Top 5 tips to fast-track your UAE dream job search

Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself. It can be a long and arduous search if you fail to work smart.

Here are a few easy tips that can speed up your job search and make it less time consuming and, of course, less frustrating.

#1 Prepare 5 CVs and 5 cover letters – seriously

If you are looking for a full-time job, it is quite likely that you will be applying for slightly different job roles. In such a case, the best way is to keep five versions of your CVs saved on your desktop.

In essence, your CV will be the same but will have to be tweaked to give it a different feel as per the job demands. So, tailor your CVs to specific job roles, allowing you to apply to jobs quickly and easily with the most relevant CV for the job.

For example, you may be a communications professional and can work for both internal and external communications department of a company.

Your basic CV – educational chronology and details of your past employment, etc. – will remain the same, but you must fine-tune each so that one version suits internal communications better and one the external role. This will help you hit bang on target and will increase your chances of letting the employer know what you are capable of. Of course, each such CV should be accompanied by an equally tweaked cover letter.

#2 Use tools that can manage your job search

Jobseekers apply to various companies and it can get difficult to manage a list of the jobs that you have applied for, the companies and the people you’ve written to.

To tackle the mess, get the help of tools that can get you organized. Get the help of free tools available online to help you plan and manage your job search. If you are a meticulous person, then you already have this area covered.

#3 Increase your online presence

This is becoming more important than ever. According to a latest survey by regional jobs portal Bayt.com, 41.5 per cent of responding companies in Mena ‘always’ research new hires online before hiring, with a fifth (19.8 per cent) maintaining they ‘sometimes’ do so.

“The large number of companies that research candidates makes it more essential than ever for a candidate to have a professional and appealing online presence on a leading professional careers platform with significant regional inroads in order to secure a job,” says Suhail Masri, VP of Sales, Bayt.com.

So, get on all kinds of social and professional networking websites.

#4 Post on the best job websites

As you would avoid shady recruitment agencies, be choosy about which job portals you visit. Look at the reputed ones in the market that deliver results. By doing so, you can avoid wasting time and it’s likely that you will get interview calls as employers also prefer names with credibility in the market.

#5 Follow up

Always follow up but be careful not to turn into a person who pesters and nags. If somebody has referred you for a job, don’t forget to send a thank you email to her/him.

If you’ve just finished an interview, send a thank you e-mail to the interview for meeting with you without sounding too desperate of pushy for the next round.

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