The 7 most valuable career skills right now, according to UAE HR experts

Gulf News spoke to different human resources experts in the UAE to find out what they’re looking for in candidates they want to hire.

Kim Truong Head of HR for Edelman Middle East 

1. Being adaptable

In this constantly changing world, it’s incredibly important to remain adaptable and open to change.

Here in the Middle East, change is a constant. So in order to have that competitive edge, you need to keep up to date with relevant industry news and be agile enough to adopt new ways of thinking – enabling you to provide fresh and new ideas.

Doing something just because that’s how you’ve always done it isn’t going to get you very far!

My advice: Don’t be afraid to learn something new and use this to explore different ways of working — do something that no one else is doing.

This will to set you apart from everyone else. And, in this competitive market, it’s down to you — and you alone — to make sure you stand out from the crowd.

2. Being someone with Emotional Intelligence

This is a skill that is often overlooked. However, it’s probably one of the most important (and difficult) to master.

The ability to understand and control your emotions is only part of it. For me, the hardest element of EI is realising, acknowledging and managing how these emotions may be affecting those around you.

We all have good days and bad days, we all have personal circumstances that may affect our moods, but letting your emotions impact your colleagues or how you work can and will have a negative effect on the working environment. Before you say or do something with heightened emotions, stop and think.

Ask yourself, how you would feel on the other foot? If someone spoke to you the same way you’re speaking to someone else, would you find that acceptable?

It’s easy to lose your cool, but before you do, try and understand the impact that this could be having on the people around you. You may just find that you start acting/thinking differently.

Karen Sertin, Talent Development Associate Middle East at JTI 

3. Having a positive and resilient attitude makes all the difference.

Everyone faces challenges in their career paths. To be successful, continuously learning new skills and growing as a person and professionally is crucial. A person with a negative attitude would fall short as they would not take these challenges as an opportunity to better themselves.

However, if a person has the right attitude they can overcome and learn anything - this is where being positive and resilient in the face of adversity makes all the difference.

Sarah Albakeri, Senior Manager and a Certified Professional in Human Recourses

4. Having the three E’s; Emotional Intelligence, Efficiency and Ethics.

Understanding your own emotions and knowing how to manage them in a positive way is the most important skill to communicate effectively and sympathize with others in the work place. Also, with Ethical practices and professionalism, an employee will be able to maintain efficiency and maintain great reputation, especially in a region like the UAE.

5. Mastering the three C’s; Communication, Commitment and Conflict Resolution.

Being in a diverse working environment generally requires good communication skills. It’s considered as one of the most important life skills where verbal and non-verbal communication play a vital role in clarifying the message, sending the right information and ensuring a great understanding. Employee’s dedication and commitment are a clear indication of their loyalty, trust, maturity and satisfaction at their work.

6. Developing the three L’s; Leadership skills, Learning and Language.

Today, the achievements the UAE reached are an example of the leadership by its founding fathers and the visionary leader Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Determination, optimism, prosperity and believe in people’s capability demonstrate the meaning of a great leader. Whether an employee is in a leadership role or not, I personally believe that leadership is a trait which is used not only in a working environment but also in the society. It is the state or position of being a leader and taking actions, setting directions and building inspirational vision. Finally, a successful employee need to be eager to learn and have the passion towards continuous learning and curiosity to gain new skills and knowledge. Working in the UAE society open the doors to connect with people from all around the world, and this requires an employee to have more than one language. As an Emirate employee and participating at this piece is an example of the importance of being bilingual.

Rabee Saleh, Sales Director and Hiring Manager at XAL INC

7. Being self motivated and disciplined

A lot of people still fail to realise that motivation is fleeting and is rarely there by default. The difference between an employee and a great employee is the personal drive that gets them out of the bed in the morning. An employee just goes through the motions, but a great employee is always striving to be better, and both of these attitudes are easily distinguishable not just to hiring managers, but to co-workers and customers. If you discipline yourself to remain motivated at all costs, you will always emerge a winner.