If you are the proprietor or the human resource manager of a relatively new or moderately-sized UAE company, you probably will have some difficulty finding the perfect candidates for the job vacancies in your company.
This is especially true if you limit your recruitment from your own network of personal or business contacts.
Initially, you may be able to find some qualified individuals but as your company grows or changes focus, the recruitment process can become a bit tricky.
Recruitment is challenging for growing businesses
The real challenge in recruitment is when your company is in a rapid state of growth.
You will likely experience gaps in manpower as the hiring process may not be able to keep up with your requirements. You may have to hire a recruitment agency that is an expert in filling the most in demand and the latest jobs in the Middle East.
Many newly-formed companies in the UAE are either fully owned by foreigners or have foreigners as significant investors. The main reason for this are the tax incentives offered by the country for new businesses and individuals, whether foreigners or citizens. For example, the federal government itself does not impose income tax as yet.
Companies are competing for the best candidates
Many expat workers are encouraged to work in the UAE because of the absence of income tax and relatively higher salaries. Most of the highly qualified candidates for any position, however, are not easy to find because companies are also competing over them.
Here are some of the reasons why you should seek the help of a recruitment agency if you want to find the right candidates:
- Job applicants are pre-screened
Professional recruitment agencies pre-screen applicants based on the general requirements of specific industries. The educational background, relevant trainings, skills and experience are matched by recruitment agencies with the list of qualifications provided by companies.
Job applicants are then classified according to their fields of work.
Some agencies focus on purely white collar jobs such as banking and finance, marketing, architecture and managerial positions. Other agencies may focus only on skilled blue collar jobs like openings for crane operators, welders, plumbers and pipefitters.
- Companies can save resources in the hiring process
Since applicants that are shortlisted by recruitment agencies are already pre-screened, they can simplify your company’s hiring process. You may simply interview those that are included in the short list of best possible matches.
You may also design standard online tests to screen out applicants that do not have sufficient knowledge and problem-solving skills. You may allow a recruitment agency to administer the tests on their website.
Companies can save time and manpower in searching for the right candidates online. These online platforms make it possible for human resource officers in UAE to find suitable candidates anywhere in the world .
Applicants in various parts of the world, on the other hand, do not need to travel to the UAE to undergo initial screening for jobs or careers in the UAE that they want.
- Specializations can be easily narrowed down
If you are the human resource officer of a company and you need highly specialized candidates, you do not need to search through piles of resumes or make multiple calls. You can easily zoom in on the most qualified applicant that is recommended by using an online algorithm.
People on some niche specializations are difficult to find so that only very few or sometimes only one qualified applicant will appear when you do an online search. This, then, greatly narrows down the field of search.
- Online cross-referencing and vouching is convenient
Most recruitment agencies have their own websites that may also be connected with other database systems. If you are a human resource officer, you can use this system to do preliminary background checks.
If an applicant posted a resume on the website of a recruitment agency, you may verify some of the details if links to the credentials are available. For instance, job experience can be checked based on the contact details (email, phone number, website) provided by the applicant.
- Recruitment agencies ask for minimal fees
Compared to what your company might incur in terms of expenses in sending recruitment officers overseas or making background investigations, the standard fees of recruitment companies are relatively smaller.
Signing up for their services can also be done online and you may only need to pay an annual subscription fee to access their database.
The advantages of hiring a recruitment agency or subscribing to their services greatly outweigh the advantages of looking for the right candidates on your own.
So, as early as now, partner up with a reputable recruitment agency with an excellent track record of recruiting the right talent for their clients.
AUTHOR BIO
David Mackenzie, a recruitment professional with over 20 years’ experience in the field and a record of entrepreneurial accomplishment, is Managing Director and Head of HR at Mackenzie Jones . As the Group MD, David is responsible for the overall direction of the Mackenzie Jones Group, including Mackenzie Jones, MumsAtWork, MENA Solutions, Simply Digital and ThinkTech.