Understanding Emiratisation and the NAFIS programme is vital for businesses looking to employ in the UAE. In this guide, we’ll explain what the initiative is, and how it will affect your hiring, training and retention strategies.

In 2019, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced plans to activate Article 14 of the UAE Labour Law, which mandates the prioritising of Emiratis over expats in the hiring process. This effort was bolstered in 2021 with the advent of the NAFIS (National Program for Emirati Human Resources Development) initiative. This renewed emphasis on hiring locally aims to increase the number of Emiratis in the workforce and hence, their contribution to the economy. So what does this mean for your hiring efforts?

What inspired Emiratisation?

The concept of Emiratisation was introduced in response to a consistently high unemployment rate amongst locals – official statistics from 2011, placed overall unemployment at 13%, with this figure rising to 23% for 15-24 year olds.

A report by the Federal National Council (FNC) identified 3.8 million jobs in the private sector, of which 800,000 could be filled by citizens. At the time of the report, only 20,000 to 30,000 Emiratis were employed in private businesses.

Since the activation of Article 14, the number of Emiratis employed in the private sector has massively increased, with statistics from June 2025 showing over 152,000 employed across 29,000 companies.

What does it involve?

There are a number of policies that fall under the Emiratisation umbrella. The most prevalent is a quota, which dictates that every private-sector company with 50 or more employees must progressively increase the number of Emiratis employed in skilled roles each year, in line with MoHRE targets leading up to and beyond 2026. As of 2025, businesses with 20 to 49 employees operating in designated sectors are required to employ at least one UAE citizen and retain existing Emirati hires. From January 2026, non-compliant employers are required to make financial contributions for each unfilled Emiratisation role, with compliance actively monitored by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

There are a number of benefits to hiring locally – companies that satisfy certain requirements can save on fees from the Ministry, as well as residency costs, airline tickets and health insurance.

What does this mean for hiring in the UAE?

For those looking to hire in 2026 and beyond, Emiratisation should be high on their agenda. The UAE government has announced that hiring for the sake of meeting quotas will be frowned upon, so hiring managers will need to make a concerted effort to recruit local talent that can contribute and grow in their organisation. As the private sector can offer significant potential for career progression, companies need to focus on building pipelines for local Emiratis, demonstrating how they can help them get to where they want to be. This focus on talent development will assist with both attraction and retention efforts, ensuring a long-term organisational culture that features both Emiratis and expats.

However, attracting the right talent is not without its challenges. With the public sector generally offering higher salaries for shorter working hours and no cap on pensions, private companies need to counter this, offering competitive salary and benefit packages. In cases where salaries can’t be matched, businesses need to consider other attractive options, such as clear career progression, employee engagement and flexible working. Incentivising employees to stay within the company, with share options and legacy-in-service initiatives, is also worth considering for long-term retention efforts.

A recruiter can help conquer some of the challenges encountered in attracting Emirati talent. A great recruitment consultancy will have an ever-evolving database of fantastic talent, available both immediately and on notice. They’ll be able to pair your requirements with a shortlist of capable candidates, ensuring each one is both a personality and professional fit. They will also be able to provide advice on the market, advising on salary benchmarks and benefit strategies.

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As specialists in Emiratisation recruitment, Tiger’s Dubai office can help you hire exceptional Emirati talent. Our consultants have lived in the UAE for over 23 years combined so have a unique understanding of the cultural sensitivities of hiring in the region. Get in touch today! If you’re looking for more guidance around hiring, read our comprehensive interview guide for employers. 

The post A guide to Emiratisation appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

When contemplating a career move, aspiring to a more senior position represents not only an opportunity for professional growth but also a substantive increase in responsibility and accountability. The decision to pursue a higher-level role requires careful evaluation of your capabilities and career objectives.

Evaluating your capability for advancement

A higher-level position typically entails expanded responsibilities, which may include overseeing teams, managing complex projects and making critical business decisions. Before pursuing such a role, reflect on your comfort with accountability, decision-making and leadership. Consider whether your experience has sufficiently prepared you to guide others effectively or whether further skill development, mentorship or exposure to complex initiatives would strengthen your readiness.

To assess suitability, review your current contributions and achievements. Identify experiences that demonstrate leadership, cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management. For example:

• Leading projects that span multiple teams or departments
• Mentoring or developing junior colleagues
• Successfully navigating organisational change or complexity

Understanding the scope of responsibility

Prior to committing to a new role, ensure clarity on the scope and expectations. Senior roles often involve:

• Managing larger or more diverse teams
• Handling complex, multi-stakeholder projects
• Navigating higher levels of accountability to the business or board

Engage hiring managers in a dialogue to understand success metrics, performance evaluation cadence and leadership expectations. Some questions might include:

• How is success defined in the first six to twelve months?
• How is performance measured, and how frequently is it reviewed?
• What leadership style does my manager employ?

Evaluating the total impact, beyond compensation

While remuneration is an important consideration, it should not be the sole driver of a career move. According to Tiger Recruitment’s recent salary and benefits survey, 13% of MENA professionals left roles due to burnout, wheras 27% departed for higher compensation.

Senior positions frequently come with elevated expectations, longer hours, and increased pressure. A higher salary may be insufficient compensation if it conflicts with your values, work-life balance, or engagement with meaningful work.

Strategic decision-making

Ultimately, deciding to pursue a senior role should balance capability, opportunity and fit. Consider:

• Are you equipped to manage increased responsibility effectively?
• Could additional experience or mentoring enhance your readiness?
• Does the organisation recognise your potential and support your development?
• Does the role align with your long-term career trajectory?

A deliberate and strategic approach to career advancement increases the likelihood of a successful and fulfilling transition, ensuring that your progression enhances both professional impact and personal satisfaction.

The post Assessing your readiness for a senior role appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

For years, jobseekers have been advised that sending a post-interview thank-you note is essential, a sign of professionalism that can tip the scales in their favour. But in today’s hiring market, that advice isn’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your level of seniority, the role you’re applying for, and even the company, a thank-you note might not always be appropriate.

So, before you hit “send”, it’s worth pausing to consider whether you should follow up with your potential new employer post-interview.

When a Thank-You Note Adds Value

If you’re interviewing for a business support role, such as a PA, or a client-facing role, a brief, thoughtful thank-you note can solidify professionalism and good communication. These are skills important to the role that you’re interviewing for, which help to further solidify your fit. It shows that you value the interviewer’s time, and it can leave a positive impression.

As Rebecca Siciliano, Tiger Recruitment’s Managing Director, says, “It’s definitely a good thing to do. I’d recommend it 100% of the time if you’ve applied directly to a role and have the contact details of the scheduler. It’s an opportunity to reiterate any responses you feel you could have addressed better in the interview, and it shows genuine interest.”

You could use the thank-you note to briefly highlight why the position excites you, or to reflect on a topic discussed that aligns with your experience. These small touches often complement other strong interview techniques that demonstrate professionalism and enthusiasm. This can be particularly effective in competitive hiring processes, where small details can distinguish one strong candidate from another. A thank-you email sent within 24 hours keeps you fresh in the interviewer’s memory and shows that you are proactive, engaged and genuinely interested in the role.

When It Might Not Be Necessary

If you’re interviewing for a role at a senior or executive level, a thank-you note is unlikely to influence the hiring decision. At this level, interviews are focused on strategic alignment, leadership capability, and long-term value, rather than etiquette or follow-up gestures.

It may also be inappropriate to reach out directly. For example, if your interview process is being managed entirely through a recruiter, it’s best to let them handle any communication. Contacting the hiring manager directly can appear as though you’re bypassing established channels or disregarding the process. Similarly, avoid the temptation to reach out on LinkedIn.

As Angela Lopes, Director and Head of the City Office, says, “I don’t think candidates should reach out to hiring managers unless they have shared their contact details and invited them to do so. Otherwise, it can create an awkward situation if the positive feedback isn’t mutual.”

Additionally, if you’re not working with a recruiter and the company has made it clear that the next steps will be taken through HR or your recruitment consultant, it’s advisable to hold off on sending a message directly without speaking to your direct contact first.

Ask Your Recruiter First

Every company and hiring process has different expectations. That’s why your recruiter is your best guide. They work very closely with the hiring manager and understand their preferences. They can advise whether a thank-you note is appropriate, when to send it and what tone to take.

In some cases, your recruiter may even offer to pass along your appreciation directly, which can be a more suitable approach for some employers or senior-level positions.

Summary

Ultimately, there’s no universal rule. A thank-you note should never feel like a box-ticking exercise, but rather a genuine continuation of professional conversation.

If it adds value, it’s worth considering. But if it risks coming across as forced, it may be better to hold back. When in doubt, ask your recruiter; they’ll know the best approach for each situation.

The post Should You Send a Post-Interview Thank-You Note? appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

The introduction of AI to our lives has disrupted the way we all work, whether that’s positive or negative depends on who you ask, but when it comes to job applications, we advise steering away from the temptation of using it.

As AI becomes more accessible, professionals are resorting to using it in many areas of their jobs. AI tools like ChatGPT have over 5.19 billion visits a month, whilst sitting at number 5 of the most visited sites in April 2025.

Although there is an argument that AI streamlines the work we are doing day-to-day, it should be avoided in your job search. David Morel, Tiger’s CEO reports that he’s seen “a significant increase in employers pushing back on applicants who submit CVs generated by AI”. Simply speaking, by using AI in your job search, you’re putting yourself at a huge disadvantage behind those who don’t.

We see this all the time with candidates at all levels of seniority, and they wonder how something so useful can place you at a disadvantage. There are several reasons why this is the case.

1. AI doesn’t know you

It’s important to keep in mind that AI doesn’t know you. It doesn’t understand your work experience, motivations for applying for a role, and what makes you tick. You can feed the tool your CV and give it the information about a role you’re applying for. But we all know a CV merely touches the surface of the achievements you’ve had over your working life.

When it comes to placing someone in a new role, companies, of course, look for experience and knowledge, but they also place importance on value alignment.  An AI-generated CV isn’t something that can demonstrate your personality and how you’d fit within a team. Hiring managers want to understand who you are, not just what you’ve done.

2. AI doesn’t replace human touch

We’ve all seen those LinkedIn posts outlining how to spot AI-generated content, with a particular spotlight on the “em dash”, but what many people don’t realise is that there is so much more that gives away that a CV has been created using AI. It loses a human touch and authenticity; it’s almost crafted too perfectly and robotically. That doesn’t mean to say you should generate an AI CV and add a few mistakes to make it seem like you’ve created it. It’s more about losing the robotic tone.

3. Don’t even think about using it for interviews

The issue with using AI for interviews is that you’re going to end up with answers the same as any other candidate in the process, which isn’t going to do much for you when you’re trying to stand out. Moreover, when you’re asked skill-based interview questions, which are incredibly common in an interview, AI doesn’t understand your experience or know every example of where you have shown a certain skill. Only you can give a genuine answer about your experience.

Thinking of using AI to feed your answers during a live interview? Don’t do it. Interviewers can tell, and it instantly raises red flags. Your preparation ahead of the interview should give you enough confidence to go into the room and show the value you’d bring to a team. However, if you’re presented with a question that you’re unsure of how to answer, you can always ask for it to be rephrased in another way or explain that it’s a knowledge gap, but you’re eager to learn more.

Employers don’t want perfection when it comes to interviews, which is what AI has led us to believe. But the truth is, not many of us can keep that level of perfection up. Hiring managers want to see someone who’s passionate and eager to learn. Giving robotic answers that are fed to you during an interview isn’t going to match that brief.

4. What can AI help me with?

If you’re looking to use AI, you can explore software that offers speech feedback, which will analyse your tone and speaking voice to make sure what you’re saying is coming across as you planned. However, no analytical tool can prepare you for the natural pivots that happen in an interview, so it’s important to be mindful that this will only help you to a certain extent.

Taking all these points into consideration, it’s important to remember the value you can bring to a role and understand this isn’t something that can be described for you. If you’re struggling to convey this yourself, reach out to a recruitment agency that can support you and help you put your best foot forward.

AI can be a valuable tool at times, but your personality, potential and passion are what truly set you apart in job applications.

Explore our latest roles or submit your CV today.

The post Why AI Won’t Get You Job Interviews appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Living and working in Dubai offers a unique and exciting experience, with many opportunities for PAs in a thriving city environment. As one of the leading recruitment agencies in Dubai, Tiger Recruitment has put together a list of some of the skills that will help you as a personal assistant in Dubai.

Fluency in another language

As Dubai is a global business hub, it’s likely that the company you work for will either have offices overseas, or that you will liaise with people of different nationalities. As such, it’s fantastic if you have written and speaking fluency in another language. As Arabic is the official language of the UAE, it will be helpful if you have a working understanding of this, however English is spoken by many expatriates in the city. Other languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Farsi or Bengali may also come in handy, with significant numbers of expats speaking these in the region.

Prioritisation

As experts in PA recruitment in Dubai, we understand that the role is as much about prioritising your own tasks as it is your principal’s! For example, if you work in growing company, it’s possible you may also need to help out the marketing or events staff with special projects. You may also need to screen your principal’s emails and engagements in order to delete the things that aren’t important and prioritise the replies that need to go out.

Discretion

As support staff, you often have access to sensitive and confidential documents and meetings that aren’t privy to the majority of the business. As a result, you need to be able to explain to others that you don’t have permission to share information in a polite but firm manner. Show that you’re trustworthy and reassure your principal that you can manage these situations. For example, any financial or budget information that you may be privy to if you’ve sat in meetings with your principal would be absolutely priceless if it was known internally or externally. When in doubt, use absolute discretion.

Organisation

This one almost goes without saying, as efficient organisation is one of the most integral skills for business support roles in Dubai and globally. Not only do you organise your principal’s daily tasks, but you also organise anything that needs to be done to support them – from organising travel, events, and gifts, to sorting out day-to-day problems in the office. Whatever the request, you need to be across everything that comes in from your principal. Whether you keep electronic calendars and to-do lists, or you use a paper diary, make sure you find what works for you!

As one of the leading business support job agencies in Dubai, Tiger Recruitment can help you find your dream role! Submit your details, or look at our live job listings today!

The post Skills you need if you’re looking for a personal assistant job in Dubai appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Gone are the days of Mad Men-style secretaries, where touch-typing and answering the phones were the top priority. The PA role has changed drastically over the last 20 years and it’s showing no sign of stabilising anytime soon.

In a world of start-ups, virtual businesses, and international ventures, it is becoming more and more popular for companies to need ‘all-in-one’ roles that cover the position of receptionist, PA, office manager, and other functions, leading to the development of a hybrid role.

The traditional PA vs. a modern day PA

At the turn of the century, the PA role looked very different to what we see today. What was previously a reactive role is now a vital support position to businesses and leaders alike. Although many aspects of the traditional role, such as diary management and booking meetings, have remained, a PA or EA often works at the heart of an organisation, playing a key role in all areas of a business. . In fact, a survey by the Guardian, found that 16% of PAs and secretaries said their boss regularly takes their recommendations on business decisions.1

In a fast-moving and uncertain world, managers are realising that support staff are a highly skilled and adaptable resource that can be deployed strategically across various departments to consolidate existing teams. Rather than limiting themselves to hiring for ‘siloed’ roles, companies are therefore seeking out these ‘hybrid PAs’, who are just as comfortable organising data, running events or managing marketing campaigns, as they are taking minutes and arranging diaries. The significant increase in demand shows they’re making a huge difference to business success.

The hybrid PA in Dubai

Businesses need to find ways of maximising revenues and one such way is to have PAs take on more responsibilities.

According to our data, the receptionist/EA role is the most popular iteration of this, a result of smaller offices needing someone to cover all responsibilities while keeping their headcounts down. We are also seeing EAs take on project management responsibilities, such as events or conference arrangements, negating the need for events managers.

As the workplace continues to change, PAs need to adapt to keep up with this shifting market. The role is no longer static, meaning candidates looking to excel in this career path need to take advantage of learning opportunities and potential for upskilling wherever possible. Perhaps this means taking on a new project in your current role, or looking for a new role that has a little more variety. The stronger the skill development, the better placed candidates will be in the job search.

If you are an experienced PA and are looking for exciting opportunities in the UAE take a look at the roles we have here.

1 https://www.theguardian.com/careers/personal-assistant-diary-management

The post How the PA role is changing in Dubai appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

While recruitment activity has slowed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still job seekers who are being offered fantastic new positions. If you’re one of them, congratulations! This may well mean that you find yourself in a video call with HR for an exit interview soon.

Volunteering your general feedback about your employer can sometimes be an uncomfortable experience, so if you’re asking yourself “how should I handle an exit interview?”, we’ve provided eight do’s and don’ts to help you prepare.

What to do in your exit interview

Do: Prepare like you would for any interview

Treat this interview as you would any other and prepare accordingly beforehand. Google some sample exit interview questions that are typically asked and practise answering them. Regardless of why you’ve chosen to leave, it’s important to provide thoughtful answers that will help the company improve in the future.

Do: Act professionally

You should remain professional right through to the very end. It will keep the door open for potential opportunities in the future and won’t diminish your chances of receiving a positive employer reference.

Do: Discuss the positives

Try to highlight the positive aspects of the role you’re leaving, even if it’s been the worst job you’ve ever had. It can be anything from the benefits package to the office facilities. This will help to balance out any negative points that may become apparent during the course of the conversation. It also displays a high level of professionalism and awareness on your part.

Do: Exit on good terms

When all is said and done, the aim is to leave the interview room on good terms. Make it clear that you are thankful for every opportunity the company has provided. Even if there is some resentment on your part, it’s better to leave on a positive note and have a clean slate for your new job.

What not to do in your exit interview

Don’t: Vent with no constructive feedback

Avoid discussing colleagues and petty grievances. In fact, avoid mentioning colleagues unless you’re specifically asked to do so. If it does come up, stay clear of slander and only provide reasonable examples that support a valid argument.

You can discuss your ‘suggested areas of improvement’ for the company, but it’s important to remain tactful in your approach.

Don’t: Brag about your new role

Your interviewer will probably ask about your reasons for leaving. While you may be jubilant about leaving, it’s important to avoid boasting as it’ll come across as discourteous. Just keep it short and to the point. For example, if you’re excited that this move is a step up in your career (with a considerable salary increase), you could mention that the new position gives you more responsibility than your existing one.

Don’t: Raise issues that the company cannot address

Any good employer will be looking to improve the workplace using your feedback. As such, you’ll want to refrain from expressing sweeping statements with no rational explanation. They’re not actionable and don’t give off the best impression of you. While preparing for your interview, try to come up with suggestions for how certain situations could be improved in the future.

Don’t: Be unresponsive

You’re probably familiar with the term, “if you have nothing good to say, don’t say it at all”? While this may be great advice in general, don’t apply it to your exit interview. Being unreasonably tight-lipped could be viewed as patronising and won’t help the process. The interviewer will respect your honesty as long as you keep it relevant to the exit survey questions being asked.

If you’re looking for a job, we continue to update our live job listings daily. Make sure to also check out our insights page for helpful resources to help navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Author bio: This article was written by Check-a-Salary^[1] . Check-a-Salary provides insight on earnings collated across multiple sources for every position in the UK.

^[1] www.checkasalary.co.uk

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What is the difference between a PA and an EA? As this is one of the more common questions we hear from candidates during their PA job search, we’re here to clarify the main distinctions between the two roles.

PA and EA job titles are often used interchangeably, so it can be tricky to differentiate between the two. Many companies don’t see a difference, while for others, there is a clear distinction in the expectations between a PA and an EA.

When the PA and EA roles are different

For those businesses that do differentiate between executive assistant and personal assistant jobs, the main difference is the level of seniority. While both personal and executive assistants are responsible for using their organisational prowess to assist their principal(s), an EA is more likely to be supporting at board/C-Suite level.

Alongside acting as the first point of contact for both clients and members of the team, an EA will be expected to have a more in-depth understanding of the overarching business strategy. They should be knowledgeable about the key stakeholders and will likely be dealing with them on behalf of the principal.

When the PA and EA roles are the same

Many companies, especially in the UAE, don’t make a distinction between these two positions and will often just advertise for an ‘executive assistant’. Some genuinely believe there is no difference between a PA and EA, while others make a conscious decision to use the same job title across their support team to communicate a flat structure. This is the case regardless of how many people the PA or EA is supporting, or their positions. So, before applying for a role, pay attention to the job description – look at who you’ll be supporting, what the core duties are and what salary range is offered to give you an idea of the seniority of the position and if it will be a good fit for you.

Will you also be supporting a principal’s private life?

In the UAE, it’s common for companies advertising for a ‘personal assistant’ to want someone to support the private side of their principal’s life, like running personal errands and booking private holidays. This isn’t a hard and fast rule however, as both PAs and EAs can be asked to support with private duties. In fact, there is often a natural crossover of business and personal calendars for senior/board level leaders with busy schedules, so it’s helpful to have an overview of both as either a PA or EA.

The only way to know what will be involved in a PA or EA position is to review the detailed job specification. Instead of relying on the title of the job when applying for roles, search within your desired salary bracket and pay attention to whether the core duties in the job description match your skillset and goals.

If you’re looking for a job as a PA or EA, browse our live job listings here.

The post Is there a difference between an executive assistant and a personal assistant? appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Research around leadership styles and gender has gained traction, with Bloomberg UK suggesting that companies with more women on executive boards are ten times more profitable. In the UK, female representation in leadership positions across business, politics, and the public sector continues to increase.

According to the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review, women now hold 43% of board positions in FTSE 350 companies, but what makes women in particular excel as leaders, and how can we continue pushing for equitable leadership teams? More importantly, how can individuals early in their careers take steps toward leadership despite systemic barriers?

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Styles

Studies conducted in the UK indicate that women frequently adopt a democratic and transformational leadership style, prioritising collaboration, mentorship, and team development. The Chartered Management Institute suggests that women tend to steer clear of authoritative approaches and are more inclined to engage in compassionate and empathetic leadership.

Research published in the British Journal of Management proves that female leaders generally excel in emotional intelligence, a trait linked to higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, and workplace cohesion. This kind of leadership style is predicted to set individuals apart in an era of AI, where adaptability is increasingly desired in hiring processes and will become vital for business success.

Diverse Leadership Outperforms Competitors

The effectiveness of women’s leadership approaches has been demonstrated across various sectors. Reports by McKinsey UK have continuously found that companies with diverse leadership teams, including women in senior positions, perform better financially and have stronger organisational cultures.

Case studies of female-led businesses have shown that female leaders are more likely to place a stronger emphasis on employee wellbeing, flexible working arrangements, and ethical decision-making. These factors contribute to improved employee retention and innovation, particularly in industries where teamwork and creativity are crucial.

Closing the Gender Leadership Gap

While the rise in women’s board representation is a landmark achievement, the picture is far less balanced when it comes to executive leadership. Only a fraction of FTSE 100 companies have a female CEO, and across industries, women are still hitting a glass ceiling when it comes to the most senior decision-making roles.

This gap is not due to a lack of capability or ambition. Many talented women still struggle to break into top roles due to outdated leadership models, unconscious bias, and a lack of structured progression pathways. However, those in earlier career stages can take proactive steps to position themselves for leadership opportunities.

How to Progress into Leadership

If you’re currently in a non-senior role and looking to progress, here are some practical steps you can take:

1. Seek out sponsorship, not just mentorship: Mentors provide advice, but sponsors advocate for you in key decision-making spaces. Identify leaders in your organisation who can actively support your career progression.
2. Develop leadership skills early: Take on projects that allow you to lead, whether it’s managing a team initiative, mentoring junior colleagues, or presenting at meetings.
3. Communicate your ambitions: Many employees assume that promotions will come naturally with hard work, but it’s essential to make your leadership aspirations known to managers and decision-makers.
4. Build a strong professional network: Surround yourself with peers and mentors who inspire you. Attend industry events, join professional groups, and engage in conversations that elevate your presence.
5. Be strategic about career moves: If your current organisation lacks clear progression pathways, consider roles in companies that prioritise internal mobility and leadership development.
6. Challenge outdated leadership stereotypes: The perception of leadership is changing, and diverse styles are increasingly valued. Don’t feel pressured to conform to traditional leadership models—your natural leadership style can be a strength.

Barriers to Executive Leadership Are Still Systemic

While individuals can take action, systemic barriers remain. Some key challenges include:

• Limited access to sponsorship: Women are less likely to receive career-advancing sponsorship compared to men, despite mentorship being widely encouraged.
• Rigid career pathways: Traditional leadership trajectories favour uninterrupted career progression, often disadvantaging those who take career breaks or work flexibly.
• Outdated leadership stereotypes: Women must often navigate narrow expectations of leadership styles to be deemed suitable for top roles.

Driving Real Change

The business case for change is unarguable. Businesses with diverse leadership teams are more adaptable to market shifts and significantly better at attracting top talent. To further push for change, business leaders can:

• Shift from mentorship to sponsorship: Senior leaders should actively champion women with high leadership potential for promotions.
• Redefine leadership norms: Recognise and reward a broader range of leadership styles beyond the traditional ‘alpha’ model.
• Offer flexible leadership pathways: Ensure career progression structures accommodate different working patterns, rather than favouring linear career trajectories.

The research is clear: gender-equitable leadership is a proven driver of business success. As more businesses dismantle systemic barriers and embed truly inclusive leadership pathways, the opportunities for women to step into executive and C-suite roles will increase exponentially. However, for those at the start of their careers, taking small, strategic steps today can lay the foundation for a future in leadership.

The post Women Now Hold 43% of FTSE 350 Board Roles, But Executive Leadership Still Lags appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Your curriculum vitae (Latin for ‘course of life’) will most likely be your first point of contact with a potential employer. It’s a simple document that represents you on paper, and it may be the only form of communication that decides if you are a suitable candidate. When looking for a job in Dubai, it’s essential that you get it right. Here are our top tips to consider when writing your CV!

Your Audience

When applying for a corporate administrative or support role, consider your audience. Who is going to read your CV?  The list may include recruiters, HR professionals, talent acquisition managers and ultimately the person who will make the decision to hire you or not.

Grammar

As one of the leading job agencies in Dubai, we know how frustrated some hiring managers can get when they see errors on jobseekers’ CVs. Always check your spelling, punctuation, and syntax, as you’ll be judged accordingly! If you’re applying for a role that requires ‘great attention to detail’, your CV must reflect this! Similarly, if your potential new role involves written communication, a poorly written CV will not get you to the interview stage.

Style

Your CV is not a high school art project, so please refrain from technicolour company logos, stylized bullet points, or colourful backgrounds. CVs are usually printed in black and white – so all that rainbow you’ve painstakingly added will just become various shades of grey!

Format

It’s best to stick to one font in black, as the document will become too cluttered and hard to read otherwise. Bold is fine for headings and subheadings, but don’t stray down the path of italics or go overboard with underlining! A well-formatted CV that is clear and easy to read will have a higher chance of being pulled from the pile for a closer look. In addition, avoid slang, jargon, and text speak. You may, however, include familiar terms and commonly used abbreviations, such as ‘PA’ or ‘HR’.

Brevity

Keep the biography/personal statement brief, ensure you’re concise and accurate when listing your skills and experience, and ensure your dates tally. You will probably be asked questions based on your CV, so be prepared to expand on your past roles and achievements, and know your CV inside-out. You should also modify your CV depending on the role you’re applying for. For example, suppose you’re looking for PA jobs in Dubai. In that case, your CV should focus only on your experience in similar support roles, and mention skills like gatekeeping, diary management, and scheduling.

These simple tips will instantly make your CV more legible, give it credibility, and help you to stand out from the crowd. This is your chance to sell yourself, so take the time to do it right. Remember – you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Tiger Recruitment is one of the leading job agencies in Dubai. Submit your details or browse our live job listings today!

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Commonly raised at half-year or annual appraisals, it may come as a surprise to hear that many people don’t actually set achievable career goals (or understand the value in doing so). At Tiger, we’ve found that the process of setting career goals can be clouded by misconceptions and misunderstandings, even among experienced professionals with many years under their belts[1].

To help you set achievable professional goals and establish where you want to be, we’ve decided to bust a few common myths on this subject.

Common questions asked about setting career goals

Not everyone can have career goals, can they?

So, let’s start with the most obvious myth – only people high up the hierarchy should take the time to set career goals. They’re reserved for the top managers, CEOs and anyone else who has a huge title that precedes their name.

Not true! Setting career goals is something everyone should do, regardless of their position, experience, or industry they’re working in. Whether you’re a designer fresh out of college, a pastry shop owner, or a CFO of the biggest bank in the world, you’re entitled to take time to figure out exactly what you want out of your career. So, no matter where you are, grab a pen and start writing!

Professional development goals require a lot of time and energy, don’t they?

While developing your goals is going to require some time and effort, it’s often the very task of creating them in the first place that seems so overwhelming. Many people give up before they even begin, which is a mistake!

To help you get started, it’s important to spend some time simply thinking about where you want to be in one, five or ten years (depending on the scope of your goals). Having a firm idea in place of where you want to be will make it that much easier to come up with a few achievable goals.

I should follow a certain process, shouldn’t I?

It’s true that there are some established tools, methods and patterns that you can use when you set up your career goals (or any goals for that matter) — one of the most famous being the SMART method^[1]. Using a method like this is definitely very useful, especially if you’re a beginner and this is your first time setting goals.

On the other hand, using these well-worn strategies can also be limiting, especially if your goal is innovative or unique. If you find that your goals simply don’t fit into a pattern and you need to draw outside of the lines a little, that is completely fine.

It’s not enough to simply set them, is it?

The (perceived) mountain of establishing your career aspirations is quite high. Unfortunately, this is only the first step. Following through is much more important since it makes all the difference in the end. So, how can you make sure that your goals don’t just stay written on a piece of paper?

One thing you could do is have a buddy – a partner, a friend, a coach – someone who will follow through with you and who will keep you accountable. Another important thing is to break down your goals into smaller actions to follow through every month, week, or even day. That way you’ll be able to see whether or not you’re making progress and you can easily correct yourself if you’re going down the wrong path.

It’s better to just focus on my current situation, isn’t it?

When setting career goals, most people tend to focus on their present issues. Let’s say you’re looking for a job and your first goal is to get hired at a good company. Logically, you would sharpen up your CV^[2]and focus on improving your LinkedIn page. While these are great initial actions, it’s also important to look at a holistic approach to your goals. In this example, a person looking for a job should also think about how industry events, networking, improving their portfolio and learning additional skills will help them in the long term.

Even if you’re not looking to move on from your current role, don’t underestimate the value of looking at all your options. For example, if you want to expand your client base, posting regular articles on LinkedIn will help you become known as a thought leader for your particular niche.

Try to think outside the box when considering your career aspirations, because sometimes the best opportunities come to us unexpectedly. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that, no matter what our original plans were, a positive mindset and adaptable goals can present new opportunities to improve our situation and grow even further – through a new role, a new relationship or simply a new activity.

Author bio: Michael Deane has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael’s work at Qeedle^[3].

[1] https://career-intelligence.com/career-misconceptions/

^[2] www.wikihow.com/Set-SMART-Goals

^[3] www.upskillcoach.com/blog/12-tips-resume-social-media-cv-online-presence

^[4] www.qeedle.com/licensee-vs-franchisee-which-works-best

The post Career goals: Separating fact from fiction appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

With over 200 nationalities, the UAE is a melting pot of cultures, experiences and people. Emiratis make up roughly 20% of the population, while expats from Europe, Asia and Africa consist of the other 80%, emigrating for career progression, an improved quality of life and the chance to increase their earnings.[1] The booming expat population, and the effects of the pandemic, continue to place a strain on an already-saturated job market, making each job application more competitive than ever. This has seen salaries drop, as many jobseekers are willing to take on roles for a lower salary in order to stand out from the crowd and win a lucrative position.

With this is mind, jobseekers should ensure they are getting the basics of the job search right in order to stand out from the crowd. To help, here are our top tips to increase your chances of securing a job in the UAE!

Understand the market

It’s important to understand what the market looks like before applying for jobs. If you plan to move into the region, do your homework first. You should know the cost of living, how much you could potentially earn and what opportunities could be on offer. If you don’t have any MENA experience, you may need to carefully consider why a business might employ you over someone who does. Unfortunately, we see many jobseekers wanting to move into the region without knowing much about living or working here, so it’s important to prepare as much as you can beforehand.

When it comes to salaries, it’s essential to educate yourself so you know what you’re asking for is in line with expectations. For example, top level industry-specific EAs can earn AED 25,000 (GBP 5150) a month, but if you have moved over with no local experience, it is unlikely you will find something at this level. EAs who have recently immigrated should expect to take a role on for around AED 12,000 (just under GBP 2,500) per month. This will allow you to get your foot in the door, gaining useful experience to then transfer into a higher paying role.

Read the job description carefully

While it may tempting to apply for every role you see advertised, this isn’t the way you’ll find your dream job. In fact, by applying to roles where you don’t meet the clearly specified criteria, it not only wastes your time, but it also leaves you feeling disheartened by the mounting rejections. Even when you think you may have enough experience for the role, if you don’t have the right qualifications, you won’t even be considered. For example, if a role requires +10 years of accounting experience and an ACCA qualification, there’s no use applying if you’ve not even completed your ACCA exams.

So, it’s important to be honest with yourself and your capabilities by only focussing on the roles that match your experience. In the UAE, you should expect to hear back from a role you apply for within five days (if not sooner!). If you don’t hear back in this time, assume you aren’t the right fit and keep looking.

Format your CV

Your CV is a potential employer’s first impression of you, so it needs to pack a punch. It should be no longer than two pages, clearly set out and justified. It should be clean and uncluttered, as this makes it much easier for recruiters or hiring managers to read. In the UAE, it’s common practice to include a photo, but make sure it’s not a selfie (a professional-looking headshot is best).

As always, it is essential that your CV is free of spelling and grammar errors and includes a personal statement, your professional experience (with both responsibilities and achievements), education and any other skills, such as languages. It’s also important that your CV is up-to-date. For example, if you left a role in October 2020, don’t list it is ‘current’. This little detail could make all the difference. If you’re worried about being seen as ‘available immediately’, don’t be! This could actually make you more attractive to a prospective employer.

The power of a cover letter

Unlike the UK, a cover letter is a necessary part of any application in the UAE. However, it’s not enough to include a generic letter – you need to tailor each submission, highlighting your ability to do the role. This is your chance to demonstrate why you’re the perfect person for the job, with specific examples about how you satisfy the criteria.

Network offline and online

Networking is such an important weapon in a jobseeker’s arsenal. You never know where an opportunity will come up, or where a conversation could take you! Therefore, keep an eye out for any jobseeker networking events in your city or other opportunities to meet employers, such as job fairs and career expos.

If you’re networking online, LinkedIn is a great place to connect with those already working in your industry. Ensure that your details are up to date and accurate, with your latest positions, responsibilities and achievements. It’s also a good idea to look at other social media, like Facebook. For example, if you’re from the UK, the Brits in Dubai Facebook page [2] can be a fantastic resource.

While you’re online, take the time to clean up your social media profiles. One of the first things a hiring manager or employer will do is look you up online, so it’s best to remove any unprofessional photos or content. It’s also worth checking your privacy settings and adapting as needed.

Pick up the phone

With so many jobseekers looking for roles, companies are receiving thousands of applications on a daily basis. Make sure you’re memorable by following up with a phone call – a simple introductory call will differentiate you from the crowd and give you yet another chance to impress.

Register with a recruitment agency

Another great way to ensure you stay ahead of the crowd in the job hunt is to register with a recruitment agency. Your consultant will be able to provide advice on your job-seeking efforts, as well as put you forward for any suitable roles. Recruitment agencies like Tiger often work exclusively with high-profile companies, providing a direct pathway to lucrative careers.

Word to the wise – if you’re using recruitment agencies in your job search, you shouldn’t agree to be put forward for the same role by several different recruiters. You may think this will maximise your chances of being called in for an interview, but it actually has the opposite effect as hiring managers will be more likely to discount you.

Prepare for your interview!

A hiring manager has seen your CV and welcomed you in for an interview – congratulations! Don’t throw away your chance by not preparing accordingly. Make sure you research the company, position and industry prior to the interview and have a think about your answers to potential interview questions. If interviewing in person, look up your route beforehand and make sure you arrive with plenty of time – it’s much better to arrive early and go for a coffee nearby, instead of rushing in a few minutes late. If interviewing virtually, double check the calendar invite to make sure you log in on time.

Should you be looking for a new role, get in touch with Tiger’s Dubai office.

1. HTTPS://WWW.EXPATEXPLORER.HSBC.COM/SURVEY//FILES/PDFS/COUNTRY-REPORTS/AE.PDF

2. https://www.facebook.com/groups/britsindubai

The post Job-hunting in a saturated market – how to stand out from the crowd in Dubai appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Dubai continues to be a popular option for European professionals looking for a new challenge – as of 2016, expats made up 7.8 million of the 9.2 million residents of the UAE.¹ If you’ve recently made the move, or are considering moving to the Middle East in the next few weeks, you’re bound to see Ramadan in full effect and notice the affect it has on the country’s job market.

As an Islamic country, Dubai is affected by the religion’s holidays and traditions. Just one of these is Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking or smoking between sunrise and sunset. Lasting about a month, it marks the time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.

This year, Ramadan starts on May 17, so for the next month, there are large-scale changes to nearly every industry in Dubai, including hospitality, professional services, retail, recruitment and tourism.

What is Dubai like in Ramadan?

From May 17 to June 14, it is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during the daylight hours and it’s advisable to dress conservatively. It is perfectly fine to eat and drink in specially screened-off areas, such as food courts and hotel restaurants. Many cafés and restaurants remain open during Ramadan with a curtain in front. Most bars open for regular business and still serve alcohol but no live music or loud music is allowed.

For tourists, there are better hotel rates and less crowding at tourist attractions, but expect shopping malls to be busy – they are a go-to place for locals to escape the heat and shop for their outfits for Eid, the celebration at the end of Ramadan.

How does this affect the job market?

Companies are only allowed to work for six hours a day by law, which means all businesses tend to shut two hours early. However, salaries are not amended during this time. Understandably, productivity can be negatively impacted, as workers cope with not eating or drinking between sunrise and sunset. As the month is a time to catch up with family, it’s also a popular time to take annual leave.

These patterns are reflected in general hiring activity, with companies holding off any recruitment until Eid celebrations have passed. While this is a trend across most industries, it can have the greatest effect on fresh graduates who are looking for their first or second job in their chosen career.

That said, those looking to change roles tend to start their job-seeking preparations over this period. A survey by Bayt.com found that 79.1% of MENA professionals said they plan to spend more time looking for a new job during Ramadan.² This is in part due to the nature of the month itself – it allows jobseekers to slow down, disregard their distractions and focus on their career goals.

What can I do as a jobseeker?

If you are looking for a new role during the Ramadan period, don’t despair. There’s plenty you can do to ensure that you’re ready for the job hunt:

• Make sure your CV is up to date, with your latest responsibilities and achievements
• Clean up your social media, deleting anything you wouldn’t want your boss to see. Make sure your LinkedIn is also up to date and reflects your CV.
• Practice interview questions to make sure you’re confident and prepared for anything a hiring manager may ask. Consider asking a friend to participate in interview role play so you can rehearse your responses.
• Identify a list of companies that you’d like to work with and keep an eye on the careers section of their website for any vacancies – they may be bucking the trend!
• Take some time to establish and narrow down your career goals – where do you want to be in 12 months? Are the roles you’re applying for going to get you there?

It’s also worth touching base with your recruiters and keeping an eye on any job boards, just in case any opportunities come through. When hiring activity increases once more, you’ll be ready to jump at the roles available.

–

Tiger’s Dubai office can help you find a new role. Get in touch today to see how we can help.

1. https://www.guide2dubai.com/visiting/tourist-information/uae-population
2. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/jobseekers-optimistic-about-chances-during-ramadan

The post How Ramadan affects the Dubai job market appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

As we know, preparing for an interview is essential. It has a direct result in both your confidence and competence and ultimately, your performance. With competition for jobs on the increase, it makes sense to ensure you prepare for the different types of questions an interviewer may ask. Among these, behavioural interview questions are crucial to prepare for. To help, we’ve put together a complete guide to behavioural questions, including what the interviewer wants to find out by asking them and common questions to prepare for.

What is a behavioural question?

Interviewers ask behavioural questions to determine how you might react to an issue or situation you experience in the future. Your answer to a behavioural question will reveal to the interviewer evidence of how you will react, illustrated by examples of how you’ve handled similar situations in the past.

Behavioural questions are very different from other types of questions, like competency and knowledge-based questions. These can be answered by stating the qualifications or experience you have in using, for instance, a specific piece of software.

What an interviewer looks for when they ask behavioural questions

Common behavioural interview questions can be grouped in several categories:

• Teamwork – when an interviewer asks you a question about teamwork, they’re looking to verify your ability to work with others. The interviewer will want to know if you can cooperate with team members with different personalities. They will also try to gauge if you can handle conflicts in a healthy and constructive way.
• Adaptability – adaptability is a trait many employers look for. They’ll be searching for evidence of how you react when an unexpected work crisis occurs, or if the business needs to pivot its focus quickly. Your ability to problem solve may also be explored here.
• Communication – communication questions are asked to determine how you interact with team members, leadership, and clients. The interviewer will want to know how you represent your team or company, your customer service style, persuasion skills, presentation skills and how well you can convey technical information.
• Time management – the interviewer wants to find out how well you handle stress and if you have the organisational skills to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities.
• Values and motivation – questions asking what drives you can reveal how you handle future failures and stress.

How to prepare for behavioural interview questions

To prepare for behavioural interview questions and come up with answers, you should go through examples of behavioural questions and think of a story from your past experience that shows your competence. If you can’t think of a story that shows a successful outcome, consider sharing an example where you failed, focussing on what you learned from the experience and would do differently in the future.

It’s a good idea to prepare a few strong examples that could be adapted to various typical behavioural interview questions. If you can, try to think of a story for each of the following categories of questions. This should allow you to have something to draw from, no matter what type of behavioural question you’re asked.

Remember, an easy way to structure any interview answer is using the STAR method:

• S: Situation — explain the situation or background of the story
• T: Task — focus in on the specific task you’re referring to 
• A: Action — explain the action you took 
• R: Result — finish by discussing the result of the action

As COVID-19 was an unprecedented and difficult situation for both employees and businesses, employers may want to use behavioural questions to determine how you handled these changes personally. They may focus on your transition to remote working or how you helped your company through the challenges they faced. So, it’s a good idea to prepare an answer using an example around this topic if you can.

Examples of teamwork behavioural interview questions include:

• Tell me about an occasion when you needed information from a non-responsive colleague. 
• Give me an example of a conflict you experienced at work.
• Tell me about when you’ve struggled to build a relationship with someone and how you overcame it.
• Describe an instance when you’ve worked closely with a teammate with a different personality to yours. 

Examples of adaptability behavioural interview questions include:

• Tell me about a recent work crisis and how you got through it.
• What did you do to learn the ropes at the first job you ever had?
• Describe a difficult or awkward position you found yourself in and how you managed it.
• What’s a recent failure you’ve experienced and how did you deal with it?

Examples of communication behavioural interview questions include:

• Tell me about a time when it was vital for you to make a good impression on a client.
• Describe an occasion when you had to deal with a difficult client 
• Describe a time when you needed to rely on written communication skills to get your ideas across to the team.
• Tell me about a presentation you’ve given and why you think it was successful.

Examples of time management behavioural interview questions include:

• Tell me about a long-term project you were managing and how you kept everything to schedule.
• Describe how you handled overwhelming responsibilities.
• What’s a work-related goal you recently set for yourself and how did you make sure you achieved it?
• How have you managed conflicting priorities in the past? 

Examples of values and motivation behavioural interview questions include:

• Describe to me your proudest professional achievement.
• Tell me about an occasion when you noticed a problem at work and took the initiative to correct it.
• When were you able to be creative at work and did you find this difficult or exciting?
• Describe an instance when you were unhappy at work and the actions you’ve taken to change it. 

As you can see, behavioural interview questions need a little bit of thought and time to answer. This is why it’s crucial to prepare before the interview. We’ve put together other interview-specific insights to help any jobseekers currently looking for a new opportunity. If you haven’t already, submit your details with us today to start your job search.

The post The secret of how to prepare for behavioural interview questions. appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Dubai is a cultural melting pot, a cosmopolitan oasis built in the harsh Arabian desert. This rapidly growing new city has become the major success story of the Middle East, heralding a new era of economic development in the region.

But what is it actually like to live there? While it may have become an icon for its lavish and sometimes brash architecture – and lifestyles to match – the reality can be a little different. Here are just some of the things you’ll need to consider.

Tax Free Salary

The high tax free salary is one of Dubai’s major draws for expats looking to relocate. However, the rising costs, expensive rents and high school fees can be major expenses to consider. The day- to-day costs have been slowly creeping up but the salaries have not increased to match this.

Lifestyle

Dubai is one of the best places for foodies; there are thousands of restaurants across the city serving cuisine from all over the world. From high-end restaurants like Nobu to cheap Pakistani canteens like Ravi’s, there is something for everyone and most of the restaurants will deliver to your door.

There is a misconception about alcohol in Dubai – contrary to popular opinion, there are thousands of bars that are open to expats. You do, however, need a special licence to buy alcohol from an alcohol shop; these can be obtained fairly easily through your company once you start work. There is a monthly limit on the amount you can spend on booze each month, dependant on your salary.

There are loads of things to do in Dubai if you are an outdoor enthusiast, but only in the winter, as the summer is way too hot. You can take road trips into the mountains in one of the other Emirates, Ras al-Khaimah, while Oman has fantastic rock climbing and hiking.

You can take a scuba diving trip to Musandam, where you’ll be able to get up close and personal with the likes of whale sharks, mola molas, turtles, and a wide range of tropical reef fish. Kite surfing is also very popular in Dubai, with lessons readily available and designated kite zone areas on the beaches.

If that doesn’t take your fancy, you can head down to Al Ain, where there is a huge man-made surf pool and white-water rafting facility. There are also lots of fantastic water parks, such as Wild Wadi and Aqua Adventure, perfect for spending the day frolicking in a tube on a lazy river

On the other hand, if animals and wildlife is more to your taste, there are several places to choose from, including Desert Islands Resort, Al Ain Zoo, Emirates Park Zoo, Atlantis Aquarium and Qasr Al Sarab.

Dubai Strategic Business Location

Many businesses in the region take advantage of Dubai’s strategic city location, bridging East to West. Not only is it a stepping point to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the region, but also can be strategic to expanding businesses into North Africa and the Far East.

How to find a role in Dubai

It is always easier to find a role if you are already in Dubai, especially for business support roles. Dubai’s job market is extremely competitive and if you do want to show you are committed it is better to fly out on a visit visa while you look for a role. Please contact Zahra Clark for more information about finding business support roles in the region.

The post Is Dubai the city for you? appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many people and businesses. Challenges arising from the coronavirus have resulted in many workers finding themselves with less work than usual. If you’re currently out of work or have more free time due to the pandemic, why not make the best of it?

You can use the extra time as an opportunity to gain new knowledge and improve your job skills. To help you get started, we’ve put together the best free online courses to complete during the pandemic.

Introduction to Marketing

https://alison.com/course/introduction-to-marketing

Although your chosen career path may not involve marketing; having a base-level of knowledge of this part of business is always an advantage. The Introduction to Marketing course from Alison is a great way to learn about marketing management fundamentals. You will get the best of both theoretical and practical elements, while learning about the different strategies and platforms for marketing.

After completing the course, you’ll understand how marketing works for different types of businesses. The course only takes a few hours to do, so it’s a quick and easy way to get to grips with the basic principles of marketing.

Introduction to cybersecurity: stay safe online

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/introduction-cyber-security-stay-safe-online/content-section-overview?in_menu=1190776

Cyber security is a massive focus in any company and it is the responsibility of everyone in the business to stay safe online. This free online course from the Open University helps you gain essential cyber security skills. The lessons learned will be a great benefit in both your work and personal life, especially if you work in a business support role. It’s likely you’ll have access to sensitive company information, so it’s essential for you to learn how to be vigilant while online.

In the course, you’ll learn how to protect your digital life, whether you’re at home or work. The course has been developed with support from the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme and is endorsed by the CPD Standards Office, proving its expertise and reliability. Finally, it is an excellent way of showing professional development, as your current or future employer will appreciate how conscientious you are about cyber safety.

Harvard free online courses 

https://online-learning.harvard.edu/subject/business

Some of the top educational institutions in the world have responded to the pandemic by offering free online resources, including Harvard University. Harvard free online courses are available across many subjects and within their business courses category, you will find a great choice of free material.

Whether you’re interested in learning about the basics of accounting, or how to improve your business leadership skills, you will find a course to suit. Also, as one of the best business schools world-wide, Harvard is an impressive name to have on your CV.

Free business course online

https://www.oxfordhomestudy.com/courses/business-studies-online/free-business-course-online

If you’re looking to advance your career, this free online business course is an excellent first step. As an introductory-level course, you’re given a set of lessons to help you understand how a business functions. Being able to apply this to your work gives you a greater understanding of all levels of business hierarchy.

The course covers everything from business models to human resource management. Not only will it help you in your daily work, but it also shows any potential employer your commitment to improving your skills.

Mind Control: Managing Your Mental Health During COVID-19

https://www.coursera.org/learn/manage-health-covid-19

When it comes to improving your skills, it doesn’t just have to be about work or your CV. As we go through this unprecedented time, our mental health becomes more important than ever, with several free mental health and wellbeing courses created to help cope with the pandemic.

The Mind Control: Managing Your Mental Health During COVID-19 course has been created in collaboration with the Psychology Department of the University of Toronto. You will explore how to manage anxiety, find tools to cope with crises and look at the effects of isolation. The course also covers how to manage the consumption of news, along with control measures to protect against depression.

This is only a selection of the hundreds of resources online to explore. Anything that helps you make the most of your free time is worth completing, whether it’s something to further your career aspirations, or something to aid your personal development. If you’re considering a new role when restrictions lift, or you’re looking to recruit the right candidate to fill a position, Tiger Recruitment is here to help. Contact us today for more information.

The post Five free online courses to try during lockdown appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Would you ever jump into a pool without knowing its depth? Or eat a meal without knowing what’s in it? Approaching a new situation with as much information in your back pocket can dramatically alter your experience. No more is this more obvious than moving overseas. While there is always going to be an element of the unknown, arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible will assist with a successful transition. This is abundantly clear when it comes to the Middle Eastern job market.

When it comes to finding a job in Dubai or elsewhere in the Middle East, it’s worth remembering that the job market has some distinct differences to the markets of the UK or Europe.

Supply meets demand

The UAE continues to be an incredibly popular destination for professionals from all over the world, making for a very competitive recruitment landscape. Because of this, employers can afford to be more specific and expect all of the boxes to be ticked upon hiring an employee.

These high expectations mean that the hiring process can be longer than expected, with multiple rounds of interviews and the possibility of assessments. This means you should budget to be without work for at least a few months, just to be safe.

Be prepared

One way to ensure the hiring process doesn’t go on for longer than needed is to make sure you have all your paperwork sorted before moving over. This includes a copy of recent passport photos, a valid passport with six months’ validity, certified education documents or other evidence of professional qualifications, and certified police clearance certificate from your previous country of residence. Having these to hand will mean there’s no delay in compliance or visas. It’s also essential to have your references ready to go so that when asked, you can confirm these immediately.

Know what’s standard

A new country means a new currency and new standards. Therefore, it’s important to know what is expected of a role, the general salary and any regular benefits. Middle Eastern salaries are generally higher than the UK because there is no tax applied – a HSBC survey in 2017 found that the average salary for Dubai was USD$138, 177 (approx. £108,184) per annum.1 Generally, employees aren’t eligible for annual leave until after six months – from that point, you earn two days per month and then 30 calendar days after one year of service. There are also 11 public holidays, taking your allowance up to 41 days. Health insurance is also compulsory for all employees.

However, these benefits aren’t always standard – there are a number of ‘free zones’ where businesses aren’t subject to labour laws, so make sure you clarify this with any employer before accepting an offer.

Other common expat benefits include an annual flight home, a housing and transport allowance and pension – called a company gratuity. A contribution to this is compulsory by all employers and is calculated as 21 days of your regular wage for each of the first five years of service and 30 days thereafter.

Cultural differences

While there are some universal elements to any role, certain cultural differences are going to make a difference to your working week. For example, the weekend in the UAE is Friday and Saturday. Usual working hours match the UK – eight a day – but during the month of Ramadan, it’s reduced by two hours a day.

Working in Dubai or the wider Middle East offers a wide range of benefits, but when starting out, it’s important to understand exactly what the job market is going to be like. Knowledge is power, so educating yourself as much as possible can only be a good thing!

—

Tiger Recruitment’s Dubai office can help you with your job search across the Middle East. Get in touch today!

1. HTTPS://WWW.ARABIANBUSINESS.COM/BANKING-FINANCE/390879-REVEALED-THE-AVERAGE-EXPAT-SALARY-IN-DUBAI

The post What you need to know about the Middle Eastern job market appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Fly through your next PA interview with these top tips!

Interviewing can be a daunting task, particularly when there is significant competition among job seekers. We understand that great jobs in Dubai can be few and far between, and – like anything – preparation is key. Take comfort in the fact that your prospective employer is obviously impressed by your experience and your CV. All that’s left to do is wow them with your presence and detailed experience. As a reputable job agency in Dubai, we’re experienced PA and executive assistant recruiters who have the inside track on how best to stand out from the crowd. Think about taking on board the below tips before you approach your next interview – hopefully they’ll help you seal the deal!

Do your research

First things first, do your research! We recommend starting with researching your interviewer(s) and/or line manager. You can do this quite easily on LinkedIn and by googling their names. Finding out about your interviewers just gives you a little bit of knowledge that could be useful in context. For example, if your interviewer has spent a number of years with the company and progressed through the ranks, you could ask, “When doing my research, I noticed that you have been here a while and have had quite impressive career progression. What advice would you have for me if I wanted to do the same?”

Similarly, it’s important to research the company itself. Check if they’ve recently been featured in the news, find out the company size and look into the company values and mission statement. All of these useful snippets can be used to weave into the conversation. Demonstrating that you have completed your research shows the interviewer that you are thorough, considered in your approach and enthusiastic about the role at hand – all of which will pay dividends when it comes to deciding on the selected candidate.

Put your best shoe forward

One of the key reasons for interviewing candidates face-to-face, rather than hiring a personal assistant based on the CV, is to assess how you present.

First things first: wardrobe! Even if you know that the office has a more casual dress code, always attend your interview in more formal attire. Iron your clothes, if they need it, and polish your shoes. Ladies, please wear minimal jewellery and make-up.

Next up: body language! Did you know that you have just 30 seconds to make a positive first impression? Most of this will be based on your body language, so make it count! When you meet your interviewer(s), ensure you are standing and show them a warm smile. The hand shake should be firm. While sitting down for your interview, keep your body language open. Hands should be placed on your lap or on the table, rather than crossed against your chest.

Lastly, try not to let nerves overshadow your personality from shining through. Your prospective employer wants to see how well you might fit into the team environment, and they will (as most people are) likely be drawn to a warm and engaging personality rather than someone who gives one-word answers and doesn’t smile.

Match your experience to the job description

When preparing for your new job in Dubai or wider Middle East, print out the job description and review the responsibilities and desired skills listed. For each of them, think about previous experiences you’ve had where you can demonstrate a competency in that area. Ideally, you’ll go armed into the interview with a handful of strong examples that you can incorporate into your responses.

For example, if the job description lists complex travel arrangements and a desired skill for ‘juggling multiple priorities’, draw on an example where you perhaps had to organise a multi-stop trip for a previous principal and mitigated a crisis of airline cancellations, delayed meetings and transfer problems. Explaining how you responded in a crisis, all the while ensuring the principal had a great trip and experienced as seamless a trip as possible, will show the interviewer that you absolutely meet those set criteria.

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Ultimately, it’s always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Try practising your interview techniques with a friend or family member. Additionally, use your recruiter and ask them for advice on what the hiring manager might be looking for! Any good recruitment agency in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or the wider Middle East will help you prep for your interview properly!

To find your next perfect personal assistant job in Dubai, submit your information to our database here.

The post Interviewing for a personal assistant job in Dubai? Read our tips! appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

If you’re looking to move to the MENA region for a new role, why not consider Saudi Arabia? While in the past, the Kingdom has enforced conservative social laws that expats may find hard to adapt to, these are now relaxing. Alongside this, we believe that Saudi Arabia will give Dubai a run for its money in terms of growth and development. Here are four reasons why you should consider looking for your next secretary job in Saudi Arabia.

Upturn in the Saudi economy

The International Monetary Fund has projected the Saudi economy will increase its GDP over the coming twelve months[1]. While Dubai and the greater UAE has long been a centre for business in the Middle East, we’re predicting the Saudi market will overtake it in the future. This will in turn encourage business opportunities for companies setting up in Saudi, resulting in increased positions for those looking to progress their career.

Involvement in giga-projects

Right now, Saudi Arabia is in the middle of a massive-scale development plan named Vision 2030[2]. The main driver behind this plan is to diversify the economy, as it previously relied on oil for its wealth. The focus is now turning to other sectors such as tourism and transportation. These developments, known as ‘giga-projects’, are in progress – bringing with them exciting roles. These range from luxury tourist islands to entertainment cities. If you want to gain experience in large projects, this is the right time to move into the region.

Increased bonuses

If you’re looking for a job in Riyadh, it won’t be unusual for you to receive an end-of-year bonus equivalent to two or three months’ salary[3]. When compared to average bonuses in Western countries like the UK, that is a lot more money in your pocket at the end of the year. It’s no wonder that expats often take home quite a considerable savings pot. While the government did introduce an expat fee in 2017, this doesn’t outweigh the impressive salary and bonus package available if you make the move to Saudi Arabia.

Well-established international community

If you take a job in Saudi Arabia, you’ll be able to experience a thriving expat community. In fact, expats account for over 75% of the Saudi labour market[4]. This makes many aspects of life in a new city a lot easier. For example, if you’re looking to put your children into school, you’ll be spoilt for choice as there are many to choose from. You’ll be able to find the UK curriculum, the International Baccalaureate, the US model or the International Primary Curriculum taught across the city in international schools. Also, many expats live in gated communities known as compounds that contain everything you might need – shops, restaurants, entertainment centres and schools. These areas are also more tolerant of social rules and allow like-minded people to meet easily.

Tiger Recruitment is one of the leading business support recruitment agencies in Saudi Arabia. Submit your details online or look at our live job listings to start your job search today!

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/g20-saudi-cenbank-sama/update-2-saudi-economy-set-to-grow-this-year-driven-by-non-oil-sector-central-bank-idUSL5N2AM03J

[2] https://www.driver-group.com/europe/news/the-giga-projects-of-saudi-arabia

[3] http://www.kingpininternational.com/news/article/5-reasons-relocate-saudi-arabia/

[4] https://gulfbusiness.com/expats-account-75-jobs-saudis-labour-market-report/

The post Four reasons to consider a secretarial job in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Being organised at work will have an immediate positive impact on your productivity. It can help you produce a better quality of work, make fewer mistakes, and work more efficiently. Prioritising and getting organised also helps to reduce stress and overwhelm.

Albeit not all of us are naturally gifted with supreme organisational skills, it is possible to improve them by following a few simple tips.

Here are our six top tips to help you stay organised at work and get more done.

Create a master ‘to do’ list

The first step in getting organised is to create a master list that documents all the tasks you need to complete. It can be a daily, weekly, or monthly list.

Depending on your role, a weekly list may work best. Weekly lists will supercharge your organisation and productivity and give you the flexibility to make amendments as and when is necessary for your role.

Write down everything that needs to be done in a specific week and assign certain tasks to each day.

Prioritise your tasks

Strategic prioritisation is essential for getting everything done. You need to arrange tasks according to their deadline, the amount of time required to complete them, and the focus they will require.

It may be more effective to work on tasks that require high levels of focus when you’re at your most productive and leave tasks that require less energy for another time of the day.

Avoid multitasking

Multitasking is one of the biggest obstacles to productivity. It’s essential to focus on one task at a time to produce a high standard of work and get as much done as possible.

Unless something urgent needs your attention, block out time in your calendar to carry out focused work. Set aside time elsewhere in the day to check your emails and make phone calls.

Organise your workspace

As the saying goes – tidy desk, tidy mind. It can be your physical workspace, such as your desk, and your digital one, such as your laptop, inbox, etcetera.

One of the biggest time-wasters in the workplace is trawling through hundreds of emails, folders, or documents when looking for something, simply because files aren’t organised efficiently on your laptop.

Create SOP’s

Standard Operating Procedures consist of the step-by-step processes that you need to follow to complete specific tasks.

This step is crucial to reduce the likelihood of making mistakes, and it helps to be precise and efficient when managing your workload.

Keeping a folder with all the different SOPs required for your role means you’ll have all the information you need to perform your role successfully to hand, readily and easily accessible.

Master time management by implementing one of these popular techniques

Time-management techniques can help you to manipulate time and get more done.

You may want to try:

– The Pomodoro technique: you select a task you need to focus on, set a timer for 25 minutes and work solely on that task. After 25 minutes, you take a short break (typically 5 minutes), then start again for another 25 minutes.

– The ‘Eat that frog’ technique: Championed by motivational speaker and productivity expert Brian Tracy, the goal of this method is to analyse the items on your list and organise them according to their difficulty. The idea is that you tackle the most challenging tasks first.

– The Kanban technique: this is an effective workflow management method for visual learners. On a board, your notebook, or your laptop, create three sections: to-do, in progress, done. Then write your tasks and move them across the sections based on their progress and completion.

If you’re serious about supercharging your organisational skills, you could also benefit from a time management app such as Todoist or Toggl Track.

Increasing your organisational skills will not only help you to stay on top of your workload, it will also maximise your chances of excelling in your role. If you implement these tips gradually into your workday you’ll start to see a noticeable difference in the quality of your work and in the results you produce.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to read more on our Insights page.

Are you ready to write the next chapter of your career? Get in touch with us here, and one of our consultants will be happy to help.

The post Six tips to improve your productivity and organisation at work appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

The role of personal assistant is a demanding one. It requires a PA to match the pace and rhythms of their manager’s day-to-day schedule, while also staying several steps ahead of them. To achieve this balancing act, we generally find that PAs need some key character traits.

Communication

Strong written and verbal communication is crucial for a PA. Everyone has their preferred form – email, text, phone call, face-to-face – even when dealing with a largely uncommunicative manager. No matter the manager’s preference, a PA must ensure that they are relaying all information back to them.

Some executives prefer for their PAs to attend all meetings with them. If this is the case, it’s crucial for the PA to make thorough notes to discuss post-meeting. They will then be able to pull them apart and prioritise action points. If it’s a virtual meeting, the advantage is that a PA will be able to record it to refer to afterwards.

If a PA does not attend meetings with their boss, it’s best practice to sit down together afterwards to discuss everything that has been touched on.

A PA will also often represent their boss to key stakeholders or be required to ‘gatekeep’. For this reason, we typically look for a PA’s communication style to be diplomatic, discrete, and for them to remain calm in the face of high pressure.

Example interview questions around communication:

1. Can you give us an example of a time when you had to relay complex information to someone in simple language, and how you achieved it?
2. How would you approach a conversation with a frustrated colleague or client on behalf of your manager?

Resilience

A resilient PA will quickly become an invaluable support to their team. Most of us, at one time or another in our careers, will occasionally be presented with the challenge of dealing with tricky situations and people. These might be clients, managers, time-sensitive projects or make-or-break presentations. PAs, however, see all of these regularly.

Not taking things personally is key, quite simply because they’re so frequently in high-pressure situations and more often than not (rightly or wrongly), on the receiving end of a frustrated individual or team.

Example interview questions around resilience:

1. How do you manage your stress levels in high-pressure situations?
2. Can you give an example of a time when you have juggled multiple deadlines?

Efficiency

It goes without saying that a great PA must be organised. They will implement organisational structures into their work and stick to them. By keeping their work life neat and tidy, a great PA will maintain a clear head and be ready for all situations.

Email management often plays an important role in a PA’s typical day: by organising all their emails into set folders, they can be broken down by sender or task and stored in each folder. Alternatively, there are apps to help automate inbox and diary management, ensuring that all emails are on hand when they are needed.

It goes without saying that every PA monitors their to-do list with pinpoint accuracy. Every time a new task comes up, PAs should think about its priority within their workload, then place it accordingly in the list. This reduces the chances of forgetting something and will help with time management.

Taking on the most difficult and time-consuming tasks at the beginning of the day minimises stress levels and maximises the standard of work.

Example interview questions about efficiency:

1. How do you organise your workload?
2. Tell us about a time you improved the efficiency of processes at work, and the results.

Proactivity

If nothing else, a PA must be proactive. It’s vital that they can stay ahead of their manager, regardless of the situation. This often means reviewing the meetings their manager has at the beginning of the week, and ensuring that all requirements, such as travel, agenda and rooms, are considered ahead of time.

There may be a time when a manager is out of the office or away on annual leave, leaving the PA to manage their affairs. As the first point of contact for clients and contacts, they will need to maintain high levels of professionalism to ensure that they are acting exactly as their boss would do in each situation.

Example interview questions about proactivity:

1. Can you give us an example of when you foresaw a potential issue and were able to avoid it ahead of time?
2. What methods do you use to stay on top of upcoming deadlines and events?

Positive attitude

Not only can the PA role be incredibly stressful at times, but a busy team will look to their PA as a constant. So, a successful PA must be able to approach every situation with optimism, working logically through each problem to find a solution. By keeping calm and staying upbeat, they will be able to complete tasks to a higher standard.

A PA is often required to represent their manager and company either on the telephone, via email, or face to face. Therefore, they need to be comfortable engaging in small talk and networking, always remaining polite and courteous. A PA will also be expected to stay positive and have that can-do attitude at all times, as this will play a huge part in staff morale.

Examples interview questions:

1. Describe a time when you faced a setback. How did you address and move past it?
2. Describe a challenge you’re most proud of overcoming?

Self-motivation

Personal assistants work with time-stretched senior managers, so cannot expect praise every time they complete a task on their to-do list. Self-motivation is therefore key to PAs being able to progress with their workload.

The most effective PAs will set themselves goals for the working day, aiming to complete a certain number of tasks on the list before taking the next coffee break. Working hard may look like it is going unrecognised, but it is always noticed.

Examples interview questions:

1. What do you do to get yourself into a work mindset after a break?
2. Describe a time when you set a challenging goal for yourself. How did you stay motivated to achieve it, and what were the outcomes?

Discretion

Discretion is one of the most important behaviours of a personal assistant, particularly private PAs. They will be exposed to a myriad of personal and professional confidences as a PA, and this unique characteristic will see the best assistants go far in their careers. A gossip might find their credibility is tarnished early on, while those who understand confidentiality will shortly prove themselves to be indispensable.

Example interview questions:

1. In what ways have you maintained confidentiality while working in a team environment, and how do you ensure that information remains secure and protected?
2. How would you handle a situation in which you discover a colleague’s confidential documents left behind in the office?

Looking to hire a PA? Read our guide to hiring a PA and get in touch with your requirements.

Looking for a PA job? Tiger Recruitment can help. Submit your details or see our available jobs now.

The post The traits of a successful PA appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Job hunting isn’t just about finding a role. It’s about the career path that’s on offer too. With this in mind, having a growth mindset is important at every stage of the interview process. Discussing progression opportunities with your potential employer gives insight into the company’s growth culture. It also demonstrates the value you can bring to the organisation.

In this guide, we explore a different approach to job hunting, with growth as the focus. Navigating the right balance between your career aspirations and the reality will ensure that your equipped with the right information when you make the all-important decision of accepting the role at hand.

Having a growth mindset when job hunting

Before sending out any applications, ensure that your growth mindset is in place. This means managing your expectations around the job hunt and preparing for the obstacles that might fall your way.

• Embracing challenges – The uncertainties of job hunting can feel daunting. Use any challenges to your advantage. View them as learning opportunities and ways you can improve.
• Learning from feedback – Each application and interview is a chance to gather valuable feedback. You’ll see criticism as constructive, to make improvements as needed.
• Setting achievable goals – Setting ambitious but achievable goals with the understanding of the effort, planning and ongoing learning involved.

Preparing for interview

An interview presents you with a chance to demonstrate your eagerness to grow in your career. It’s a two-fold opportunity to learn about the company’s commitment to professional development, whilst communicating your intentions.

That said, it’s crucial to strike the balance between that and your enthusiasm for the role at hand – the one they’re interviewing you for!

Research the company

It’s no secret that researching the company before an interview is a must. Find out their values and look at the potential internal progression opportunities.

It might also be worth looking at employee profiles who are in similar roles on LinkedIn. You’ll be able to see their progression path within the company, which tells you 1. If they support growth and 2. The skillsets and backgrounds required to progress.

Personal development plan

Express your current skill set during your interview and your drive to build on it. Discuss any courses or reading materials that are part of your development plan. Being proactive underscores your commitment and passion/

Evaluate your offer

If you receive a job offer (which we hope you do!), look beyond the financial incentives. Dive further into the long-term growth opportunities that each position offers and don’t be afraid to walk away.

How to evaluate an offer with a growth mindset:

Career path clarity

Does the role offer a clear career path or is it a dead-end job? This should be easily identifiable from your interview. Look for opportunities for movement in the company and seek clarity on anything you’re unsure of.

Training and professional development

What training opportunities does the company provide? Is there a professional development budget?

Recognition and feedback

Does the company acknowledge employee progress and provide feedback regularly? A work environment that values input and nurtures growth is key here.

Industry trends and organisational growth

How does the company stack up against what’s current? A business that’s thriving should have ample opportunities for employees to thrive too.

Maintaining a growth mindset in your new role

Once you’ve started the position and settled into the role you can start to take steps to develop further. Here’s how:

Network and seek mentorship – Build a strong network that includes those who can guide you in your career.

Take initiative – Volunteering for new projects and responsibilities will go a long way to show your value. It sets you up as a proactive contributor and shows commitment.

Continual learning – Invest time into researching current trends in the industry. Seek out learning opportunities both inside and outside of your company.

Summary

Having a growth mindset can set you apart from other candidates. Have achievable goals and showcase your growth mindset during the interview process. When evaluating job offers, make sure you focus on professional development and don’t be immediately tempted by the compensation package alone.

You want your new role to contribute towards a fulfilling and progressive career so don’t settle for a job that doesn’t fulfil you. Embrace your new mindset and you’ll open yourself up to endless possibilities.

The post Job Hunting with a Growth Mindset: Prepare for Career Progression appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Asking your boss for more money can be a nervous conversation for many people. However, with proper preparation and research you can both improve your chances and plan out your next step, whatever the outcome. Here are five things to know before you begin the conversation.

1. Know the business

Make sure you know what the company’s policy is on pay rises. Some will only consider them at annual reviews whilst others will have pay grades that are reliant on an employee’s position within the company. If there is an employee handbook it may contain details on this. Otherwise consider the best person to ask, be it your manager or a more experienced colleague. Either way, if it goes against company policy your chances will be slim. By finding out ahead of time, you can save yourself what could be an awkward conversation.

2. Know the market

Ensure you understand who else is out there who could take your role. For example, if you’re a PA and someone with a similar level of experience could be available at your current wages, it’s not necessarily in your employer’s interest to meet your wishes. By knowing the market you can be realistic about the likely outcome of your request but also benchmark what you believe you should be earning. Equally, if they turn you down without reasonable consideration you will know what else is out there and can consider moving on to find your desired salary.

3. Know your value

While you may be valued at a certain price on paper, think about what else you offer the business. If you have built up intricate knowledge that will be hard to replace, demonstrate it. Be ready to talk about your achievements in your role and how you’ve benefited the company. If your job description has changed or been added to, ensure this is acknowledged. Be fully prepared to explain what you personally offer the business and why it’s in their best interest to keep you.

4. Know the details

Once you’ve checked you’re working within company policy, are being realistic with your request and have noted why you believe you deserve a raise, it’s time to get your details in order. Be clear, concise and plan what you’ll say, working out a conversation framework ahead of the meeting. Try and pre-empt any questions or challenges your employer may put forward and have a response. And, though it may seem obvious, know how much you’re asking for, ensuring you can explain how you arrived at that figure.

5. Know your next move

There are several likely outcomes from a pay rise request. Be ready to respond to all of them. In the best case scenario, your employer says ‘yes’. This is where you’ll need to know exactly how much you’re asking for and why. Your employer may counter so be prepared for this as well. If you are willing to accept less than your initial request, know by how much. If not, explain why.

You may hear a response that starts “No, but…”. Listen carefully to their reasoning here. It may be the case that they want to but are unable due to cut backs or cash flow issues. If this is the case you may be able to agree a time to next discuss the issue or find out what you need to do to reach an agreement now. Worst case scenario is a flat no. Be polite and gracious, and enquire into what steps you could take for a pay rise to become a consideration. You can then decide if these are worth your while. If not, it may be time to move on.

Are you looking for an employer who knows your value? Send us your CV or get in touch to discuss your next move.

The post How to ask for a pay rise… and get one appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Preparing for a job interview can be a daunting experience, especially in a highly competitive job market.

So how do you stand out from the competition? To help you make a great first impression and optimise your chances of acing the interview and securing your dream role, we’ve compiled a list of 10 winning interview tips.

Do your homework

This is a critical yet often overlooked component of interview preparation. When you are invited for an interview, ensure you familiarise yourself with the company and show that you have done your due diligence. This also includes research on your interviewer.  Employers may not be willing to offer a role to somebody who has failed to demonstrate a genuine interest in the organisation and role in question.

It is always good practice to research what a company does, what their values are, and what differentiates them from their competitors. More important, think about what that means to you and how it aligns with what you are looking for.

Read the job description carefully

Ensure you are prepared to answer questions about how your experience relates to the job description. The hiring manager will use your answers to determine your suitability for the role.

Draw upon examples from your experience that demonstrate that you have a particular skill or core competency the company is looking for. For instance, if the role you are applying for requires someone who can manage multiple projects at once, the hiring manager might ask you to share an occasion where you used that skill in your professional experience.

Refresh your technique to effective competency interviews and frame your answers well.

Dress appropriately

The way you present yourself in a job interview will influence the interviewer’s impression of you and the overall success of the interview.

Choosing the right attire is an important step, as each organisation will have different expectations for what their employees should wear.

A finance company may have more professional requirements for employee attire compared to a tech company; therefore, it is imperative that you consider how you’ll dress and ensure it’s appropriate for the company you are meeting with.

Good presentation is as important for a video interview as it is for face to face.

Make a good first impression

Making a good first impression can determine the degree to which you are successful in your interview. The way you introduce yourself, shake the interviewer’s hand or interact in the initial conversation, all play an important role in the outcome of your interview. So, arrive on time, remember good posture, a friendly greeting, and most importantly, smile!

Pay attention to your body language

Effective body language can help you convey a positive message to the interviewer and is an important indicator of your confidence and interest, regardless of whether you are attending a face to face or virtual interview. You should pay attention to your posture, avoid slouching and sit up straight.

Don’t cross your arms on your chest as it creates an invisible wall between you and the hiring manager, and steer clear of excessive hand movements.

Prepare three personal facts about yourself

As much as the interview is to assess your professional skills and abilities, employers also want to learn more about you as a person. Sometimes this question can throw you off in an interview.

Think about your interests and hobbies, volunteering projects, or anything else that you feel comfortable talking about that will help the interviewer to develop a more in-depth understanding of you and what makes you tick.

Highlight your transferable skills

Transferable skills are a set of skills and abilities that can be applied to a wide range of different jobs and industries.

This will be extremely helpful for selling your potential, especially if you’re at the start of your career and don’t have extensive experience under your belt, or if you’re looking to transition into a new industry. demonstrating that you have transferable skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you are a good fit for this role, regardless of your lack of experience in a certain industry.

Prepare insightful questions 

Preparing insightful questions to ask prospective employers in an interview will help you to come across as interested, enthusiastic and engaged. Asking strategic questions shows that you have conducted in-depth research into the company and that you have a strong interest in the role in question.

For example, you may wish to ask about the key challenges of the role, career progression opportunities offered by the company, or the company culture.

Be yourself

As cliché as this sounds, it’s probably one of the best pieces of advice you could receive.

Pretending to be someone you are not or providing misleading or dishonest information about your background or experience won’t lead to a successful outcome. Employers want to hire someone who is honest and transparent, and if you simply focus on being yourself, it will pay off.

Send a thank-you note

Finally, sending a thank you note or email after an interview is not only an act of courtesy, but also demonstrates your enthusiasm for the role.

Sending a simple email to thank your interviewer for their time will make you stand out in their memory.

Job interviews don’t have to be an intimidating experience: the key to reducing job interview stress is thorough preparation and practice.

The post 10 MUST DO tips for a successful job interview appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Moving to a new country is an exciting and rewarding endeavour, with the potential for personal and career growth. No more is this more obvious than Dubai, a city that ranks ninth in the world for career progression amongst expats.¹

However, as with any move to a new country with a different legal system, it’s worth educating yourself on the professional differences between your home country and the UAE. This is particularly relevant when it comes to salaries and packages. As an emerging economy and business centre, Dubai is still implementing many of the structures that exist in UK workplaces. Therefore, allowances like annual leave, maternity leave and insurance are calculated differently. Benefit schemes are also not as popular as companies are yet to implement additional incentives to attract and retain talent.

That said, this doesn’t mean the concept is completely unknown to businesses across the Middle East. For example, flexible working continues to rise in popularity, with a recent study by International Workplace Group (IWG) finding that 60% of UAE employees work somewhere other than their office at least one day a week. The same study also discovered 52% work away from the office for half the week (or more), while 10% are out of the office for the complete five days.

With 82% of employers recognizing the importance of offering a wide variety of voluntary benefits², there is potential for this area to only grow.

Salary packages

Most salary packages are broken up into basic salary and benefits, which can include anything from health insurance and accommodation, to transportation allowances and flights home. Generally, a package is much higher than in the UK. For example, among junior administration workers, AED 15,000 a month (approximately GBP 3000) would be considered low, while AED 20,000 (approximately GBP 4000) for a PA would be considered standard. On an annual salary, that would equate to over GBP 46,000 tax free as there is no income tax.

Common benefits

Health insurance is one of the few universal benefits offered by Dubai workplaces, as it is legally enforceable. However, as medical premiums continue to rise, employees are increasingly attracted to extended cover that ensures the ongoing wellbeing of both themselves and their families.²

Gratuity (the UAE pension equivalent) is also enforceable and is calculated according to basic salary and tenure at the company. Employees are paid the equivalent of 21 working days every year for their first five years of service. After five years, the allocation goes up to 30 days.

Annual leave is calculated in a similar way. After six months in a new role, an employee is entitled to two calendar days a month. After 12 months’ service, it is a base rate of 30 calendar days per annum. This varies slightly in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), as employees are allocated 20 calendar days per year after just three months. This doesn’t include any public holidays, as determined by the UAE government.

Based on Tiger’s latest data, about 50% of companies offer expats an annual flight home to their respective countries, making the distance between countries a little smaller. More generally, transportation allowance is a common benefit – a 2017 Salary Survey by job site Bayt.com found that 30% of surveyed employees in the UAE were reimbursed for their travel from home to their place of work. The number was even higher in Saudi Arabia and Qatar (44% and 33% respectively).³

According to the same study, approximately a quarter of employers also offer a housing allowance to order to reduce overall living costs, as well as the opportunity to earn bonuses on top of their basic salary.

Room for growth

Family-friendly benefits are still in short supply across Dubai workplaces, with just 5% of UAE employees receiving a children’s education allowance and 1% having access to a childcare facility.

Over the last 18 months, there have been strides in the way of maternity leave allowance, with public sector employees receiving 60 days at full pay, then reduced working hours for the following four months. Men in the public sector are entitled to paid paternity leave for three days within the first month.

However, in the private sector, new mothers are entitled to 45 days maternity leave. If they have been employed by the same company for one year, it is at full pay, otherwise, it is half pay. They are also entitled to two additional half-hour breaks a day for nursing.

Companies such as Omnicom Media Group and Edleman are leading the charge in this area, voluntarily doubling the allowance to 90 days and offering additional flexible working hours.⁴ They are joined by global companies such as Facebook, Google, Hill+Knowlton and Jumeirah Group, all of who offer benefits in line with their international offices, including flexible working, career development programmes and social events.

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Tiger Recruitment can help you find a role with the right benefits for you and your family. Get in touch today!

1. HTTPS://WWW.EXPATEXPLORER.HSBC.COM/SURVEY/COUNTRY/UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES
2. HTTPS://WWW.METLIFE.AE/CONTENT/DAM/REFRESH/UAE_REFRESH/EN/ASSETS/PDF/EMPLOYEE-BENEFIT-TRENDS-STUDY/2017-EBTS.PDF
3. HTTPS://IMG0BM.B8CDN.COM/IMAGES/UPLOADS/ARTICLE_DOCS/BAYT-SALARY-SURVEY_04-2017_EN_33991_EN.PDF
4. HTTPS://GULFNEWS.COM/NEWS/UAE/GOVERNMENT/PRIVATE-FIRMS-EXTEND-MATERNITY-LEAVE-IN-UAE-1.2184930

The post Breaking down Dubai’s salary packages appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Located in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is known for its luxury shopping, towering skyscrapers and vibrant nightlife.

The city, celebrated as a popular tourist destination, is quickly becoming home to an abundance of professionals in their dream digital jobs.

The city has a thriving business community, recognised globally for its international trade and tourism. A modern destination pioneered by innovation and technology, Dubai is constantly evolving and positioning itself as a global leader for sustainability and digital transformation.

With an already large expatriate population, Dubai offers a diverse mix of cultures, often working in collaboration to create the next best idea in the digital space.

Following investment from the UAE’s oil sector, there are plenty of tech job opportunities in start-ups across retail tech, ecommerce and logistics tech.

Strategic Location

Dubai is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, making it an ideal hub for digital businesses. Its central location allows for efficient and cost-effective distribution of goods and services to a large customer base. The city also has a well-developed transportation infrastructure, including an international airport and ports, making it easy for residents and business professionals to travel in and out of the UAE.

Robust Infrastructure

The Dubai government has invested billions in transforming the city’s transport infrastructure to support industrial and economic growth. [1] Its proximity to key trade routes, such as the Suez Canal, further enhances its appeal as a hub for international trade and commerce. For digital companies, the highly developed infrastructure supports the growth and operation of business, as materials and manufacturing resources are more accessible.

Favourable Business Environment

Dubai offers a business-friendly environment with low taxes and streamlined regulations, attracting entrepreneurs and investors alike. This tax-friendly environment has drawn in many multinational corporations to set up their regional headquarters in the city. In addition to the low tax rate, Dubai offers other incentives such as political stability, a growing economy and fast procedures thanks to its large pool of skilled labour and industrial infrastructure.

Growing Tech Scene

Dubai is home to a growing technology scene, with a focus on sectors such as fintech, AI, e-commerce and renewable energy. The city’s government has made significant investments in technology and innovation, in order to position itself as a leader in the digital space. Dubai has established various technology parks, innovation centres and start-up incubators to support the growth of technology companies and encourage entrepreneurship. One example is the newly established Expo City, which offers huge benefits for tech start-ups. The city also hosts several technology conferences and events throughout the year, bringing together tech experts, investors and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Living Standards

Dubai is home to a diverse population, with a large expatriate community from around the world. The majority of residents in Dubai are foreign nationals, with a small percentage of Emirati citizens. Dubai offers a high standard of living, with modern amenities and a wide range of recreational activities. The city also has a thriving cultural scene, with numerous museums, galleries and cultural centres showcasing the rich heritage of the UAE and other countries. Overall, the residents of Dubai are a mix of cultures and nationalities, creating a dynamic and vibrant community. The city’s cosmopolitan nature and favourable business environment have attracted a large number of professionals from various industries, including finance, technology, and tourism.

If you’re looking for a new digital job in Dubai, check out our jobs listings or create your online profile here.

[1] The First Group

The post Five reasons why Dubai is the next go-to destination for digital appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

When applying for a PA job, you should use every tool at your disposal to make the strongest case possible for yourself. The first and most important step should be an up-to-date and compelling personal assistant CV, but don’t neglect the icing on the cake – a personal assistant cover letter.

Cover letters are not always required by an employer but, where possible, we highly advise that you include one in your job applications. Many hiring managers still use them to distinguish the most enthusiastic and suitable applicants, and they’re a perfect way to showcase your writing skills and personality ahead of an interview.

Here we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to writing a personal assistant cover letter, with a downloadable PA cover letter example.

A step-by-step guide to writing a PA cover letter

A covering letter for personal assistant jobs can be treated as an expanded version of your PA personal statement on your CV. As with the personal statement, a cover letter will highlight your relevant skills, experience and character traits that are perfect for a PA job! But it’s also a chance to show your enthusiasm for the specific job and company, and explain why you’ll be a perfect fit.

In the simplest terms, your PA cover letter should tell the hiring manager:

• Who you are and why you’re applying for this role
• Your prior work experience and the skills attained
• Specific challenges and achievements in your career and how your skills and personality played a part in them
• How those same skills and personality traits will benefit the prospective employer

It’s best practice to keep the document to around one page and use the active voice to make your writing more powerful. Sentences in the active voice describe a subject performing an action on an object, whereas the passive voice describes an object having an action performed on it by the subject. For example, the active sentence “I increased the company’s efficiency by 30%” is much more direct and punchy than the passive version: “The company’s efficiency was increased 30% by me”.

Let’s look at each section of your personal assistant cover letter in detail:

1. Introduction

This is the ‘who and why’ of the piece. Keep it short and sweet, but show your interest in the position and company.

Perhaps you’re applying because you respect the company’s commitment to sustainability, or are a lifelong fan of their products and would love to be part of the team. Whatever it is, be honest in your reasons. In our PA cover letter example, the applicant is applying for a travel company, and highlights their love of travelling as part of the reason for their interest in the position.

If you know the hiring manager’s name, address the letter to them to give an added personal touch, but be careful to do your research and match the level of formality to the company culture.

2. Work experience, skills, and qualifications

Always keep the aim of your letter in mind so, when detailing previous jobs, focus on those that will get the hiring manager sit up and take notice. For a personal assistant cover letter, these will of course be any previous PA positions but, if you’re new to the PA role, it could be team assistant, office assistant, or even customer services roles that display your people skills.

Regardless of your depth of experience as a PA, the important thing in this section is to tie any jobs and the skills involved back to the question at hand: why are you the best person for this PA job?

This is also an opportunity to note any relevant PA certifications or qualifications you have.

3. Challenges & Achievements

By this point, your impressive list of prior employers and skillset have caught the hiring manager’s attention but, if you leave it at that, their answer will simply be “so what?”

There are any number of personal assistants out there with similar credentials who are doing a passable job. You need to show a new employer that you’ve done excellent work and will do so for them too. So, how do you do that?

A simple formula to follow is:

• Describe a challenge you encountered at work
• How did you use your skills and personality traits to overcome it?
• What was the outcome and how did it benefit the business?

Try to find two or three of these achievements that highlight your adaptability to different challenges. Don’t be shy to take credit for your achievements – use ‘I’, not ‘we’. While it’s important to show you work well with others, taking ownership of your successes shows your confidence and pride in doing a good job.

4. Benefits to the prospective employer

Now that you’ve shown proof of the value you can offer to the company or individual you’ll be assisting, all that’s left to do is to circle back to the opening points of your letter – why you want this PA job, and why you’re the best person for the role. Spell it out to the hiring manager in a punchy summary to leave them with the most important points clear in their mind.

It’s great practice to make it as easy as possible to follow up. Let them know when you’re free for a call, or even suggest a day and time. Another tip is to ask someone trustworthy to proofread your cover letter before sending. As the letter is an example of your level of writing skill, you want to be sure you’ve cleaned any typos, grammar slips, or confusing sentences.

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Download our personal assistant cover letter example to see all these points put into practice.

If you haven’t already, register with us to get the ball rolling on your PA job search!

The post Four steps to writing a personal assistant cover letter appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

As virtual jobs continue to rise in popularity, thanks to new technology and flexible working setups, more and more people in personal assistant jobs are becoming a virtual assistant. With added flexibility and convenience, it has become a fantastic option for those looking to even out their work-life balance.

However, the transition to a virtual assistant role requires plenty of forethought and preparation – it’s not just a case of dropping everything on Friday and starting up on Monday. So if you’re interested in how to become a virtual assistant, look no further than the following tips:

Plan ahead

Becoming a virtual assistant won’t happen overnight. It’s worth putting a plan in place as early as possible. Because you’ll likely be setting up as a freelancer, you need to treat the endeavour as a business, setting targets for business development, pitches and completed work. You can even create a path plan, identifying milestones and the skills and experience needed to reach them.

Network

When starting out, it’s all about who you know. Start networking with decision makers, calling on old acquaintances and connections to build a database of potential clients. One of the best ways to find potential clients and useful contacts is via LinkedIn, so spend time learning how to use LinkedIn effectively.

Another fruitful avenue for networking is with fellow ‘digital nomads’ working remotely. These could be other virtual assistants, or freelancers in other fields who may nonetheless have good advice and connections. Your best chance to meet these peers (and to have a break from the home office!) is in co-working spaces.

Get online

As part of becoming a virtual assistant, it’s imperative to make sure your online presence represents your brand as well as possible. These days, setting up an impressive and professional-looking website is very simple through services like WordPress and Squarespace. Having an easy-to-find online space with up-to-date contact details and information about your services will be one of the biggest drivers of new business. You should likewise treat your LinkedIn profile as a shop window, ensuring it reflects your achievements, services, and career aspirations.

Research

Do your research before engaging any clients. Know what the industry standard pay rate is, what normal turnover rates are and the average weekly hours. This will protect you from being taken advantage of, but it also shows prospective clients your depth of knowledge in your field.

At the same time you should learn all you can about businesses or clients you’re approaching. Show them from the start that you have an understanding of their work, their industry, and what would be required of you. This will certainly pique the interest of target clients.

Invest

Make sure you have all the equipment ready to go. This includes a fast computer and internet connection, microphone, headphones and, of course, a quiet space to work. For help setting up your own personal den of productivity, check out our guide to creating a home workspace.

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The move from PA to VA is a natural one in the increasingly online world, but it’s not always obvious how to become a virtual assistant. If you keep these principles in mind you’ll have a much greater chance of success as you head off in this exciting new direction!

Looking for a virtual role, or in need of a VA? Tiger can help – get in touch today.

The post From PA to VA: How to become a virtual assistant appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Automation continues to pervade our everyday lives, with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and a multitude of chatbots now commonplace. As this technology continues to rise in popularity, it’s being adopted in the professional space, with everyone from factory workers to CEOs recognising its potential.

As a PA, you may be having visions of those chirpy AI assistants taking over your role, but fear not – there are plenty of benefits of automation for personal assistants! Here are five ways to take advantage of the technology and start automating processes at work.

1. Inbox management

There are plenty of tools for PAs out there that can filter through inboxes, categorising emails into different folders and marking them in terms of importance. If needed, they can also send receipts straight to your nominated accounting software, forward tasks straight to to-do lists and even delete unneeded communications. When handling multiple inboxes, it can make maintaining emails easier than ever. Check out these top services:

• Clean Email
• Mailbird
• Boomerang

2. Multi-tasking

Smart browser extensions can coordinate your many different apps and programmes, reducing the need for repetitive tasks, and opening up the workflow from one application to another. For example, you could send an important PowerPoint or Excel document in an email, and the attachment will be automatically saved to Dropbox. Project management apps can also be linked – Evernote can be connected to Trello or a Google calendar, meaning there’s no need to repeat notes. Streamline your workflow with these recommendations:

• Zapier
• If This Then That
• Workato

3. Diary management

There are some things that only a human PA or EA can do when it comes to scheduling, but rote tasks such as organising meetings can be offloaded to an automation app.. These programmes can find the next available spot in your Principal’s calendar by CC-ing them into an email. Most of these bots are also programmed to learn from each experience, meaning that any pre-sets are carried onto the next interaction. Our favourites are:

• Calendly
• Fantastical
• Google Calendar

4. Travel booking

Forget liaising with a travel agent or spending hours on the multiple airline apps to find a spare business class seat – travel booking tools will do your organizing for you, leaving more time for other human-centric tasks. With the potential for personalised results, automatically generated itineraries and a concierge service, they take care of every element for both personal and business travel. Take the stress out of travelling with these apps:

• TravelPerk
• TripIt
• TripActions

5. Minute-taking

Minute-taking may be one of the regular tasks for PAs and EAs, but if the tech world has anything to do with it, it won’t be for much longer. Several apps now exist to automate the entire process, dialling in like a human participant and using speech-to-text technology to take accurate notes. They can also email a copy after the meeting and highlight any actions discussed, ensuring each meeting is of use. Our top picks are:

• Beenote
• Otter.ai
• Sembly

We know that the true value of PAs and executive assistants stems from their soft skills such as empathy, negotiation, diplomacy and personal touch. Automating repetitive and administrative tasks, as part of your role, will ultimately allow those soft skills to shine so that you can take the next step in your career.

Looking for a new PA job or seeking further training? Tiger can help – register today to start your job search!

The post PAs, are you up to speed on the benefits of automation? appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Five key PA duties explained

If you’re considering a move into a personal assistant job, you’ve come to the right place. Tiger has specialised in securing jobseekers their dream PA role for over two decades, so our understanding of the position is second to none.

PA roles and responsibilities have been highly valued across a number of industries for decades. The future of the PA role may always be evolving along with the many changes in technology and work culture but, at its core, the position remains the same: ensuring the Principal you’re assisting has everything they need to perform at their best. So, how does a personal assistant go about achieving that?

The gatekeeper

The amount of incoming calls and emails they receive will depend on the seniority of your Principal but, regardless, answering these will play a significant role in your PA duties. You will be tasked with filtering out unnecessary distractions and prioritising enquiries for your Principal to respond to. So, you’ll need excellent verbal and written communication, as well as relationship-management skills when in regular contact with clients and other business partners.

The diary manager

Senior-level staff can jump from meeting to meeting, office to office throughout the day, so naturally it can be difficult for them to remember their schedule. They’ll rely on you as a PA to manage their diary: booking meetings, phone calls, lunches and more, but also ensuring that they have enough downtime to travel or attend to personal tasks.

The travel booker

Management and executive-level staff will often be required to travel nationally or internationally for meetings and conferences. As their PA, it will be your responsibility to arrange everything surrounding these trips including visas, taxis, flights, hotels, meeting rooms and restaurants. Writing a well-planned travel itinerary, as well as the ability to respond quickly and effectively to cancellations, schedule changes and other issues, will make you an invaluable assistant.

The expense manager

Hand-in-hand with arranging travel and accommodation is dealing with expenses. You’ll be entrusted to ensure all bills are correct and paid for on time, and keep an up to date log of these and all other business expenses related to your executive. It’s thus crucial that you have a good head for numbers.

The MS Office wizard

Your manager/executive will regularly be moving between meetings covering different subjects. They may even be giving presentations. A personal assistant will help ease the transition by preparing notes, reports, PowerPoints and other documents for their Principal ahead of time. The best PAs are skilled with a variety of software useful to this task, such as Microsoft Office suite. If you lack confidence in these programmes, there are many online courses you can take to get up to speed.

There are many more ad-hoc tasks you’ll be required to undertake as a PA, which you can find out about in our PA job description. And, alongside mastering these daily PA roles and responsibilities, the most important challenge of a personal assistant job is to learn the preferred working style, rhythms, and quirks of your manager. If you can click with them and march to the same beat, you’ll be able to anticipate potential problems and distractions ahead and clear them from the path, keeping everything running smoothly.

If you’re ready to take the next step and apply for PA roles, submit your details today. And be sure to read our tips for PA interviews to prepare yourself!

The post What does a Personal Assistant do? appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

Why asking your interviewer questions is important

Interviews can often be a dreaded part of the recruitment process. Regardless of whether they’re a panel interview, video interview or phone interview however, they’re integral to your understanding of the PA job and the prospective employer. And, asking your interviewer well-researched and considered questions presents an opportunity to emphasise your enthusiasm for the open vacancy.

It’s likely that a well-prepped interviewer will set out the agenda for the meeting at the beginning, advising whether they’d welcome questions throughout the interview or at the end (be aware, there may be interviewers who are ill-prepared!). If this isn’t mentioned, however, we generally advise to try and keep the conversation as two-way as possible.

Every question you ask the employer affords you an opportunity to highlight your own skills too! By framing your questions appropriately, you can convey your strengths and examples of previous performance in an interactive and proactive way. For example, when asking about process improvement, you could say, “At my last organisation, I set up a committee for all the PAs to meet once a month so that we could share tips and improve processes. Do you have anything similar in place here?”.

How long does a PA interview last?

A typical PA interview will last about an hour and we would normally expect you to have seen a copy of the full job description beforehand.  There will usually be two or three stages to a PA interview process – but we have seen this take a lot longer depending on the company and seniority of the position.

Example questions PAs can ask their employer in interview

1. How many PAs are working in the company at the moment and how do you allocate executives to PAs?

This question will help you to better understand the make-up of the PA team, as well as how the management team view the business support function. Do they recognise its importance or do they, for the most part, try to push senior execs to do the admin for themselves? It might also shed some light on your support network once you’re working for the company (moral and professional!).

2. What are the key goals you’d like to see me achieving in the first three months?

Having a better understanding of the key objectives will give you better clarity around what is important to them. It might be that they want you to focus on getting your head around the different time zones you’ll be working with, in which case you’ll know that that’s the key priority.

3. Can you tell me more about the personalities of the people I’d be assisting?

As you know, personal assistant jobs are so much more than what’s listed in the job description. Having a better understanding of their personalities is likely to give you a better insight into whether or not you’d be comfortable working for them. If the fit doesn’t feel right, you might need to weigh up the pros and cons of the other aspects of the role.

4. What traits do the most successful PAs in the company have?

Having a greater insight into the other PAs’ perceived successes affords you a glimpse of what they deem to be positive. If you’re very lucky, their successes will be things that you already do and know back-to-front!

5. What technology do the PAs and EAs typically use in the company?

This will give you a better understanding of any knowledge gaps you might have, or an opportunity to let them know you have experience in what they’re using! Knowing their use of tech also gives you a sneak peek into how innovative the business is, in that regard.

6. Aside from the people I’m supporting as a PA, who will be my main stakeholders?

Some PAs only spend a few minutes each day with their executives. Knowing who else you spend time with will play an important part in your enjoyment of the position!

7. What do you feel are the main challenges of this PA opportunity?

Having an understanding of the perceived challenges affords you greater insight into the obstacles you might need to overcome. This will hopefully give you an opportunity to get a fuller understanding of the cons as well as the pros.

8. Tell me about your working style and how you like to work with your PA?

This question is obviously directed towards the executive you’d be supporting, rather than an HR representative. Having a sense of their preferred working style gives an awareness of how closely you’ll be working together, how involved you’ll be with their projects and the day-to-day detail of their requirements.

9. Will I have access to your inbox and will I be responding to emails on your behalf?

Email management has the potential to take a significant chunk of time in a personal assistant’s job. Depending on whether this is something you enjoy, it’s always best to know ahead of time if this is something you’ll be doing.

10. Are there any additional areas of responsibility that I can take on, such as committee work or events management, in other areas of the business?

This question should be phrased carefully, to ensure that there are no misconceptions about your enthusiasm for the role at hand. That said, asking about ways you can add value elsewhere in the business will be well-received in the right context.

11. Do you have any initiatives in place to train and develop your PAs?

The question on many PAs’ minds, when interviewing, surrounds career progression and learning and development (L&D) opportunities. Does the company support advancement and how will they support your professional growth? Instead of asking specifically about career progression before you’ve secured the role, knowing how they structure their L&D will give you a glimpse of the ways in which they can support your growth.

12. Do any events or forums exist for PAs within the business in which they can come together and share ideas?

This demonstrates a consideration of bigger-picture continuous improvement and an ability to look outside of your own role. The advantages of collaboration and team building are also significant.

If you’ve not already submitted your CV, you can do so here.

The post Personal assistants, ask the employer these questions in your next interview appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

After searching far and wide, you’ve found the ideal personal assistant job to apply for. You have the traits required of a great PA, and you’ve made sure they’re all listed clearly your CV. But before you hit that apply button, there’s one more area that needs close attention if you want to stand out to the hiring manager: the personal statement.

Writing an effective personal statement on your CV can have a substantial impact on your job hunt and the success of your application. It will sum up why you’re the perfect fit for the role, and encourage the employer to read on and see the proof. But it’s not always easy to write.

To help you in this process, we’ve put together a list of tips to give you clarity and confidence when writing the best possible personal statement on your CV.

What do you write in a CV personal statement?

On your CV, the personal statement provides a brief overview to the hiring managers of your character, your ambitions, and what you can offer.

In the case of a personal assistant role, it should of course highlight your relevant skills, experience, and the sectors you’ve specifically worked in. But you should also pay special attention to the personality traits that are so crucial to this role.

Below, you’ll find some more specific guidelines to make a great first impression with your CV summary.

Keep it concise

Your CV personal statement should be brief and to-the-point — ideally three to four lines long. The hiring manager will be interested in learning more about you, but they won’t have time to read a whole biography. Keep it punchy and relevant, and therefore effective.

Focus on readability

Don’t get too creative with your vocabulary — keep it simple!

In an effort to sound different or knowledgeable by using very sophisticated words, the risk is that your personal statement will be hard to read. The tone should be professional, but when it comes to the choice of words, sometimes less is more.

Don’t forget to dot the i’s and cross the t’s

You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make grammar mistakes when writing a personal statement on a CV.  When the goal is to keep it concise and simple, you may feel there’s no need for a grammar check, but it’s always best practice to proof-read. It might also be worth using a tool like Grammarly for extra help.

In conclusion

The goal of your personal statement, when applying for a PA role, is to spark the interviewer’s interest in those first few lines. If you can grab their attention early, they will be more likely to read your full CV and offer you an initial interview. Focusing on the above points will go a long towards achieving this.

Are you not registered with us yet? Submit your details here and let us help you find the perfect personal assistant role!

The post How to write a personal assistant CV profile appeared first on Tiger Recruitment.

We are living in a digital world, with laptops, smartphones, tablets and other devices now an integral part of our daily lives and work.

Businesses around the world have become increasingly digitalised, even traditional brick-and-mortar companies are now opting to market their business online. With all the benefits of digital marketing for businesses, this is no surprise.

Just some of these benefits include:

• Cost effectiveness: Digital marketing methods are less expensive than traditional marketing
• Targeting: Reach niche audiences in a measurable way
• Lack of geographical boundaries: Target audiences anywhere in the world
• ROI: Generate a consistent lead pipeline and higher conversion rates
• Measure: Analyse data to determine if campaigns are yielding the desired results

The future of digital marketing is bright

The digital transformation of business has led to a steep rise in demand for marketing professionals who are well versed in the digital marketing arena. Graduates and those looking for a career change are attracted to this exciting and fast-growing career path because it’s a dynamic field that is constantly evolving.

There are currently over 4000 digital marketing jobs for the UAE listed on LinkedIn. And recent LinkedIn data shows that the digital marketing sector continues to soar in popularity. Thus, if you are looking for jobs in this field, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of opportunities available to you.

Is digital marketing a dream job?

Whilst digital marketing is an exhilarating and rewarding career, it also comes with a set of challenges that you need to be prepared for if you are seriously considering this route. To successfully navigate the fast-changing digital marketing landscape, you’ll need to equip yourself with a myriad of skills and continue to improve your knowledge on an ongoing basis. Top digital marketers are always learning and upskilling to ensure they remain competitive and keep on top of emerging trends.

Pros of a career in digital marketing:

• You can earn a healthy income
• It’s a fast paced and exciting career route that will keep you on your toes
• It offers unlimited opportunities for personal and professional growth
• You’ll have the opportunity to work with an interesting mix of people and businesses
• Feeling bold? You could take the plunge and set up your own digital marketing agency
• You’ll be free to tap into your potential and use it to drive your success
• As long as you have internet access, you can work from anywhere in the world
• The balance of tasks allows you to be creative in your work as well as review tangible analytical trends
• The broad landscape of digital marketing gives you many different avenues and outlets
• You’ll have the chance to build a thriving career that will last the test of time
• You’ll never be bored!

Cons of a career in digital marketing:

• Continual learning and keeping on top of rapidly changing trends is hard work
• You may not always see the results you were hoping for
• If you find yourself in a niche that isn’t the best fit for you, it may be challenging to pivot
• You’ll spend long days sitting in front of a screen, which could cause tension over time
• Digital marketing is a demanding and multifaceted career that requires discipline and focus
• You may struggle to formulate successful campaigns, generate traffic and drive conversions, even if you think you’re doing all the right things
• Running your own digital marketing business may be harder than you think
• You may work with clients who have unrealistic expectations, creating additional pressure

If you do decide to go down this route, thorough preparation will increase your chances of success. Start by brushing up on or developing some of the key skills that are required to be an accomplished digital marketer.

Just a few of the top skills that will help to skyrocket your career in digital marketing are:

Video marketing

Are you aware that YouTube is the 2nd largest online platform after Google? Businesses who are embracing video marketing are benefiting from more traction, increased brand awareness, more traffic and more sales. Whilst you don’t need to know everything about video production to succeed as a digital marketer, the stronger you are in this area the better.

Social media

As of January 2022, there were 4.62 billion social media users around the world. A social media presence is vital for businesses who want to maximise exposure for their brand, attract and retain the attention of their audience, and generate more business. Social media offers an incredible opportunity to better understand and build relationships with customers anywhere in the world. Most importantly, it’s free! Savvy digital marketers use engaging social media content to attract and convert audiences organically and analyse campaign data to determine what’s working and what’s not.

Copywriting

To succeed as a digital marketer, you’ll need to create content that engages your audience and persuades them to take a specific form of action that ultimately leads to a conversion or sale. With as many as 350,000 tweets going out every minute, catchy, compelling content is vital to stand out in a saturated digital market. And while the amount of content being shared online is increasing, the attention spans of people are shortening. So, you’ll need to compress information into digestible bites while still conveying the right message and without losing the ability to capture their attention.

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

Search Engine Optimisation is crucial in all aspects of digital marketing, so if you can demonstrate a solid knowledge of the dynamics of SEO, you’ll be ahead of the game. The organisation for whom you work may assign the technical side to a specialist SEO team, but if you have expertise in this area you can apply it to ensure you are producing optimised content that will drive successful campaigns.

PPC

PPC, or pay-per-click advertising, helps businesses to expand their reach by showing up in top spots online, and they only pay when a visitor clicks on their ad. Digital marketers drive performance by paying attention to the relevance and quality of the ad, determining which keywords to target, and the best format and channel. This requires a creative flair, polished analytical skills and an in depth understanding of the business, their goals and customer intents.

Analytics and data analysis

If you want to be a successful digital marketer, you’ll need to use data to verify, understand and quantify the degree to which the efforts of your campaigns are paying off. You’ll need to be able to interpret the data into real, actionable insights which can then be used to inform important business decisions and shape core campaign strategies. Data analysis highlights what’s working and makes it clear where efforts need to be focused.

Email marketing

To further elevate your digital career, learn how to harness the power of email marketing to build relationships with customers. A seasoned digital marketer can create campaigns that nurture subscribers and existing leads through newsletters. They create powerful experiences for their audience, tapping into their emotions and inspiring them to take action.

You’ll find countless digital marketing courses on sites such as Udemy, Lynda, Coursera, Edx, Hubspot and Alison.

If you’re interested in discovering how our consultants could help you find your first or next dream role in digital marketing, please contact us here.

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Receiving that ‘Congratulations…’ email after weeks of applications, interviews and stress can be a huge rush. You spring out of bed buzzing with energy, get to the office an hour early and work harder than ever, thrilled to have seized this dream role!

But how many of us know where this story is heading? The 9-5 becomes a 7-11, the ‘cool’ boss is at boiling point, and no one else in the office is smiling…

Just like a whirlwind romance, a new job can quickly sour after the honeymoon period. The pandemic prompted a lot of people to rethink their careers and take bold steps to change them. For some, the choice to leave one company for another has proven to be the right one. Others, however, are finding the grass isn’t always greener. In their haste to leave an unfulfilling job, they’ve overlooked the importance of doing in-depth research on a company that looks like a perfect fit.

So, how can you tell if a job opportunity is right for you? Here are some green flags to look for in a prospective employer.

Positive workplace culture

Take a look at any successful company’s website and social media. Chances are you’ll see photos of the team enjoying away days and after-work drinks like a group of old friends. This is a great indicator of a company striving to regularly bring a team together – the importance of which can be forgotten in the current excitement around hybrid and remote working. You may even wish to reach out to your potential colleagues for their own experiences in the office.

Transparent diversity & inclusion initiatives

Many companies have clearly defined policies around Diversity & Inclusion, often available to view on their website. While this is a good start, it’s worth looking at the reality in their team via social media, and by asking questions in the interview process. Reviews from employees on career sites can also be revealing. If there’s a lack of diversity, an honest answer from the interviewers is still a sign of their awareness of the issue.

Good communication and flexibility during the hiring process

Applying and interviewing for jobs is stressful at the best of times, but not hearing a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for weeks at a time can be unbearable. Regular updates from the recruitment team show there is as much respect for the candidate’s time as there is for the company’s. During this back-and-forth it’s also good practice to pay attention to how accommodating they are with interview dates and times. If a company is understanding of prior commitments in your calendar, such as the school run, it’s a good hint at how flexibly it will treat you as an employee.

Clear career progression opportunities

The classic “Where do you see yourself in five years?” could just as easily be countered with “Where do you see me?” While we certainly don’t advise being quite so forward, the point stands that a company needs to be able to show there are real opportunities for you to learn new skills and climb the career ladder beyond the role in question. Examples from its current workforce are the best proof.

Respect for work-life balance

The importance of a healthy work-life balance has been in the spotlight for a while now, encouraging employers to place much more emphasis on it in their job adverts. But this is an easy area for them to fall short in due to our 24hour connectivity and ability to work remotely. In the interviews, be sure to delve into any benefits offered like holiday, flexible hours/days, personal days, life-coaching, and mental health initiatives.

What connects all these positive indicators is the proof that a company acts on its word. If you can see the employer puts its money where its mouth is, or at the very least is transparent in its shortcomings and efforts to amend them, you can rest easy that this is a company with a human approach to business.

If you’re ready to take the next steps in your career evolution, and would like advice and help finding a role and company that will match your principles, please get in touch today.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to read more on our Insights page.

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