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28 March 2024

Looking for a job? Interview tips and tricks to get hired in UAE

Published
By Shuchita Kapur

Successful interviewing is essential to getting a job offer. That means being well prepared before the final day - this may include practicing interview some obvious but important questions and answers, dressing in appropriate interview attire, being able to present your skills and experience to a prospective employer in the best possible way and knowing about the company you intend to work for well enough.

Emirates 24|7 spoke with some leading experts in the recruitment industry in the country to get tips on the do’s and don’ts during an interview - the things which can make a candidate highly employable and highly unemployable.

Shane Phillips, MENA Regional Practice Leader, Financial & Professional Services at Stanton Chase UAE

Highly employable trait 1 – Candor is most appreciated.  Honesty instills trust and trust is what makes any of us make a buying decision.  Bringing an unusual level of transparency and honesty will definitely help sway things to your favour.

Highly employable trait 2 – Have penetrating insight and vast and specialized knowledge in your industry.  Can you see opportunities others cannot?  Do you have a unique perspective on an old problem?  Understanding both global and local trends and how they are interacting to produce tangible results allows you to articulate the next big opportunity.  Know the competitive landscape, who the players are and which direction the market is drifting in.

Highly employable trait 3 – Act like a business consultant.  A business consultant must add immediate value, even in the first client meeting often within minutes of sitting down in the corner office.  Be sure to ‘make a deposit before making a withdrawal’ and start out of the gates by articulating opportunities you would like to capitalize vis-à-vis the employer’s brand.  Get them excited about the opportunities which are on the horizon and show them how you can get them there faster than anyone else.  Demonstrate and immediate value-add.

Highly unemployable trait 1 – Bad manners; coming late, dressing poorly, bad hygiene, etc are all examples of bad manners.  Be courteous, conscientious and show up on time, be well groomed and well dressed.  Go get your hair cut and buy a new suit before an interview.  I know one candidate who likes to change his socks before a big meeting.

Highly unemployable trait 2 – Did not do your homework.  Not knowing the company you are interviewing with, their financials, performance, leadership team and recent news is a big no no.  In today’s highly connected world even the eight year olds at the playground know that there is a new CEO at Apple, you better too!

Highly unemployable trait 3 – Rushing into an answer and rambling on.  If you get a question you have not thought about, it is far better to take a sip of water and say ‘give me a second’ than to dive into a rambling answer, which makes no sense and gives the impression that you are prone to giving tall tales.  Most importantly, if you don’t know an answer just say that it is not part of my experience, I do not know that exactly.  Your honest and transparent approach will be refreshing, reassuring and will foster interest.

James Sayer, Associate Director at Robert Half UAE

Do’s (1) - Provide ROI statements: The downturn underlined the need for every employee to provide a return on investment, where contributions are closely aligned to commercial goals. Consider ways that you contributed to the bottom line, whether it provided cost savings, improved efficiency or sourced a new revenue stream. Tangible and measurable examples will prove to the employer that you will be an asset to the organisation.

Do’s (2) Research the company, industry and competition: With the internet and social media, there is no excuse not to have a thorough understanding of the company, including the challenges and opportunities it faces in its industry and the overall economy. A good knowledge of the competition and their relative position in the marketplace is also important, as is the ability to articulate where you think you can provide value.

Don’ts (1) Discuss remuneration at the first interview: While it may be tempting to ask about salary and benefits, it is never a good idea to discuss at the first or even second stage of interviewing. Doing so can potentially either price you out of the job or result in being under-paid. If you are using a recruiter, let them negotiate on your behalf.

Hasnain Qazi, Middle East Business Manager at Huxley Associates

This would be stating the obvious, however, you should be dressed corporate smart, and prior to the interview, have done your due diligence on the company/bank, history and other publicly available information. Rather than talk about your entire career history, which may or may not be relevant, it is advisable to understand what the employer is looking for, and highlight those parts of your experience that are more relevant.

One should avoid making any remarks that may be deemed culturally or personally discriminatory in nature, and also avoid telling jokes, or amusing comments, as peoples sense of humour varies. One should talk about what they themselves have personally accomplished, or the personal tasks they do daily, as opposed to talking about what their team or division accomplished.