time jobs are plenty during the last days of the holy month of Ramadan, and many young Saudis want to make use of the opportunity to increase their income. Some part-time jobs offer such good payment and perks that these young Saudis leave their regular jobs even at the risk of getting an unpaid break and do odd jobs that fetch them more money. For unemployed youth it is a windfall. “During Ramadan many companies require extra staff to complete the workload because of the lessening of work hours. This is specially so during the the last ten days and unemployed youth try to get some money by offering their services, said Abdulaziz Al-Utaibi, a graduate from King Abdulaziz University. Al-Utaibi is still unemployed and his frustration has led him to search for any job forgetting his specialty. “I have a part-time job in one of the chocolate stores. The demand for sweets, candies and chocolates increases in the run-up to the Eid and therefore the shop has hired many people on a temporary basis,” he added. Al-Utaibi will get SR1,500 after working for the ten days before Eid, which, “in any case, is not sufficient enough. But I have to make do with whatever I get,” he said. Another young Saudi worked for a famous company of shaving tools last Ramadan. The company then had launched a promotion campaign for its products. “I joined the company aiming to increase my salary and satisfy my family needs in the Eid season. But after launching the promotion campaign in several malls and recreational areas, I did not receive the promised salary of SR3,000.” The young man, however, did not disclose the amount of money he got. Many Saudis have been found to be trying to take advantage of their talent by presenting different shows in areas with large numbers of visitors such as beach resorts and recreational venues like parks and gardens. “To attract a crowd is now an essential part of business strategy. Therefore, we have started hiring people with special talents like dancing, skiing and riding motors. They perform their shows as part-time volunteers to entertain the crowd,” Malek Mamdouh, a Saudi designing several shows for the Eid, said.
