A new poll by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading career site, titled Job Search Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa, revealed that the vast majority of people in the region use online job sites to look for jobs (36.8%). This is followed by company social media pages (11.9%); company websites (4.7%); personal networking (3.1%); newspapers and magazines (2.2%); and “Other” (5.6%). 35.7% of respondents claim to use “All of the above” methods during their job hunt.
When it comes to why respondents from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) prefer using online job sites, more than one quarter (28.7%) said that online job sites’ best service is that it allows free, fast, and easy access to all available jobs. Other job site benefits loved by respondents include: the aggregation of all available jobs in one place (17.9%); allowing professional networking (15.2%); and the availability of easy online management tools for job search activities (11.4%).
It’s evident that smartphone technology is highly instrumental for job seekers to find employment. Nearly half (42.6%) of respondents say that they use their smartphones to browse or search for jobs online. An additional quarter (26%) use their smartphones to search for jobs, network with other professionals, create a CV or cover letter, and fill out online job applications. Nine in every 10 (85.5%) agree that social media has changed the way people search for jobs, with almost half (45.2%) stating that they “strongly agree”.
“When Bayt.com was created, we set out our mission of – and plan for – creating an institution that empowers people in the Middle East and North Africa with the tools and information to lead their lifestyle of choice,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions at Bayt.com. “We have made it clear that we will work constantly to create an easy-to-use platform that connects both companies and professionals in one place. Today, we are proud of providing over 10,000 job opportunities to job seekers on any given day, connecting over 26 million professionals with employers, alongside the many tools that help people in the region with career planning, networking, and learning.”
A large majority (91%) of MENA professionals agree that networking plays a key role in the job search, with more than one quarter (28.5%) stating that they “strongly agree”. Whether they’re connecting with other professionals via smartphones, social media, or online job sites, respondents undoubtedly see the importance of this particular method.
There’s certainly no deficit in commitment when it comes to investing the time and effort into the job search. More than half (51.7%) of the respondents spend between one and four hours per day looking for jobs, while nearly one third (28.9%) spend more than four hours per day on the search. After applying for jobs, more than half (59.7%) of respondents wait one week or less to follow up with employers. The most challenging aspects of searching for jobs are communicating with employers (36.3%), understanding the job requirements (25.6%), and uploading/sending the required documents (20%). Moreover, nearly half (40.6%) of respondents feel that finding relevant jobs is the most difficult part of the job search.
Data for the 2016 Bayt.com ‘Job Search Challenges in the MENA’ poll was collected online from September 19, 2016 to October 18, 2016. Results are based on a sample of 8,608 respondents. Countries that participated are the UAE, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, Qatar, KSA, Yemen, and others.
