAE’s best job search sites and discussed how you can use them to land a job successfully.
Top 10 Job Search Engines in the UAE
Job search websites are one of the most popular and efficient ways to apply to dozens of relevant job openings. They aggregate work opportunities from thousands of companies and offer career support resources to optimize the job search process. In the UAE, many global and local job search sites are available for applicants, and some of the most popular ones are:
1) Bayt
Bayt is the largest online career marketplace in the pan Arab region, with over 39 million job seekers and 40,000 leading companies using the employment portal. In the UAE, Bayt advertises over 11,500 employment opportunities across all industry sectors and career levels. Many top employers in the region, such as Arab Bank, MBC Group, and Emirates Flight Catering hire through the platform. Bayt’s most active recruitment sectors in the Emirates are General Engineering, Accounting, Business Support, and Management Consulting.
Besides showcasing job vacancies, it provides many tools and features to the users to boost their career prospects. Bayt has a people search feature which allows you to find professionals and thought leaders in your domain and send them a connection request. It is an excellent way to build a robust professional network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. On the Bayt Specialties forum, you can ask and answer questions related to your industry, enter into discussions, and get endorsed by experts.
Bayt also provides a paid premium and elite subscription model, with supplementary services such as cover letter writing, application promotion, and Bayt tests. Additionally, you can take up degree programs and training courses on the platform to expand your skill set.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
2) GulfTalent
Headquartered in Dubai, GulfTalent is one of the biggest online recruitment platforms in the Middle East, used by over 10,000 leading employers and recruitment agencies. It boasts 3300+ active job listings in the UAE. Most of the advertised roles are full-time and look for professionals with experience. The most popular employment sectors on the platform are Hospitality, Information Technology, and Construction. In the UAE, Accor Hotels, Eagle Stone, Amazon, and Keo International Consultants are the top companies with the highest job listings on GulfTalent.
The website allows you to filter out jobs based on location, industry, job function, seniority, and employer type. The portal also offers valuable insights on salary and employment trends. It has a sophisticated salary tool that helps you browse the average compensation and allowances for different job categories across the Gulf region.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
- GulfTalent Jobs in the UAE
- GulfTalent Jobs in Dubai
- Gulftalent Jobs in Abu Dhabi
- Gulftalent Jobs in Sharjah
- Gulftalent Jobs in Ajman
3) Laimoon
At Laimoon, recruiters can post free job advertisements, thus making it a popular choice for talent hunting. The portal is also free of charge for job applicants. The top searches on Laimoon are in the Administrative, Sales, Customer Support, and Hospitality categories. Laimoon lists jobs across many cities in the UAE, such as Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Sharjah.
Over 86 recruitment agencies, and 79 UAE companies are using the website to hire quality talent. Besides, the Dubai-based platform offers online certifications and corporate training programs to help candidates upskill themselves and become more attractive to prospective employers.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
- Laimoon Jobs in the UAE
- Laimoon Jobs in Dubai
- Laimoon Jobs in Abu Dhabi
- Laimoon Jobs in Sharjah
- Laimoon Jobs in Ajman
4) Dubizzle
Headquartered in Dubai, Dubizzle is a popular digital marketplace and job board platform in the UAE, with 2 million+ active users. Over 2,700 job vacancies are advertised on the website across several industries, job functions, and experience levels. Many job postings are in the Accounting, Sales, Secretarial, and Hospitality sectors. In terms of location, the vacancies are primarily in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain.
Many local companies use the platform to fulfill their recruitment needs. The job postings often contain extensive detail, thus giving a solid idea about the position’s requirements. You can directly apply for the vacancies using the portal. The portal also allows you to upload a video of yourself to capture the hiring manager’s interest.
5) Naukrigulf
Naukrigulf is one of the largest job search sites in the region, with over 47,000 listed job opportunities. Besides the UAE, it operates in many other Middle Eastern countries. Jumeirah Group, Dubai Islamic Bank, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company are some of the platform’s top employers actively hiring in the UAE. The most popular industries recruiting on the website are Oil and Gas, Retail, and Banking.
Naukri also has a special category for ‘Walk in Interview’ jobs. For local recruitment, Naukri is one of the most popular websites in the region. Besides job advertisements, the website has an extensive blog section full of relevant articles and information about job hunting in the Gulf region. They also offer a free ‘Resume Quality Score’ tool where you can upload your resume to get an immediate estimate of where you stand compared to other job seekers.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
6) Foundit Gulf (Formerly MonsterGulf)
Foundit Gulf is a global leader and pioneer in the online recruitment and careers segment. In the UAE, the platform has over 7000 listed job vacancies. For hiring overseas talent, UAE recruiters prefer to use Foundit since it enjoys a broad reach globally. One of the most prominent recruitment sectors on Foundit UAE is Information Technology (IT). There are numerous job listings in graphic design, big data, computer science, and digital marketing domains. The website also has specific search categories for contractual, work from home, and fresher jobs.
To get started, you can create your account for free using your email address or through Facebook. You can also auto-fill the sign-up process by simply uploading your resume. Foundit has a user-friendly interface and allows you to browse through thousands of job vacancies across different categories smoothly. Additionally, they offer paid premium services such as the ‘feature profile’ option, which highlights your account when the recruiters are searching for profiles similar to yours.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
7) Oliv
Oliv is one of the fastest-growing career portals for students and new graduates in the UAE. Driven with the mission to solve youth unemployment, the company provides listings for internships, graduate jobs, and volunteering opportunities. More than 1000+ employers are using the platform to hire young talent. The most popular companies advertising on Oliv are Sephora, Samsung, and Emaar. Majorly, the advertised job positions are based in Dubai.
About 90% of internships listed on Oliv are paid opportunities. They also offer many free career resources on CV writing, cover letter writing, and interview preparation. Integrating technology with a personalized touch, Oliv facilitates 1000+ interviews monthly.
8) Buzzon
Buzzon is a classified advertisements online portal being run by Khaleej Times, a leading English newspaper in the UAE. It has 600+ job listings, primarily posted by small to medium-sized businesses. The jobs are mostly aimed at entry-level and mid-career professionals. The website allows you to filter out job postings by industry, location, salary, gender, and job type for an easy job search. The job advertisement mentions the employer’s email address or phone number, whom you can contact directly with your CV.
9) Indeed
Indeed is amongst the world’s top most powerful and popular job search engines. It centralizes millions of job openings from company websites and multiple job boards in one convenient place, allowing you to browse through and apply for numerous job vacancies easily. Job seekers can use Indeed for free, and it’s not necessary to even create an account to view job vacancies, read company reviews or find salaries.
In the UAE, over 25,000 job vacancies are listed on the Indeed platform. The highest number of job advertisements are from Marriott International, Hilton, and WHR Solution companies. Applying for jobs on Indeed is straightforward.. Using the search engine, you can filter out jobs based on location, job title, keywords, and company. If you want to conduct a focused search, it even has an advanced search option to filter out jobs based on criteria such as the age of listing, salary estimate, and job type.
Some job postings will allow you to apply directly through Indeed, and others will redirect you to the company website. You can also post your resume publicly on the platform. This makes it easy for prospective employers to reach out to you.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
10) LinkedIn
LinkedIn, a name synonymous with online networking, is the biggest professional network in the world, with over 830 million registered users in more than 200 countries. LinkedIn is the fifth most used social media application in the UAE, with over 4.48 million users. LinkedIn has 13,000+ active job advertisements in the Emirates. Hilton, Atlantis Resorts, and United Arab Emirates University are the biggest employers hiring on LinkedIn in the country.
LinkedIn serves as a comprehensive career platform to network, showcase your professional persona, apply for job vacancies, and share relevant content. By building an attractive and optimized LinkedIn profile, you can not only reach out to prospective employers but also let them find you. According to a research report, recruiters in the UAE stated that LinkedIn is their preferred candidate search tool for discovering executive, specialized, and overseas talent.
You can find the relevant job search links here:
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How much does it cost to register for a job site?
You can register and make an account for free on all the above-mentioned job search platforms. In some job portals, you might have to pay a fee for premium features and additional optional services. If you successfully land a job through the portal, the website won’t charge you any commission.
2) Are there any alternatives to job search websites?
Although the job portals advertise a vast array of vacancies, you can widen your search across other channels to maximize your chances of landing a job. You can find many opportunities via networking, company websites, word of mouth, employment fairs, and social media platforms. In fact, having personal interactions with the hiring managers generally tend to create more positive outcomes than responding to job postings.
3) How can I use job search engines to find a job?
When using job search websites, it is vital to ensure you have created a well-crafted profile to effectively communicate your personal brand and capture the potential employers’ attention. Also, you should use a tailored resume and cover letter while applying for jobs. While using the automatic or one-click-apply option may be tempting, you should refrain from doing so. By customizing your resume to each job role, you can show the hiring manager that you are the perfect fit.
Also, creating a dedicated professional email address for job applications is a good idea, so you don’t miss out on any job alerts and can filter out spam more effectively. You can organize your call-backs and interviews on a google sheet for efficient tracking. Lastly, don’t restrict yourself to one job search website, as a few employers only advertise on 1-2 platforms. By using 4-5 portals, you can widen your search.
The job search process can be exhausting and stressful, especially if you are applying to a foreign country. Nonetheless, you can effectively find employment opportunities in the UAE by using the right career resources. The job sites mentioned above are the best places to kick off your job hunt in the country. Also, remember to optimize your career documents, like the CV and cover letter, as per the local nuances of the region to maximize your chances of landing a job. If you need further guidance, don’t hesitate to contact us.