Around 56 per cent of professionals in the UAE are seeking an industry change in the next few months, according to a new survey. Getty
Around 56 per cent of professionals in the UAE are seeking an industry change in the next few months, according to a new survey. Getty
Around 56 per cent of professionals in the UAE are seeking an industry change in the next few months, according to a new survey. Getty
Around 56 per cent of professionals in the UAE are seeking an industry change in the next few months, according to a new survey. Getty

Majority of UAE jobseekers considering switching industries in 2021


Felicity Glover
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A majority of jobseekers in the UAE are considering switching industries as new career opportunities open up in sectors such as health care, engineering and banking, according to a survey by jobs site Bayt.com and YouGov.

About 56 per cent of professionals in the Emirates are seeking an industry change in the next few months, citing better career growth and higher salaries, the survey found.

The survey polled more than 2,300 people in 17 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.

  • UAE Salary Guide 2021
    UAE Salary Guide 2021
  • Banking
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  • Legal
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  • Oil and Gas
    Oil and Gas
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  • Public sector
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  • Strategy
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  • Sales and marketing
    Sales and marketing
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  • Manufacturing
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  • Investment management
    Investment management
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  • Technology
    Technology
  • Technology
    Technology
  • Technology
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  • Technology
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  • Technology
    Technology
  • HR and office support
    HR and office support
  • HR and office support
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  • Financial services
    Financial services
  • Financial services
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  • Accounting
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  • Accounting
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  • Human Resources
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  • Accounting and finance salaries
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  • Property and construction
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  • Secretary and office support
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  • Digital
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Border closures and movement restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic affected the global jobs market in 2020, leading to salary cuts and redundancies. However, as economies reopen, new career opportunities have opened up, the survey said.

“Despite a challenging year, many industries in the UAE have introduced new career opportunities for jobseekers.”

In the current economic climate, survey respondents said the top three industries for job security are in government (31 per cent), followed by military, defence and police (27 per cent), and oil, gas and petrochemicals (23 per cent).

“The job market is constantly evolving and so are the needs of jobseekers,” said Ola Haddad, director of human resources at Bayt.com.

“In order to understand the factors influencing industry attractiveness, we conducted the … survey to determine how people identify, apply for and evaluate job opportunities across a range of industries. For recruiters, the data will help foster deeper engagement and higher application rates.”

About 23 per cent of UAE survey respondents said they had changed industries at least once in the past two years. Of those who moved into a new sector, 46 per cent said they were seeking better opportunities for career growth, 43 per cent wanted a higher salary while 22 per cent cited a lack of recognition in their current roles.

Most job seekers in 2021 are interested in working in health care (15 per cent), engineering and design (12 per cent) and banking and finance (9 per cent).

When it comes to the work-life balance, the public sector also came out on top at 37 per cent, followed by oil, gas and petrochemicals at 20 per cent and the IT and e-commerce sector at 17 per cent.

Meanwhile, health care and medical services (26 per cent) and banking and finance (25 per cent) were the most attractive industries for women. About 29 per cent of all survey respondents said the oil, gas and petrochemicals sector offered the best career growth and salary packages, followed by IT at 21 per cent.

However, when asked to look ahead, 32 per cent of respondents said the IT sector is the top industry expected to record the strongest growth next year in the UAE.

“Our latest survey has unearthed a whole host of invaluable insights into jobseeker preferences and satisfaction levels with various industries, on attributes including salary and benefits, work-life balance, career growth and job security,” said Zafar Shah, research director of data services at YouGov Mena.

“Industries across the region must ensure that they are responding to jobseekers’ changing needs.”

THE SPECS

Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre

Transmission: Seven-speed auto

Power: 165hp

Torque: 241Nm

Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000

On sale: now

Company%20profile
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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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What is an ETF?

An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.

There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.

The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.

There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.

While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash. 

Top financial tips for graduates

Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:

1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.

2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.

3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.

4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes. 

The trip

From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.

Listen to Extra Time
Results

Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent

Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent

Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta​​​​​​​
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)

Company%20profile
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World Cricket League Division 2

In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

UAE fixtures

Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Results

2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar

3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash

4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash

5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy

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Afghanistan squad

Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Updated: August 29, 2021, 7:58 AM