Jobseekers rejoice as more vacancies open

With the UAE job market improving, more people have been voluntarily quitting their jobs and the number of employees expected to put in their papers is expected to rise further this year, say recruitment experts.

Compared with the past few low-growth years, when you were lucky to have a job and luckier still to retain one for a couple of years, employee turnover is on the rise, and recruitment experts believe an improving job market will give confidence to candidates to finally consider making that move.

“Absolutely,” says Graham Whitworth, Senior Banking Consultant at Charterhouse Partnership, stressing that more people are expected to quit/switch jobs in 2013. “More vacancies will become available as employers start to increase headcount,” explains Whitworth.

So, what does this mean for the country’s job market? In short, it’s an indication that people are confident that they can find better opportunities, and it is a sign that an increasing number of jobs are being added to the market at sustainable levels.

“With the [increased number of] vacancies comes an increase in the confidence of jobseekers, which means more people will be interested in moving jobs. This, in turn, means more vacancies being made available for the roles they have left behind,” Whitworth elaborates.

Even jobseekers from outside the country, who are looking at the UAE for employment opportunities, stand to benefit from this trend.

“The market is picking up and the UAE is one of the most preferred destinations for candidates already here and those who are looking to relocate,” says Ash Athawale, Recruitment Manager, REED, a global recruitment organisation with operations in the UAE. 

“Budgets for positions have been approved and interviews are happening, so there will be some job changes but they will be more controlled and managed [than in the boom years],” he added.

Surveys carried out at the beginning of the year have given ample indications and warnings in clear terms to employers that UAE employees are, finally, ready to switch jobs after a long period of lull.

A survey by jobs portal Bayt.com, published in December 2012, indicated that 65.3 per cent of respondents (Mena based) were looking to switch jobs in 2013.

Many employees in the UAE and throughout the region remained crouched in their current positions for a variety of reasons, foremost of which was a lack of suitable opportunities. With the ongoing economic slowdown, not many firms were hiring for new positions, which put a dampener on the number of jobs available in the market.

However, the past few dismal years are now giving way to renewed optimism in the economy and therefore the job market, making professionals believe it’s time to turn over a new leaf.

“Increasing headcount starts the process but it is the jobseeker’s confidence that really gives momentum to the market,” says Whitworth. “Many people who have been with their current employers for 5-plus years would not have been looking out due to nervousness and perceived job insecurity. With improved employment conditions, many of these candidates are now actively considering new job opportunities,” he adds.

On the other hand, employers too are on the lookout for fresh talent – at least they aren’t too bothered about a massive employee turnover.

A recent poll run by this website shows that UAE employers are not anxious to retain their staff even in today’s market conditions. The poll revealed that a majority (59 per cent) of respondents in the country acknowledged that UAE employers will not try too hard to retain staff if they wish to quit.

We may still be away from the heydays of immediate counter-offers and, as Athawale puts it, “changes will be more controlled and managed”.

Industry experts, nevertheless, are clearly hinting that the number of people putting in their papers is going up and many more will make the move as new opportunities arise in 2013.

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