In this article, Hire Me Gulfs, we are sharing how you can develop and advance your career in the GCC countries, especially in the United Arab Emirates. With a bunch of hopes, if you landed in the UAE, what comes to your mind? What’s next after I get my job? Just do the job for a few years and go home, or will I develop my career? In the United Arab Emirates, there are numerous opportunities and advantages for career growth compared to other countries. No matter where you are starting – whether as a beginner or a professional or if you feel stuck in the same position for years – don’t worry; this article will help you understand the developments in your career.
UAE Career Growth Pathway
There are two sides to a foundation: your performance and your internal relationships within the company. You have to balance both; if one goes off balance, it might drop the opportunity on the table and leave.
It’s not because of your performance indicators. It’s just because of the recommendations, achievements, referrals, and the trust they build between each other in the company. This will help you get promoted and advance your career.
Define your career pathway.
Have you ever asked yourself where you want to be within the next 3-5 years? What kind of salary should I expect, and which company should I work for? So many people, once they start a job, go with the flow. Most people don’t plan for the future; they focus only on the monthly salary. If they get a higher salary for the same position at another company, they leave their current company just because of the pay. But you have to be very clear about where you’re going. Hoping for jobs based on the salary range can be helpful.
If you’re planning for long-term growth, identify the opportunities your current company creates and work for them. You might have to work a little bit harder, show up for tasks, and be positive; you may make extra sacrifices and have the hunger to learn and grow; that hunger will show you the path. In the UAE, outstanding performance matters a lot. Plan for yourself where you want to go. Get the direction and work for it.
Understand what helps you bring value to the company.
In the United Arab Emirates, each industry has a character that adds value to the company. It could be a person good at selling in retail, it could be a person who gets the job done perfectly in logistics and supply chain, or it could be a person who serves and communicates with customers and makes them satisfied as a waiter. No matter which position, it matters to the company how you are involved in upgrading their business.
Imagine you’re working as a waiter, and your next goal is to be the head waiter; to reach that level, just working hard isn’t enough. You have to be strategically smart. Go online and research head waiter positions. What are the requirements for them? What skills need to be improved? And what educational levels or certifications are required in hospitality? This information is the guideline for your map. These give you a signal ahead. Think about the gap right now where you stand and what it takes to be a head waiter; those are the things you have to chase. To reach that level, upgrade your skills by following or learning from a professional workmate, completing a hospitality course, which will help you become a head waiter, and pursuing the UAE’s highly valuable short courses, diplomas, and degrees, which are genuinely respected within the country when you add them to your resume.
Build a Strong impression, Recognition within your establishment.
This is another vital part that will help you develop your career journey. This feels frustrating or uncomfortable, but this is part of the process. You have to be specific in the workplace. If you are working as an average worker, there’s no difference, so you have to be different. You got this.
Imagine if you’re a waiter, for example. Are you giving more than what you can give to the company? Above and beyond. It could be working smart, not just hard. You take responsibility for the job, always sharing ideas that will lead to company growth. When there’s a task, does the manager ask you to hand it over? That’s a level that shows you are different from others and doing something great, far beyond.
Showing up is not loudness. Actions show the work, and it’s not internal politics within the organisation. You show up every single day for better results, and managers and supervisors highly trust you. The more you do something extra for the company, the more it will reward you back, and that’s why it’s important to be special among your workmates. By understanding high-positioned leaders’ expectations from you without them letting you know about it, you can work for it consistently for better results that add value, and those people will see your sacrifice and never leave you behind.
Importance of network
Networking – this is an underrated strategy. Across the United Arab Emirates, those who know you work-wise or personally matter. The UAE job market is huge, and it’s connected with people from multiple industries. Where you work and whom you work with really matter. It’s like a chain that connects them. The reason that you got the interview call could be a LinkedIn connection, a friend’s recommendation, a referral, or it could be from your ex-colleague. LinkedIn, especially, is playing a great part in networking. It connects all the unknown employees into one platform. Update your LinkedIn profile with a professional photo and add a bio that is related to your profession. Connect with people by sending connection messages, sharing company posts, and commenting; this will help you in a certain way. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, go and create it right now because most UAE recruiters use LinkedIn.
On the other hand, industry exhibitions are important as well. Attending job fairs, career meet-ups, trade exhibitions, and company conferences is an investment of your time if you are willing to show up. Especially in the UAE, the chances are high of finding a job opportunity. Every year, Dubai and Abu Dhabi mainly hold job fairs and trade events, which connect people across the country, even internationally. So this is a huge chance to grow your network.
Engage in career Growth discussion
There’s a story that says, “Never try, never know.” So this is within your organisation. According to UAE job culture, the recommendation of a workplace manager is an advantage to level up your career. This is why we mentioned above your productivity and sacrifices for the work. It has to be noticeable, and then you can make a request about your level up since you already proved who you are at work by doing extra and going beyond what they expected on your resume. Most managers lose their loyal employees just because of having a conversation about their careers. Before you head up to the manager, summarise to yourself what you’re about to talk about. It’s not about your performance levels or being boastful. Keep it as simple as possible about your promotion or next position, and do not force it to get it. If the employee works hard and smart with intention, that’s noticeable to the whole management.
Make a move when you reach the limit
Some companies are making room for opportunities, but it’s limited. If you have been working for a company for more than 3 years and have become an expert in your field but see no growth beyond a mere increment, then you should think twice. Sometimes, just because you are getting a few more AED compared to your previous salary,, could make you feel stuck. Your performance may become noticeable, but if you don’t see a next level within the company for yourself, then it’s time to consider a new opportunity in a different environment. But here’s a small piece of advice: after you join a company and during the probation period, don’t decide career hopping. Gain experience for 2-3 years, and then if you feel like you’ve reached the limit of growth and there’s no more room, that’s when you must make a move. Update your resume with recent skills and look on LinkedIn, a recruitment agency, or through your connections to grab your chance for the next upgrade.
Success Over Time: Expertise, Relationships, and Persistence
After all, you now have a basic idea of what you must do to upgrade your career level. One night of success? No, it won’t happen like that. It will take time. Your connections, strategies for applying, work performance, and all those things will be rewarded once you start to set goals for where you want to be. The Gulf job market is highly competitive, but there are many opportunities, no matter where you are right now, so keep working with intention.
