I saw a post on Linkedin in which a candidate had tagged several leading Recruitment agencies in the GCC and was effectively calling them out for not coming back to them.

Now to be transparent, this isn’t me calling out other agencies or even the individual who posted the status. 

While we weren’t one of the agencies they tagged, we very easily could have been.  

This is a market which tries to accommodate hundreds of thousands of people who are looking to secure roles here. No response is a response when you are trying to work with such volumes. 

After three years of Recruiting here for some of the biggest firms in the region, I’ve come to realise this. 

The job market here isn’t broken, it just operates under a great deal of stress. 

It definitely works as people do get jobs here. It just happens to work with close to 100x the volume you’d expect from other markets going through job funnels. 

I know what works and I know what doesn’t work. I advise as many candidates as I can and here’s what the most successful ones do well. 

I used the example above in the intro of the candidate who tagged all the agencies they’d applied to without hearing back. 

I get it - but it’s a huge misconception that Recruitment firms are golden tickets to a new position. 

I genuinely believe we are in a position to help around 2% of the people that reach out to us. 

If we’re not coming back to you - there’s a reason for that. We’re not in a position to help.

We usually operate at senior levels with laser tight briefs. There are untold variables which go into a search and that is dictated by our end-clients.

We are only paid if we deliver on a brief that is given to us with exactly what the company asks us to find.

The time it would take to reply to everyone that applies would be at the expense of us doing our jobs and would mean that we wouldn’t be able to function as a business.  

This might sound counterintuitive but I think you deserve honesty and that is about as straight-talking as it gets. 

If you want proof of this, ask around. 

I can guarantee that 9 out of 10 of your friends/colleagues who work in the GCC, didn’t get their job through a Recruiter.

Spending all your time reaching out to people who aren’t in a position to help you is definitely not the most valuable use of your time. 

Put that time and effort into building your own brand and networking and tapping into the hidden (and less contested) job market which runs through ‘who you know’.

Referrals are your key to breaking through in this market and I’d say a good majority of jobs don’t ever make it through to LinkedIn.

They are filled by people who know people and can vouch for their ability. Social proof is of huge value to people in the market.

The best candidates also have an abundance of grit and patience to see the course through. 

The idealised dream version of getting a job looks something like: apply for role - hear back - attend interviews - get job. 

It probably doesn’t include the roles that are pulled, the times you’ll be ghosted, the lengthy waits as processes drag on or positions that you’re unsuccessful in. 

One of the longest processes I ever managed was around 9 months from first interview to offer. That’s certainly not the norm but it’s not unusual either.

There is no one-size fits all approach to finding a new role. It’s a long and winding road and it will take time. 

It’s going to be frustrating and what works for one person might not work for someone else and that is completely normal. 

You’re going to need to maintain a positive attitude in your search and make sure you keep your spirits high. 

It’s a journey not an overnight fix. Knowing that and staying the course will lead you to success. 

CRM Manager - Dubai/Abu Dhabi

MCG are partnered with a leading Media Company with offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

We are looking for a CRM Manager - with proven experience in the region for a large entity - to join their firm as they go through a period of growth. 

Arabic is essential for this position as it involves working closely with Stakeholders from across the region in Arabic-first markets. 

Please reach out to me on LinkedIn and I will be happy to chat if your profile matches the requirements.

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