Job seekers in the United Arab Emirates across industries are in a strong position to negotiate salaries and terms as job competition has dropped by nearly 35 percent, research from LinkedIn found.
The pandemic has spurred a global shake-up in the professional world, with individuals now looking for greater flexibility, among other things like higher pay, from employers. LinkedIn found that 78 percent of respondents are considering a switch this year, and nine in 10 professionals in the Middle East and North Africa feel confident in their current roles.
Forty-eight percent cited improved salary as a factor most likely to catalyse a job move, and 45 percent said an opportunity to learn new skills would spur a job change.
“A staggering 8 in 10 professionals in the UAE and KSA are considering changing their jobs. This is part of a larger global trend that has also seen companies revamp policies and benefits to not just hire, but also retain quality talent. Candidates are being increasingly selective about the organisations they choose to apply for – citing flexibility, compensation, and company culture as critical factors,” said Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn MENA and EMEA Venture Markets.
Meanwhile, 85 percent of workers feel confident enough to push for a promotion or new job opportunities at work, with nearly half of employees in Saudi Arabia and 40 percent in the UAE reporting their confidence in their role will only get better in 2022. Fifty percent said a salary increase would convince them to remain with their current employer.
“One of the key motivators of this surge in worker confidence can be attributed to the increased prevalence of flexible working with 51 percent of the workforce saying that it has made them more confident to think about trying a new career,” a statement from LinkedIn said.
Among the most in-demand jobs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are data scientists, cyber security specialists, talent acquisition specialists, and back end developers, according to LinkedIn.
“We’re witnessing the tangible impact of a rapidly evolving world of work. New government policies, accelerated digitalisation, and renewed business priorities are reflected in the fastest-growing job roles we see today. Now more than ever, professionals are rethinking why they work and how they want to work, and as a result of this we have seen employee confidence skyrocket,” said Matar.
While the list shows several new career opportunities in the kingdom and the UAE, it highlights a new trend in the Kingdom: the continued evolution of the workplace and an increase in hiring levels have seen HR and talent-focused roles featured in the top five. Skills such as big data, network security and machine learning are also some of the fastest-growing skills in the region, as technology and AI continue to hold centre stage in the region’s agenda.
