More employment opportunities are likely to open up in the UAE with 62 percent of the companies planning to hire in a year's time, a new survey has revealed. Over the next three months, 21 percent of companies in the Gulf state will be 'definitely hiring', with a further 28 percent 'probably hiring'. The majority of these jobs are likely to come from the private sector, the Jobs Index survey conducted by Middle East jobsite Bayt.com and YouGov, a research and consulting organization said. However, over the next year the figures look more promising with the private sector still providing most of the jobs. According to the survey, 34 percent of Multi-national Companies (MNCs) will be "definitely hiring", as will 31 percent of large local companies, 26 percent of local small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and 23 percent of public sector companies. The industries that are attracting or retaining top talent across the region are banking and finance (36 percent), telecommunications (35 percent) and construction (31 percent). In the UAE, oil, gas and petrochemicals ranked first (39 percent), followed by banking and finance (36 percent) and construction (27 percent). "Statistics across the region are very similar. Companies for the most part are less likely to hire in the coming three months, though it's interesting to note that local companies have the largest cumulative percentages of 'definitely' and 'probably hiring'. In that respect, SMEs will make up the bulk of employment possibilities in a year's time, suggesting that there may be an increase in start-up companies," Amer Zureikat, Vice President - Sales of Bayt.com, said. "The number and type of employees sought by companies is suggestive that there are still cost-conscious initiatives at play which extend themselves to the HR arena," he added. The survey shows that majority of the openings in the next three months will be at junior levels, but demand for executives is also expected to surge. "While it is reassuring to see that some hiring is expected to take place over the next quarter, it's perhaps not surprising to see most companies aiming to hire later in the year. With the global economy back on the front pages, many companies will be pushing potential recruitment plans out in the hope that the current eurozone crisis does not trigger a regional recession", said Sundip Chahal, CEO, YouGov.
