After attending several interviews, I started to feel fed up and frustrated. It felt like no matter how hard I tried, the process wasn’t working in my favor. Many times, I thought to myself that even though I had the right skills and qualifications, it was the connections that seemed to make all the difference. At times, the whole process felt more about who I knew than what I knew, and that was difficult to accept.
In Dubai, referrals play a big role when it comes to finding a job. Many times, people try to help others by referring friends or family members for job openings. For example, a Muslim might try to help another Muslim, or an Indian might refer another Indian for a job. It’s a common practice where employees in a company recommend someone they know for a position, and this is often how many people end up getting hired.
When a vacancy opens in a company, it’s not always advertised publicly. Often, the employees themselves will refer their family members or friends to the company. This is not just limited to job positions but also extends to internships or temporary roles. They can directly recommend people they trust, and in some cases, companies may prefer to hire someone referred by their current employees.
The process works in such a way that sometimes, employees have the power to directly bring in their friends or family for a job without the person needing to go through the usual recruitment process. This is done by offering them a company visa for the person to come and work. In some cases, employees may even bring people on a probationary period or visit visa first.
It’s also common for people to apply for jobs through connections in Dubai rather than through traditional methods like job boards or recruitment agencies. The network of people in a company often matters more than anything else when it comes to securing a job.
Although referrals can sometimes speed up the process, it also means that sometimes, more qualified candidates may miss out on job opportunities because the position goes to someone with an internal connection. It’s a common practice in Dubai, but it can sometimes make the job search process feel more about who you know than what you know.
Conclusion
Job referrals in Dubai are an essential part of the hiring process, and knowing the right people or having strong connections can give you a significant advantage in landing a job. However, it’s important to keep in mind that relying too heavily on referrals may sometimes limit access to other potential opportunities.
