Millhouse

I had the job title of 'Senior Executive' when I was 26. Senior Executive with about 3 years work experience and 6 layers of management above me before the Partner.

There was nothing Senior or Executive about me - doubt the suit even fitted properly, and the only thing in my executive bag was my sandwiches.

That said, I did buy and sell two houses by that age. The senior executive job was pocket money to what I was making riding the housing bubble.

scrubbedexpat141

But did you sell your services to clients?

I'm a 'Senior' and about to become 'Principal'. I've done this job about 8 years...in an Engineering Consultancy for example they deem Principals to be 15+yrs (give or take) + Chartered.

Go to less techy consultancies and they will call young guys Managers and Senior Cost Consultants or Senior PMs because they can charge clients more.

It's all a load of bullshit anyway. Only one person asked me what my job title was - back then it was 'Account Executive' and he said it sounded alright....then went on a rant about recruiters meeting him and being called Senior or Manager or whatever. Told us it took him 15years to become a Project Manager and he won't look at any CVs or people unless their titles are sensible...in his eyes.

What can you do?

Millhouse

Yup. For the princely sum of 350 quid an hour. I think I got about a 1/15 of my charge out rate.

The lowest grade back then was Executive. They were our fresh graduates.

weasel decentral

I'm not a miserable bastard I'll have you know but you are right about waiting until after Ramadan



I agree with this, and it was essentially what I was trying to say earlier. A realistic appraisal of your situation is required, not to be disheartened by it but to better assess the opportunities and target them.

scrubbedexpat141

Exactly. Bump up the title, bump up the rate. WGAF?

kittycat1

Hi Minnie,

Yep feel free to PM me. I'm not sure how much help I would be but I can give you an outsiders opinion. Scamp sees CVs on a daily basis though so he may be of more use.

In no disrespect to you Minnie, my initial reaction to what you have said on here is below;

I must admit my biggest question would be if you have your own business why do you want to close your business and come and work for me in a new country.

I would guess business is not doing so well and business is being closed and you're moving abroad to start again. In which case I then ask why is your business not doing well and I would look very heavily at the details, is it due to your fault, why has your business not worked? If the business is doing well why would you close it and come and work for me? and if you are keeping your own business going are you going to be focused on my business and deliver to the standard I need you to if you have the distraction of your own company. Also if you are used to director positioning does that mean you will stay in a less senior role for any length of time or are you just filling a gap?

I know a lot of 20 somethings who have their own businesses, straight from college with no real work experience (as in a good length of time at a successful money making business that is well structured and professional- not working our of your garage, this also doesn't include work placements, I mean real jobs with real responsibilities for a business that makes millions), I also know the majority of them make no money if not a loss and are funded by the bank of dad or husband. In reality the majority of business owners are not Richard Branson. Hell I was the director of my own brand at 24 when I had a market stall on Portobello market- I was lucky to make 100 quid sales (forget profit) for a 18 hour day (door to door), it was bloody hard work and I have the utmost respect for anyone who takes the initiative to run their own business however look back now and realize I absolutely didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I loved doing it and had a full time job that payed the rent and learnt a huge amount so was able to run on a loss for a while. Obviously, I am tainting you with the same brush from my own experience and the individuals I know. I also know a couple of people that have been hugely successful and make millions- but they don't want to come and work for me for that exact reason.

On the other hand anyone that has been self employed brings a certain skill set which is interesting; work ethic, focus and drive and is less likely to procrastinate as they are used to time being money.

Like the guys have said are you overselling yourself? if not then the questions above would become even more valid. I'm not having a pop just saying it as it would look to me if I was given your info.

KC

weasel decentral

I do, when I have a bunch of essentially junior guys all calling themselves managers. Who cannot manage because they have zero experience of management, plus are missing out on the essential experience they should be getting at the lower level.
I see it at meetings all the time, ridiculous suggestions or ideas because they haven't the knowledge to know it can't work or is completely impractical.

On the plus side it makes the real (average) managers look like superstars.

Bahtatboy

scrubbedexpat141

You're not paying for them though, you just get to look good in front of the client when you run them in circles.

You're not wrong though, in recruitment managers are generally people who bill lots and need to be given bigger basic salaries so they don't leave. Big billers don't always make good managers.

I'd back myself to be a better manager than I am a biller.

One firm I used to work for had it right, get to 'Principal' then choose one of two paths - bigger targets and more money to just bill OR team to manage, lower personal targets, more money.

SupaRubz

Hi Minnie, I am new in this forum too and got a similar response from mikewot as you did. He wasn't happy about me mentioning my academic achievements and resorted to bashing my use of grammar. Ignore him.

As for your question, I am in the same boat. My fiance and I are both also looking to move to UAE (preferably Dubai or Abu Dhabi) and continue our careers there. We applied to dozens of jobs online and didn't have much luck.

Although I still haven't had anything concrete, I did have a conversation with a creative director at OSN after my uncle gave me his direct email address. It really seems to be a case of 'who you know' in UAE.

Best of luck to you.

Millhouse

Bahtatboy

As it is everywhere.

SupaRubz

I agree but it seems to be more so over in UAE, but I may be wrong. I have applied for jobs in Singapore, USA and Germany (before deciding to only look in UAE) and was getting lots of responses for those, despite only having a CV and showreel to hand in. My friend from the States has also applied to various positions in the UK and got through to some interviews but in UAE, the only response I seem to have got was from emailing contacts from my uncle directly.

I also have a friend who now works in Abu Dhabi and he said it was because the recruitment officer at 2four54 was a friend of his father in law.

Welsh boy

Mike, you need to learn to spell to begin with - it's board not 'bored' - and your language below is a pathetic attempt at the language you are so proud of.

"You may consider that you can casually quickly make a post and not give a sh1t about your English when making the sort of enquiry which you have done. In general in this bored you don't have to worry too much but in this part of the site and given the audience I would be more careful about the impression you're making. Remember that first impressions cannot be taken back."

By the way, your comment "Maybe you are being Indian isn't it?" may be construed at a racist remark. Indians are for your information from a civilisation much more ancient than yours, hardworking and pay their taxes, so deserve some more respect. I'd go as far as to say that the majority of them would have an IQ that would equal the sum total of all your clan.

Shame on you.

scrubbedexpat141

I can't help but think that fighting what you see as rudeness with rudeness is a bit like trying to put a fire out with petrol...