SupaRubz

Hi,

Me and my partner (engaged, will get married next year) both work in the UK and are looking to move to UAE, preferably Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

I am Bangladeshi but have been born and raised in the UK and have British passport. I have studied upto Masters level in Video Production, where I graduated with a First Class Distinction. I have also been working as a Promo Producer for the last two years, creating promos and trailers for over 15 channels that air on Sky TV.

My girlfriend has permanent residency in the UK but has a Malaysian passport. She too educated in the UK (again, she has First Class Distinction in MA Marketing and Management) and also works in the same company as me but she does Sponsorship and Promotional work.

We both desperately want to move to Dubai or Abu Dhabi but searching for jobs from the UK seems near on impossible. We are quite niche due to the kind of work we do and my uncle from Dubai gave me a few contacts at OSN, but as soon as they find out I'm not arab, they stop emailing me back. My girlfriend has also been applying to all sorts of marketing jobs in Dubai but no luck. We usually have success finding jobs here in the UK but UAE seems to not value our skills at all.

So my question is, would it be better for us to move to UAE and start looking once we are there? Maybe go into Media City and see what is available? It would be a headache as we would have to get separate accommodation but we are willing to do whatever it takes to move there because we want to be in a muslim country that still is good for our careers and is in between our families homes (UK and Malaysia).

We thought that our UK education at masters level and 3 years experience in broadcast sector would put us in good stead but obviously we were mistaken.

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

scot47

Let us be frank - your ethnicity is a handicap. UAE is not renowned for "Equal Opportunities". It might be easier if you had a few years serious experience in the UK.

Meow

Forget just turning up and knocking on doors asking for a job. That won't work. Media here is quite insular so you need to get to know people and who you want to work for. I suggest trying to make some contacts and looking for jobs that way.

SupaRubz

Thanks for replying. What do you mean by serious experience? Do you mean better companies or more years? Cheers

scot47

More than two years !

SupaRubz

I have more than 2 years experience. I have been working in my current company for 2 years and 2 months but have worked two years prior to that in other companies so I really have about 4 years experience.

We are just feeling a little bummed right now as it seems so difficult to even get considered to a position. I went to Dubai in January 2014 and saw some of the promo work at OSN, which is pretty similar to what I currently do.

scot47

Maybe you should look for an opportunity to use your Bengali Language skills ?

SupaRubz

Haha it's a pointless skill to have plus I can't really speak it.

scot47

So you are condemned to live in Londonistan !

SupaRubz

Maybe I am not getting the sarcasm due to this conversation being in text format but you do come across quite rude.

weasel decentral

4 years experience sounds too little for any kind of senior position regardless of qualifications. You'll probably need 10 plus.
For more junior roles or less managerial you are competing against nationalities who will accept lower pay. Regardless of how good your education is why would an employer pay for one when they can get three at the same rate. Who will invariably work like dogs without much complaint.
Unfortunately also your ethnicity is an issue despite nationality.

I don't understand the reasoning of wanting to live in a Muslim country and then complaining that you will need separate accommodation. Seems contradictory.

SupaRubz

Firstly, thank you for the response, it is much appreciated.

That's a fair point I guess. Although I am not looking to get into a managerial position, I am looking to land a job somewhere in the middle. I definitely don't have the experience to have a managerial post, not this early in my career. I guess having to compete against locals who would be willing to work on lower wages probably has a lot to do with it.

The living seperately thing will not be an issue come next April when I plan to be married. I want to move to a muslim country because of various reasons, a big one being able to eat halal food Also, it is the middle point between my family (who live in England) and may finace's family (who live in Malaysia) so it's kind of ideal for us. I guess I'll just keep applying and hope for the best.

scot47

You insist on observing the dietary rules but ignore the ones on sexual morality ? Very convenient.

SupaRubz

What are you talking about? Who says me and my girlfriend have sex? Don't jump to assumptions.

scot47

I do not really want to conversate with you.