For most people, it is not easy to look for a job in Saudi Arabia. In fact, it can be quite stressful, especially for foreigners. Companies in Saudi Arabia tend to choose the easiest route to search for perfect candidates. Therefore, they prefer Saudi citizens or people who already live in the country. If you don’t understand the culture of Saudi Arabia, finding a job may be challenging for you. Here are some tips that can help you get your first job in the kingdom.
1. Test your local connections
If you know someone who lives in Saudi Arabia, you can ask them to share some job opportunities with you. They can help open the door of opportunity for you. Aside from this, you may want to contact your existing network and find out if anyone in the network lives in Saudi Arabia. Alternatively, you can create your Saudi network.
In Saudi Arabia, HR managers rely on word of mouth to find the best candidates for available positions. If someone can vouch for you, chances are you’ll get a job. A good recommendation can have a big impact.
2. Update your CV
Apart from a good recommendation, your CV is very important. Therefore, you may want to update your CV before looking for a job in the kingdom. After all, sending an outdated CV is not a good idea as it will create a bad impression on your potential employers.
The thing is that CV creates a first impression on the readers. You may lose a job if your CV does not adequately represent your skills and experience.
3. Contact recruitment agencies
Recruitment agents are always looking for the best candidates on the Internet. Therefore, you may want to register with recruitment company websites to take advantage of available opportunities as soon as they arrive. It is not a good idea to underestimate the importance of these agencies.
4. Update your LinkedIn profile
In addition to updating your CV, make sure your LinkedIn profile is also up-to-date. Hiring agents often use LinkedIn to search for potential candidates. Therefore, you can follow these guidelines to update your CV and LinkedIn profile.
5. Be patient during the interview
For Saudi citizens, human connections are really important. During an interview, they will ask you many questions to get to know you better. So what you need to do is engage in small talk and never try to rush the interview.
Note that you may want to make eye contact with the interviewer during the interview. However, if you are a woman, you will not want to shake hands with the interviewer as most of the locals are traditional. Therefore, they do not shake hands with women.
In a nutshell, these are just some of the important tips that you may want to keep in mind if you are interested in landing your first job in Saudi Arabia. With these tips in mind, it will be much easier to go ahead and get the job in the kingdom.
