Saudi Gazette report

LinkedIn, the go-to online platform for professional networking, revealed that the most applied job in Saudi Arabia in 2017 was ‘project manager’ at Yesser e-government program where 9,379 professionals submitted applications.

The second most applied job was ‘Site Engineer’ at Arabian International Company (AIC) with 8,971 professionals applying for it, followed by a ‘Management Development Program (SMDP)’ job at SABB with 8,551 applications, and ‘IT Technical Support’ and ‘HR Data Analyst’ at Riyadh Airports with 8,425 and 8,335 applications respectively.

LinkedIn conducted research on the most sought out jobs in ten countries including Saudi Arabia where the top desired jobs were in non-oil sectors during which the Kingdom’s national transformation plan is to diversify the economy.

“As we enter 2018 it’s become clear that the jobs landscape in Saudi Arabia is changing. How people are thinking about their careers and how they define success is changing,” says Rabih Haidar, head of LinkedIn Talent Solutions in Saudi Arabia.

“The rise of technology across every industry has created a flurry of new jobs and associated skills and these aren’t necessarily all tech roles. It is indeed very interesting to see which job types and companies are most sought-after by professionals and the shape the employment sector is starting to take in the kingdom,” he added.

In order to help professionals find their dream job, Rabih offers some tips on boosting your profile in the job market.

After identifying what elements make up for a satisfying career, a job seeker must make himself as visible as possible to potential recruiters, he says, adding that tools such as LinkedIn’s Open Candidates signals employers you’re interested in new opportunities. “Get yourself a LinkedIn profile and update it by including relevant experience, recent jobs, passions, skills and education that demonstrate to businesses that they should hire you. Update it throughout your professional career with all of the unique things you’ve done,” he says.

Networking online has shown to boost your chances in getting hired. According to LinkedIn data, 70 percent of professionals where they had a mutual connection and candidates that were referred by an employee were 8 times more likely to get the job.

“Add colleagues, friends, family and companies you want to work for – this will make you visible to your contacts’ connections too,” says Rabih.

Online tools can help filter your search and make it easier. The ‘Jobs’ tab on your LinkedIn profile finds job listings that are suitable for you. It’s easy to set specific job search parameters so you’re recommended roles at companies that you have a desire to work for.

While applying to different companies and chasing your application, make sure it’s in the hands of the right people, Rabih further says. “As well as using the jobs tab, try to find the direct person to get your CV into the hands of and chase it. Keep checking in to see if they’ve had a look at your application yet. Demonstrating a degree of tenacity at the job search stage will help you once you get through to the interview process.”