Hospitality jobs in Dubai are varied in their availability and reward, but one thing is certain: the hospitality industry in Dubai is as strong as ever, and is growing rapidly. With the massive focus that Dubai’s government has on expansion and solidifying Dubai’s reputation as an international hub, more and more hospitality staff are finding well-compensated employment in Dubai.
Hospitality Jobs In Dubai 2012 Even in ‘lower levels’ of hospitality work, like looking after construction workers and engineers, are lucrative and rewarding positions. Dubai’s extreme environment and high levels of personal wealth create unique challenges for hospitality workers. Great attention to detail is paid to every element of service, with employers and customers in Dubai deservedly expecting the best.
Logistics and advanced management feature in all the best hospitality jobs in Dubai. Sourcing excellent provisions is a daily challenge, and bringing one’s own networks into Dubai is generally far easier than trying to establish relationships with providores once you’re established in Dubai. So if you’re looking for hospitality work in Dubai – and with chefs, waiters, front of house staff and kitchen hands all pulling a tax-free wage of around 130-150% of what they’d make in other countries, why wouldn’t you – make sure to bring a collection of business cards with you!
Hospitality Jobs In Dubai And Excellence
Even if you don’t get a foot in the door at one of the ‘best’ restaurants or hospitality providers, don’t think for a second that you can get away with doing anything less than a genuinely stellar job. Constant striving for excellence is the way to get ahead in Dubai. Employers will notice and reward genuine effort, and head-hunting and the snatching of talent that goes on in the hospitality industry is intensified in Dubai. Your efforts won’t go un-noticed.
Networking For Great Hospitality Jobs
Networking, networking, networking… It’s a word that’s bandied around almost reverentially in HR circles. Networking is meant to be the ultimate panacea, the solution to all problems for the job-hungry. In many places and in many cultures, networking is overblown. you can land a job through diligent applications, tailoring your resume, and the whole host of other elements of job-hunting.
We can assure you that, if there was ever an industry where networking was actually the miraculous door-opening, opportunity-scouting miracle cure-all that it’s touted to be, Hospitality is it. Unlike other industries where employers are looking for long-term commitment to projects and expansions that often are expected to last half a decade or more, the Hospitality scene in Dubai is tight-knit, expansionist, and very flexible. Employers are always happy to hire new talent, and will know that as people’s skills and desires grow, they will move on to other pastures.
Reputation is everything. You need to enhance your own reputation through hard work, diligence, attention to detail, innovation, respect for traditions, cultural awareness and a whole host of other skills that will come naturally to any dedicated hospitality worker. You also need to enhance the reputation of your employer, and that responsibility doesn’t end when your contract is up. Don’t bad-mouth anyone you’ve worked with or worked for, and if you had a terrible experience, don’t lie, but consider diplomatic phrasing. Nobody wants to hear someone spewing bile against any of their employers. Bad news and bat attitudes travel fast. If a work environment was terrible, don’t rip it to shreds; instead, talk enthusiastically about the challenges it can stretch to overcome, and how excellent it will be once these few minor hurdles are surmounted.
Finding a Hospitality Job in Dubai
Hospitality jobs in Dubai are often given out without any formal advertising, so check in with people you know in the industry over there and see if they have any recommendations. If you are qualified and experienced, then if you don’t know people yourself, try talking with trainers, profesional speakers, traveling salespeople, and industry experts. People who travel regularly to deal with the Hospitality industry will inevitably end up spending some time in Dubai, and remember that employers are as eager to hear about new talent as the new talent is to be hired!
Experience counts for a lot, more so than in other countries. Dubai’s culture places great emphasis on skill, seniority and reputation. Make sure your resume is chock-loaded with examples of how you’ve excelled, been promoted, and won awards. If you haven’t, then expect a challenge breaking into the market. Dubai is no place for pretenders and dilettantes. The insane work hours and demanding schedules will show up impostors immediately.
If you don’t have direct contacts in Dubai, then the best way to get into the market is locally. Take a job that’s beneath you. Get your feet through the door. Impress your bosses. Remember that as an overseas worker, you’ll be doing things on contract. 6 months isn’t too bad considering your pay is tax-free and you’re going to be able to ascend the ladder quickly. Volunteer for harder work, extra projects, and do it all unstintingly and without complaint. you’ll notice your bosses appreciation when it comes to bonus time! And with the kudos from your employer, combined with the networks (that word again!) you’ll have been building while you were working, finding something suited to your station will be easier.
As a bonus tip, consider keeping a close eye on the construction industry. About 12 months before buildings are due to be finished and opened to the public, the project managers are going to be looking to bring in staff. This is the perfect opportunity to be proactive and score yourself an illustrious, well-paying hospitality job by putting your best face forward and letting people know you’re keen.
Good luck on finding the best hospitality job in Dubai for you!
