Najah exhibition addresses employment barriers among UAE nationals

Abu Dhabi: Improving communication skills and preparations ahead of a job interview should be improved among young Emiratis, experts in the recruitment industry said on Thursday at Najah exhibition held in the capital.

Najah — meaning success in Arabic — has addressed barriers to employment among UAE nationals at the event, which concluded on Thursday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

“Interview panic and anxiety are experienced by the vast majority of Emiratis during a job interview, therefore nerves can dramatically affect their success in landing their dream job.

“Therefore, Ershad, an Emiratisation directory to provide selective career opportunities and jobs for UAE nationals, is offering workshops and training session to teach applicants how to behave and act professionally during a job interview,” Sara Baban, recruitment consultant at Ershad, told Gulf News.

“We currently have over 5,000 Emiratis recruited by Ershad all across the UAE in different positions in government, semi-government and private organisations. Most of our applicants focus on business and engineering careers,” she added.

Ershad also offers internship and training opportunities for high school students besides providing full and part-time careers for fresh graduates by working hand in hand with UAE’s top employers.

The three-day exhibition, which started on October 29 and ended on Thursday, focused on a good CV being an applicant’s passport to employment.

“A CV is the applicant’s first chance at making a good impression with a potential employer. The CV clinic as well as the Ershad CV consultancy are important features at Najah this year and will provide job seekers with free and professional tips to have the best chance of getting their dream job,” Sara added.

Bayt.com also offered professional career advice and recommendations on major aspects associated with a successful job.

“Apart from providing free CV consultancy to visitors, Najah also delivered several presentations focusing on CV writing and interview techniques,” Suhail Masri, vice-president of sales at Bayt.com, said.

The career fair also welcomed the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to extend an exchange programme with UAE universities and open its doors to aspiring Emirati engineers.

The new cooperation programmes from Korea’s premier engineering university, which is also responsible for producing more than 25 per cent of the research and development work force at Samsung Electronics, were on offer at Najah fair.

“The programmes will open doors for Emirati students looking to pursue a career in technology and engineering to help the UAE reduce its dependency on traditional energy sources and move toward an alternative source of energy as nuclear and renewable energy,” Dr Soon Heung Chang, professor of nuclear and quantum engineering at KAIST, said.