JEDDAH — Approximately 2 out of 5 employers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will definitely be hiring in the next 3 months, the latest Bayt.com Middle East Job Index Survey conducted by Bayt.com, the number one job site in the Middle East, and leading research and consulting group, YouGov, said Monday. Sixty three percent of those surveyed in KSA believe that their country of residence is more attractive as a job market in comparison to other MENA countries. Moreover, 52% of working respondents in KSA rate their industry as being more attractive as a potential employer in comparison to other industries. Seventy two percent of KSA employers will be hiring in the next 3 months, with 41% definitely hiring and 31% probably hiring. According to them, only 4% of KSA companies are definitely not hiring. Moreover, in a year's time, 44% of KSA current employers state that their companies will definitely be hiring, and 34% will probably be hiring. Fifty nine percent of those looking to hire candidates in KSA will be opening up to 10 new positions to potential employees in the next 3 months. The majority of these jobs will be for junior executives (46%) and executives (41%). Only a minority is seeking top-level candidates. When looking at specific roles in KSA, according to working respondents, the most popular candidate positions will be for human resource professionals (26%) and accountants (23%), followed by sales managers (18%), customer service representatives (17%), and mechanical engineers (16%). Forty five percent of KSA working respondents said that their company is generally seeking candidates with managerial experience, while 37% of them said they are looking for candidates with administrative skills. Moreover, 35% are ideally looking for candidates with mid-level (35%) and sales and marketing (32%) experience, and computer skills (26%). A graduate/post graduate degree in Business Management (39%) is the most sought-after academic qualification when looking for candidates in KSA. This is followed by a degree in Engineering (28%) and Administrative Qualifications (25%). Eighty three percent of KSA working respondents mentioned their company values candidates with good communications skills in Arabic and English. Overall personality and demeanor (50%) and trustworthiness (46%) are also highly esteemed. When asked which industry is attracting top talent in KSA, 42% of respondents replied the banking and finance industry, followed by construction (37%) and telecommunications (32%). “Our goal at Bayt.com is to arm job seekers with the tools needed to thrive in today's increasingly competitive job market. The Bayt.com Middle East Job Index Survey is a biannual study conducted to gauge perceptions of job availability and hiring in the region, as well as identify the key skill sets and qualifications in the current job market,” said Suhail Al-Masri, Vice President of Sales, Bayt.com. “The survey shows that there is a positive trend in hiring practices in KSA within the next 3 and 12 months. Results show that employment opportunities will mostly be geared towards the younger generation who are looking for entry-level positions. For them to increase their eligibility, young job seekers need to focus on fine-tuning their communication and leadership skills. Entry-level candidates can also tap into different tools on Bayt.com that are designed to improve their skills and increase their professional knowledge. Bayt.com Specialties is a platform where anyone can ask and answer questions related to their field and professional specialties, and get ranked based on their interactions. Bayt.com Tests is also a great way for younger candidates to test and display their knowledge.” “With 72% of KSA working respondents stating that their company is planning to hire within the next 3 months, it is refreshing to see that hiring schemes in the country are on an upward trajectory. And while a majority of these employers will be looking for junior executives and executives, now is the time for fresh graduates and job seekers with little or no experience to hone their skills and apply for the thousands of job vacancies that are advertised daily on leading job sites across the region,” said Elissavet Vraka, Research Manager, YouGov. Almost 9 out of 10 KSA respondents work in the private sector, with 26% of them working for a multinational company. 4% of respondents in KSA are unemployed. The most popular industries among KSA respondents are construction (17%), other private sector (6%) and banking and finance (5%). A quarter of current employees in KSA are junior managers or team leaders, while 24% are directors or senior managers and 17% are in middle management. — SG
