58 percent expressed confidence in securing new opportunities in 2025 due to their belief that the job market will improve
According to the latest research from LinkedIn, 75 percent of professionals in the UAE and Saudi Arabia plan to look for a new job this year, yet more than half say the job search has become harder in the last year. Nearly half of HR professionals in the UAE and Saudi Arabia also say that the search to fill roles with qualified talent has become harder, signaling a necessary shift in the way people will need to apply for – and land – a job in 2025.
The report also revealed that 58 percent of professionals struggle to maintain a positive outlook during their job search, as they find the process frustrating and time-consuming. Despite these challenges, there is a sense of optimism among job seekers with as many as 58 percent expressing confidence in securing new opportunities in 2025 due to their belief that the job market will improve.
Those looking for new jobs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are positioned to navigate a vibrant and dynamic job market. Both countries are expected to achieve robust economic growth in 2025, with the UAE’s non-oil sectors expected to see a growth rate of 4-5 percent and the Kingdom expected to achieve a 4.9 percent growth, largely supported by their diversification strategies.
Shifting strategies to break through
Professionals are resorting to applying to more jobs to increase their chances at securing a role. However, this strategy is not effective as 44 percent of people are applying to more jobs than ever, but hearing back less. In addition, 48 percent believe that it has gotten harder to get a response from a recruiter.
Interestingly, hiring managers are also finding the process increasingly challenging with 29 percent of HR professionals in the UAE and Saudi Arabia spending between 3-5 hours a day sifting through applications. Moreover, 69 percent are saying that less than half of the job applications they receive meet the criteria listed.
This comes as no surprise as nearly half of all professionals wish they had a more efficient way of assessing if they are a match for a job and a significant portion state that they apply for jobs regardless of how many of the requirements they are a match for.
“It’s easy to see why job seekers are applying to more roles than ever, trying to break through the job market, but it’s not working. However, the views of HR professionals we surveyed show that the hiring market is healthy– so professionals need to shift their approach and be more strategic in applying for roles that match their skillset so they stand out,” stated Najat Abdelhadi, LinkedIn Career Expert.
Exploring fastest-growing jobs in UAE
Those aiming to make a job change and explore new opportunities can look to LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise reports for UAE and Saudi Arabia for insights on the fastest-growing jobs over the past three years. It’s worth noting that almost three-quarters of this year’s Jobs on the Rise roles are new to the annual lists, with Artificial Intelligence Engineer emerging as the most common role globally.
This year’s ranking also spotlights an uptick in roles for security-focused engineering, travel and in-person service sector roles, as business-as-usual returns in many parts of the world following pandemic shifts.
The 15 fastest-growing jobs in the UAE this year include:
- Media buyer
- AI engineer
- Real estate consultant
- Sustainability manager
- Sales development representative
- Tax manager
- Process engineer
- Development specialist
- Private client advisor
- Machine learning engineer
- Infrastructure engineer
- Sales officer
- Planning engineer
- BIM Modeler
- Analytics specialist
Fastest-growing jobs in Saudi Arabia
The 15 fastest-growing jobs in Saudi Arabia this year include:
- BIM coordinator
- Media buyer
- HR Operations Specialist
- Sustainability manager
- Landscaper
- Health and safety manager
- Commissioning manager
- Sterilization technician
- SAP consultant
- Quantity surveyor
- Solution specialist
- Piping Engineer
- Automation engineer
- Patient care technician
- Geotechnical engineer
Read: IMF projects 3.3 percent global growth in 2025, inflation to fall to 3.5 percent by 2026
Key tips and tools for job seekers
To help job seekers adapt their approach, LinkedIn is rolling out a new job match feature that shows how their skills and experience line up with open positions. Premium subscribers will also get additional guidance with LinkedIn’s AI-powered tools to improve their resumes, cover letters and see jobs where they are a better match.
According to LinkedIn Career Experts, job seekers must adopt an adaptability mindset.Navigating the current job market can be hard, but with a willingness to adapt, there is more opportunity for career growth. Highlighting soft skills like adaptability and communication is important during the hiring process.
Job seekers can also use AI to their advantage while optimizing thier LinkedIn profile to get noticed with AI tools. AI is more commonly being used by talent hirers to help filter applications, so it’s important to keep your profile up-to-date with your current skills and experience to stand out.
LinkedIn Career Experts also encourage job seekers to determine how thier skills and qualifications match recruiters’ job specifications using LinkedIn’s new job match feature. This helps to more easily identify which roles are best suited for them and where to focus thier time and effort. Job seekers must also search for jobs that have verified information to help them prioritize authentic job opportunities and apply with confidence.
