Dubai: It isn’t tech jobs and vacancies in the UAE that are having the highest listings on LinkedIn– instead the demand is for real estate professionals who tick all the boxes when it comes to skillsets.
Which should not come as a surprise as the Dubai and UAE property markets continue its 3-year golden run, which has seen transaction levels and individual property sales hit new highs. Or come close to them.
This has in turn created an unprecedented demand for real estate professionals, whether that’s for marketing and sales roles at estate agents, senior management roles at developers, and, of course, for professionals who’ve got a grasp of property management services. Every week, or so it seems, new jobs continue to be created in the local property market, and there are new players coming to the UAE to try their hand at selling property from just about every continent.
The demand for expertise in real estate extends to mortgage advisors as well, which is the third most prominent role in the LinkedIn findings.
Salaries and all manner of incentives/commissions too have risen in the UAE real estate space during this period - which then extends its own pull in getting more professionals into the industry.
And which profession is in the second spot? ‘Partnership specialists’, who can help with business development and digital marketing.
Wanted – tax specialists
Of course, the other in-demand category is for tax experts, whether for advisory or corporate tax/VAT consultancy.
“In 2024, we are seeing UAE professionals moving to the driver's seat when it comes to their careers,” said Ali Matar, the EMEA Growth Markets Leader and Head of LinkedIn for the region.
“This will give rise to a more competitive job market, so standing out from other candidates will be more important than ever.
“We do see an appetite amongst UAE - and KSA - professionals to upskill and invest in building personal profiles. Highlighting how one’s skills are relevant to the job they want and staying on top of industry trends will also improve chances of finding the right opportunity.”
Trending jobs in Saudi Arabia
The job profile and demand dynamics paint a much different picture when it comes to jobs in Saudi Arabia.
It’s anyone answering the ‘patient care technician’ profile who has the highest demand. Again, not much of a surprise given the investments and expansions happening in the Saudi healthcare sector, and each of which requires fresh recruitment needs.
According to LinkedIn, 79 per cent of Saudi professionals have the 'confidence about interviewing for a new role', and 78 per cent believe they have what it takes searching for a new job. "This confidence stems from a significant number of them (77 per cent) believing that their job prospects in 2024 are better than last year," the networking platform says.
Work-life balance a priority for Saudi women
More Saudi women are 'pursuing career moves' this year (61 per cent) than men (57 per cent), citing a need for better pay (39 per cent). This is a trend showing up in the UAE hiring market too.
"More women in Saudi are seeking better work-life balance (34 per cent) as opposed to men (30 per cent)," LinkedIn states. "KSA women (57 per cent) also state satisfaction in their current job as the main reason for not wanting to look for a new one, while men said that their main reason is good salary and benefits (52 per cent)."
