Doha: The Qatar job market is expected to open up considerably in the next three months, with seven out of 10 companies expecting to create up to 10 new positions, according to the latest Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Job Index Survey by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s top job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation.
Most will be with large or multinational private companies, presenting opportunities for new graduates and first-time employees in particular.
About 59 percent of companies in the GCC, North Africa and Levant expect to hire new candidates, with the highest expectancy in the GCC. Most recruitments will be made by private sector companies.
In Qatar, 70 percent of firms claim they will probably or definitely recruit in the coming three months.
And in the next 12 months, 68 percent of companies in Middle East and North Africa (Mena) and 78 percent of Qatar-based companies are expected to hire.
About 69 percent of firms looking to hire will create up to 10 jobs in three 3 months. In Qatar, 63 percent of firms will hire up to 10 more people during the same period. The majority of these jobs in Qatar will be for junior executives (42 percent), coordinators (32 percent), and executives (26 percent). A large number of Qatar firms are looking for receptionists (18 percent), secretaries (15 percent) and engineers (14 percent).
The most desirable qualification to have in Mena is business management, according to 23 percent of respondents. Commerce (22 percent), administration (21 percent), computer science (21 percent) and engineering (20 percent) are also popular. Qatar employers are keen to take candidates with engineering qualifications (32 percent).
Good communication skills in Arabic and English are a must for 56 percent of Mena employers. They are also highly desirable qualifications in Qatar, according to 63 percent of respondents. The ability to be a team player is a top appeal for 54 percent of Qatar employers.
In terms of experience, Qatar employers are looking for candidates with a background in managerial (35 percent), computer skills (27 percent), and engineering (31 percent) work.
Six out of 10 companies in the region claim to have made new recruitments in the past six months, with 43 percent having taken new employees in the past three months. Seven out of 10 employers in Qatar (68 percent) have hired candidates in the last six months, with 52 percent having done so in the last three months.
In Mena, 41 percent of job-seekers consider their country to be more attractive, career-wise than other countries.
In the GCC, six in 10 would prefer to stay in their country, while in North Africa and the Levant, the majority would prefer to look beyond their country to find employment.
Qatar residents are keen on local job prospects, with 66 percent saying the country is more attractive than other countries.
The Peninsula
