As many of us return to work after the summer break, hiring managers and human resources departments will be looking at their hiring plans for the rest of this year and into 2024. So, it’s a great time to be looking for new opportunities.
The fourth quarter is typically the busiest time of the year for recruiting, so having an up-to-date curriculum vitae is vital for those who are looking to change jobs.
After 16 years of living in the UAE, one thing that I have noticed in this part of the world is the sheer volume of responses to job ads online.
This is problematic for employers as it means a lot of work to filter through many CVs (much of which have little or no relevance to the role) and presents a challenge to the jobseeker in terms of the amount of competition.
I have seen more than 10 times the number of responses for a role in the GCC than you would expect to see from the same job posting in Europe, for example.
Having a relevant, up-to-date CV is essential if you want to stand out against other applicants and there are a few practical steps you can take to get you closer to being shortlisted.
Cover letter
Having a brief cover letter is highly recommended to summarise who you are and what you are looking for. One or two paragraphs should be enough for this purpose and offer you the opportunity to give a bit more insight about yourself that you may not want to add to the CV itself.
A generic cover letter should be OK for most roles, but you should amend or edit the closing part to be specific about the role you are applying for. For example, consider the below:
“With the skills and experience I have gained over the past 12+ years in the GCC with tech start-ups, I see XXX as a perfect environment and fit for my next career move and I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about the growth plans of the business.”
I would always recommend customising a CV to suit the job you are applying for. A full CV should never be more than two to three pages long (many prefer one page only) and should be easy to amend any key points.
If the job description mentions growth in North Africa, for example, and you once spent six months on a project in Morocco, then make sure you highlight that point.
If the employer is looking for someone who has worked in the government sector, then highlight some of the ministries you may have had dealings with where possible.
These may sound like obvious pointers, but you cannot cram every piece of work history into two pages, so reading the job description thoroughly and highlighting relevant points from your experience that can add value to the role will help your CV to stand out.
A strong cover letter statement is a great first impression, especially when a CV can be judged after just a few seconds of opening it. I still do this myself, but instead of dismissing a candidate straight away, I often advise them on how to improve their profile.
A hiring manager would highly likely not have the time or the motivation to do this, so you only get one shot at making the right impression. The opening statement should be brief, to the point and confident without being arrogant.
After the opening statement, a showcase of skills should be close to the top of the CV and be brief and to the point, for example:
- 10+ years enterprise software sales
- Six years of leadership and growth of sales teams
- Eight years of Middle East experience (including three years living and working in Saudi Arabia)
- Certified sales professional
- Trained public speaker to 500+ attendees
A summary (not full list) of education and training should also be included, giving an overview of your expertise.
I have often seen this in far too much detail on a CV, where a candidate has listed every single exam they have taken (with grades achieved). This is far too much information and not necessary.
With work history (the most important part of a CV), after listing the company name, location and dates worked, you should briefly summarise the role in one to two sentences. Rather than just describing the role, bullet point some key achievements such as:
- Grew revenue from $3 million to $5 million
- Expanded team from three to nine in two and a half years
- Opened two new GCC entities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar
If you have a specific project that you are proud of and it has relevance to the company you are applying to, summarise this within the relevant work history role.
Having some personal information at the bottom of the CV is a very important way to close off, highlighting any personal hobbies and interests such as sport, voluntary work or other extra-curricular activities.
The more information you can share here, the more likely you are to find some common ground with the hiring team, which helps to break the ice during an interview.
Before sending out your CV, read it, re-read it and edit it. Then get someone else’s opinion and check it again.
You only get one chance to make a great first impression and there are thousands of other jobseekers out there.
In summary, present a CV that’s interesting and easy to read that will grab the recruiter's attention, and ask a friend for their honest opinion before sending it.
John Armstrong is founder and managing director of JCA Associates
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
