Baraka

Hello

My wife has got a job in Dubai and went last week as she's started.

Naturally, I'm going over too and am looking for a job.

Our initial thoughts were that I look for work in Dubai from here (apply for jobs advertised in Dubai from UK) and if I don't get anything, get to Dubai and look for something.

However, she has been told by one of the HR team in her workplace that it is much better for me to get a job offer whilst in the UK and then come to Dubai as the salary will be more if applying from the UK and I will also have a better chance of getting a job than if I was in the country.

I am non-white (Indian descent) although a British citizen and was bought up here so consider myself British. The HR representative who is herself African, said that non-whites do not get treated the same as whites as far as employment offers are concerned - with whites being favoured for jobs and higher salaries.

This has got us slightly concerned - not just the fact that there may be this type of racism, but also the additional news that several spouses have come over to the UAE, joining their spouses and looking for work, only to then have to go back as it is very hard to get work out there.

Could you kindly offer any advice on whether I should get a job offer from the UK first or do that, and if nothing happens, come to the UAE and apply from within the country? I'd like to know which one is better.

Thank you

busybee2

it would help to know what job. if you come from outside the uae then you will get flights and things, while if you find a job whilst in the uae it will be a local contract and you will get less money usually

Bob

Plenty of threads on this subject, so hindsight and all that, bit late to be looking now.

Chances of getting a job, well depends on what you do, niche skills, contacts etc. It's generally always easier getting a job in country as opposed to be foreign based, but as mentioned you might lose a few perks, but if they are being offered to your spouse already, is that really a big concern?

Patsy Stoned

Unfortunately this is true. I think it is better to apply for jobs from the UK, as BB said, the perks are better. What type of job are you looking for??

The Dean

It is still possible to get a job locally and be treated as an expat hire. Happened to me - twice.

shiva

[QUOTE=Baraka;9891109]
This has got us slightly concerned - not just the fact that there may be this type of racism,


You're in for a rude awakening. This type of behaviour is the norm for the middle east and not just in the workplace.

auzdafluff

[QUOTE=shiva;9892068] Yup. Sad be true.

I recently heard someone say, "If you're not Arab, you'd be better be white, if not, you're going to be treated like shite."

Bahtatboy

[QUOTE=auzdafluff;9892098] Some companies (mine, for example) don't unfairly discriminate, but its everywhere: driving licences, tolerance of edgy behaviour in bars, treatment by banks, attitudes of big players, hooker prices, visas, treatment by the police...

Baraka

Wow, some good comments here guys, thank you very much for the info so far...

I'm a degree educated Web Content and Project Manager with over 2 years of experience and also a good social media consultant.

My wife has got herself a good contract as a lecturer (she is also not white) but she got the contract whilst in the UK.

I'm going to do my best to get a job from here, although the jobs with my specific skill set (web project management) seem to be few and far in between - so I may have to spread the net out a bit more and be prepared to work in IT, albeit at a lower level perhaps.

This has got me a bit perplexed as to whether I get a contract before coming out there, but your comments are increasingly nudging me to do so... but I do wonder - I may still get a UAE job offer in the UK as a "second class citizen", so it may not make much of a difference to my offer if I was to get a job from here or in the UAE.

This racism bit is worrying though, it's not nice relocating yourself to another continent for better prospects and having to come across such discrimination.

Blue Cat

Good luck with your job hunt and welcome to BE, I don't know what to advise really. As for the racism, yes it is here and it always will be sadly but I have friends who are Asian Brits and they love it and have no issues at all.

Meow

There isn't really a right or wrong answer. If you have skills that are sufficiently in demand you will get a good package if you negotiate well, no matter where you apply from.

Bahtatboy

Although it exists, I too know many non-whites (sorry if that's not PC) who enjoy life here. To some extent it depends on your passport, but--I guess--to a large part on your attitude: if you can rise above it, it may not trouble you. (Although perhaps easy for me to say from my position in Tier 2 of the pecking order.)

gottheTshirt

It also depends on you degree a western degree and western experience carries much more weight than an Indian degree. A properly drafted CV will also give you an advantage. The majority of CVs from Indian applicants are drafted from generic job descriptions found on the internet and are instantly dismissed for senior positions. There is no PC, but that does not mean that well educated and capable non whites do not get senior management positions and do not get respect, they do. They just get paid less.

auzdafluff

You're in luck. I'll PM you some people to contact. I know there are quite a few PR and social media companies out here that are ran or staffed heavily with Indians, so that shouldn't be a major issue.

norsk

There is definitely a market for PM's with web and social media experience in UAE at the moment and you could get lucky, but I would be concerned about having too little experience.

Anything less than 5 years of experience is like having nothing at all here...especially when looking for a western expat package.

Good luck though!