richiet70

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are thinking about moving to the middle east, based loosely on what I have heard, read, seen about the place, it looks like an attractive place to live at the moment.

There appear to be good opportunities for construction industry professionals like myself and I would like to experience this, especially with attractive salary and career prospects.

I am confident that I could find work, but have not actively started to do so, are there any QS's out there that could give me some information?

Looking to move some time late 2009 / early 2010, are there companies that would be willing to recruit now, or do they want to take people on instantly?

My girlfriend is a hairdresser, with 10 years experience, what are the opportunities in this industry?

Sorry if this is a lengthy post, hope someone can help!

Autonomy

Please have a look at some posts - there is a big hit coming here in various industries, including construction, according to some...

Note to the regulars - be nice and answer the poster with your sage advise, however with a little less bile than recently!!!

richiet70

Thanks for your response.

I did take the liberty of searching as I am aware people can take exception to new users posting on forums without searching!

But unfortunately people who have responded to posts similar to mine, have mostly offered advice through PM, so hopefully I will get the same treatment!

Got to start somewhere I guess.

Also on the hairdressing front, again I searched but most of the posts are quite old or actually people looking for salons to visit.

So hopefully something I have posted will count as "new material" if not I apologise (but would still be appreciative of any information! )

Blue Cat

I hope this isn't a case of saw the fireworks and thought WOW Dubai looks good Chartered Surveyors are being paid off right around Dubai. Hairdressing - she should get something might take a while and it isn't particularly well paid.

girlabouttown

Very few construction companies are recruiting at the moment and those that are are being inundated with CV's from all those about to get the boot.

Not a happy place to be for construction workers at the moment....

theduke

Hi Mate

As a QS do what you would do in the Uk to find a job and speak to some Agencies and search the web for jobs i.e. www.seek.com there are many many more.

Good luck if you are looking in a years time there is no point looking now as they will look nearer the time if you want to go Dec 09 look about August/September 09.

As for hairdressing no idea.

Cheers

captainflack

Yes, as mentioned above, things have changed a lot in the last couple of months. Things could get a lot worse than the UK as the big industries here (real estate, construction, tourism) all look very vulnerable to a slowdown.

It is probably tough to get a job now I would think, and will probably get tougher over the next few months.

Amazing Grace

I wish you well in your search for work in the Middle East but as everyone has stated there is a lot of unsettlement at the moment with professionals being laid off due to the contruction industry being affected by the credit crunch. Perhaps nearer the time when you are thinking of coming out it MIGHT have settled down again. You stated that you and your girlfriend would be coming. Nobody has pointed out that the official line is it is not acceptable to live together as an unmarried couple.

Good luck to you both in finding your dream jobs

lobby lou

you would definately need to look nearer the time and i would say look at abu dhabi xxxx

Hello.Kitty

ditto as above - a lot can happen in a year.
As for the hairdressing, from my limited experience, *most* people employed in salons are Phillipinas and as such, paid a near-as-dammit pittance. Your girlfriend would probably be earning less than she would in the UK (salon prices are a lot less than in the UK), so it may be a case of just keeping her in spending money!

Also, a small aside that is wierd but not... most women's beauty salons have all their windows obscured - to protect patronesses from the wandering eyes of non-related men! Just something more for her to bear in mind - she won't see much natural daylight during working hours!

Madam Medusa

that's not true for hairdressers...most hairdressers defo aren't philippinas (lots of brits, aussies, lebanese), and there are loads of salons where the windows aren't obscured...

MM, xx

Hello.Kitty

really? Hmm, well, I did say my experience is limited!

Madam Medusa

hahaha, i'll let you off then...

MM, xx

lobby lou

lots of brit hairdressers in AD or brit run ones ..... and not that cheapxxx

Slingshot

all sound advice so far - you need to look close to your move date. things very bleak here at the moment and not the time for anyone in the industry to consider a move here. Saudi is probably a good bet for further down the line - it will surely be a whole different story in late 2009 anyway so best to check nearer to when you want to move