Tawteen proves to be of little help to many job seekers

The agency requires Emirati applicants to be unemployed before they can register to find a new job.

ABU DHABI // Salem Al Harbi has worked at offshore oil facilities for most of his adult life.

The 30-year-old father of two spent 10 years working at an offshore Adnoc oilfield and four years at an Abu Dhabi holding company. He holds a diploma in petrochemical engineering.

“I resigned in 2012 because I had to constantly travel abroad for medical treatment for my mother and they [his employers] didn’t like it,” Mr Al Harbi said.

For the past year, he has been spending his days applying to every job that comes up online.

“I come across around 10 vacancies at the Tawteen website every day, and I match the requirements, but I’m always rejected. I don’t understand what is wrong. Is it a problem with Tawteen or the companies?”

Mr Al Harbi said a friend was hired through Tawteen.

“But he basically lived there. He would hear of any job interview for another candidate and force himself into it.”

But Mr Al Harbi is an optimist.

“The first step towards failure is pessimism,” he said. “Thankfully the Government has given me a house in Falah and my brothers help me out financially.”

While previously he wanted an office job on Abu Dhabi island, now he says he is open to any job.

“I’d just like to be offered a job at the same grade I have. I previously accepted a job for Dh7,000 at an oilfield but refused when they lowered my grade,” he said.

Saeed Salem, 36, is an ambitious man.

He left the Armed Forces after 15 years because he was not fulfilling his ambitions of developing himself and contributing to the country.

“I’m old-school,” he said. “I graduated from high school and joined the Armed Forces.”

After high school, he earned more than a dozen certificates from around the world that, he said, was more work than a bachelor’s degree.

He left his job before applying for another through Tawteen because the agency requires applicants to be unemployed before registering.

With confidence that he would find work, Mr Salem resigned in February and registered.

Tawteen never called him back, he said.

“I can’t find a job. I have the experience and the education.”

He was recently offered a job by Adnoc with a salary of Dh35,000, but he turned it down.

“I want a job that I can excel at and give back, not a job to meet a quota.”