John Tinsley : Gulf Recruitment

If you’ve been considering relocating to and working in the Gulf regions of the Middle East, don’t overlook Saudi Arabia as a viable choice for overseas employment.  Jobs in Saudi Arabia are still plentiful despite the overall shape of the global economy.  In fact, the instability of the global economy in general has probably stimulated the recent increase in the popularity of the Middle East career and job market.  Remember that Saudi Arabia is one of the largest of the world’s oil producers, so it makes sense that the nation has become a targeted destination.

In 2008, the power supply demand in Saudi Arabia alone grew some 70%, compared to the 20% growth factor that was experienced in 2007.  Statistics are not yet complete for this past year (2009), but there are indications that this may have dropped off slightly.  But this dramatic increase in the demand for power has resulted in a spike in the career and job opportunities in several fields.

Although the most significant growth of Saudi Arabia jobs has been in fast-track construction positions and fields relative to the oil and gas industry, other job sectors are still experiencing steady growth in the opportunities for employment that are currently available.  Other employment opportunities exist in the banking and finance, IT and telecommunications, and media industries for the individual who is qualified and skilled in these types of careers.  Finally, keep in mind that due to the population growth in these Gulf areas that the real estate and tourism industries have seen some significant growth as well.

The ongoing success of the oil and gas industry in the Middle East coupled with a dramatic increase in the demand for power have made the Gulf area one of the most viable job markets in the world.  This is also the case where jobs in Saudi Arabia are concerned.  A simple search online will result in hundreds of job opportunities to pick from.  Just remember to exercise a bit of caution when looking into some of these as there are numerous online scams that have invaded the career and job search market.

Jobs in Saudi Arabia are plentiful for the moment despite the fact that the global economy has been sketchy over the past year.  Many areas in the Gulf region are still witnessing a flourishing economy and Saudi Arabia is no exception.  There has been a pleasantly surprising increase in other career and job sectors, two of which are the real estate and tourism industries.  The highest demand for jobs is coming from the banking and finance, fast-track construction, healthcare, IT and telecommunications, and media employment sectors.

When you are conducting your career and job search online, make sure that your CV or resume is accurate and up-to-date.  Additionally, you should compose a cover letter to accompany your CV or resume as this will improve that first impression that the prospective employer has of you.  Most of the better online job posting sites feature contact applications for e-mailing your personal information to that particular employer.  However, it never hurts to establish personal contact with an individual who is involved in the hiring process for that company.

The dramatic economic growth that the Gulf regions of the Middle East have been experiencing over the past decade is probably the key reason why relocating and working there become a popular and viable option for those individuals who are qualified and skilled in a variety of career fields.  As one of the world’s leading oil producers, Saudi Arabia has become a desirable target for overseas employment.  Start your search on the internet if you are considering jobs in Saudi Arabia.

The internet is the logical choice for the start of your search but keep in mind that there are a couple of precautions you should take when conducting a search with the keywords “jobs Saudi Arabia.”  Just like any other area of the internet, the career and job search market has experienced the invasion of fraudulent websites and scam artists who have made a good living off of unsuspecting victims.  Therefore, it is imperative that you conduct very thorough searches and investigate those companies that you are interested in before applying for any jobs.

Another precaution involves employment agencies or job recruiters.  Many of these charge a healthy fee for their services so you will want to avoid these entities if at all possible and only use those that charge the employer the fee – not you.  Additionally, this is another area where the scam artists have been flourishing so use the same caution when looking at any of these online businesses.  You might even consider doing a search for news articles that have been published about companies you are considering applying to.

Saudi Arabia currently has a large expatriate workforce. Saudi Arabia reportedly aims to employ citizens of Saudi Arabia first. Its aim is for economic strength within the world community, but with fewer graduates than are needed, employment needs are still high.

Most of the major IT companies do business in Saudi Arabia. When looking for jobs in Saudi Arabia check Saudi Arabia IT jobs for opportunities with these foreign companies that have a presence in Saudi Arabia. Opportunities in Saudi IT jobs still look strong for future expatriate employment.

With plans to build thousands of new houses, schools, universities and hospitals; employment in engineering and construction will become a focus point.

A large employer of UK expatriates is a large defense contractor offering Saudi jobs. Internet technology is always a key element in these large organizations and Saudi Arabia IT jobs along with Saudi Arabia telecom jobs should be strong in this sector.

The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic; however, English is widely spoken. The language of business and commerce is English.  Be aware that all employment contracts must be in Arabic to be binding.

Workers are highly compensated with additional benefits packages.  Many employees do extremely well in the area of employment benefits. Income tax is fairly low for Saudi Arabia jobs.

Costs of flights, accommodations and other expenses of workers from outside the country are usually picked up by the employers. Check your employment contract for specific coverage on jobs in Saudi Arabia.