UAE employers are hiring, but these jobs are proving the hardest to fill

Dubai: Despite hundreds of applications for jobs in the UAE, some employers find it hard to fill the positions. Recruitment experts say the issue is not a lack of jobseekers, but rather a shortage of candidates with the right mix of experience, specialized skills, and business understanding. Industries like technology, construction, and oil and gas have varying hiring challenges based on the roles needed.

Which positions are the toughest to recruit for, and how can jobseekers stand out? According to Mollie Powell, managing director of Pink Camel Recruitment, the UAE does not have a shortage of people looking for work. Instead, employers struggle to find candidates with the right level of experience. "Companies are less likely to hire someone based solely on qualifications and train them from scratch.

They want proven experience, strong commercial understanding, and someone who can make an impact quickly," Powell explains. Among the most difficult vacancies to fill are AI and highly specialized technology roles. "There simply isn't always enough of that talent available locally, especially when clients are looking for very specific technical experience.

We often have to look overseas for these candidates and then figure out how to bring them into the UAE," Powell notes. Finding the perfect blend of technical skills and business acumen is particularly challenging. Powell adds that while someone might have the right technical qualifications, finding someone who understands both the technology and the business behind it is more difficult.

This applies to many functions within companies. Other high-demand areas include AI, cybersecurity, cloud technology, specialized engineering, project and design director positions, and senior leadership roles like chief financial officers, chief operating officers, and chief executives. Senior-level candidates are expected to have navigated uncertainty, made tough decisions, and demonstrated the ability to protect or grow a business in challenging times.

Recruitment timelines vary, with standard professional roles taking about 3-4 weeks and niche technical or senior roles taking 6-8 weeks. At the executive level, hiring delays often occur at the final decision-making stage rather than during the initial search for candidates. Employers are also more cautious about major recruitment decisions due to geopolitical and economic uncertainty, as well as candidates weighing the risks of leaving stable positions, especially if it involves relocating families or giving up years of tenure.

Even good salespeople are becoming harder to find, according to Nicki Wilson, managing director at Genie Recruitment. She emphasizes the importance of strong face-to-face communication, persuasion, and relationship-building skills, which are increasingly rare as communication shifts towards social media, messaging, and AI.