Many job seekers, when searching for jobs in the Gulf countries, especially the UAE, wonder whether there is any particular CV structure for job applications. The simple and short answer to this is “NO!” However, there are specific considerations that you should bear in mind while structuring your new or existing resume for the UAE job search. Those guidelines are easy to follow and can help you tailor your vitae perfectly to secure your dream position in the United Arab Emirates. 

Below is how you structure your CV to accelerate your job-seeking quest and land a decent UAE position. We have also shared valuable insights for each section that will help you put yourself forward effectively in front of your potential recruiters. 

Structure Your CV For Job Applications To Secure Your UAE Dream Role

Include Your Personal Details And Contact Information

UAE is one of the Gulf countries, and the approach you should take there should differ from the one you might take for Europe or the USA. Emirati recruiters may even want to know about your marital status to consider your accommodation type if their package includes it. Typically, they want to learn about your full name, date of birth, location, nationality, gender, and driving license details. So include them at the top header of your resume and mention your contact details below.

Mention your phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile link. Besides, including your passport-sized photo at the top right corner is mandatory in the UAE resumes. Make sure your appearance and the background in the photograph are professional. 

Craft A Captivating Professional Summary/Objective

Research has proved that a recruiter spends an average of six seconds on job applications to determine an applicant’s suitability for the open position. Therefore, your goal is to craft every section in a way that impresses them and persuades them to call you for an interview. And for that, your professional summary and experience section are the most game-changing sections.

The more you share the information your potential recruiter may want to know in these, the more your chances of getting to the interviewing stage. Craft a most captivating summary of your accomplishments clearly and concisely. It should be limited to two to three sentences. 

Professional Experience: Accomplishments Over Responsibilities 

Stick to the reverse chronological order while listing down your work history. You should begin this section with your most recent professional role. Experts of the most efficient CV writing service UAE suggest including your job title, employment dates, company name, and location for each job. Also, provide a precise introduction of the organization you’ve worked at, as it may not be familiar to Emirati recruiters.

Additionally, highlight your accomplishments while describing your responsibilities and quantify your achievements whenever possible. Use four to six bullets for each experience to describe effectively and impress the hiring manager and convince them for your interview. Here is the ideal structure to list down your work history in the professional experience section: 

Dates 

Company Name

Your job title

Introduction about what the company does

Your responsibilities and accomplishments 

Reason for leaving that workplace

Education Section: Highlight Your Qualifications

Mentioning two to three of the most recent qualifications within your education section is enough. For example, only include your master’s and diploma degrees rather than add your entire academic history to the school level. It will help you tailor your resume to its ideal length, i.e. one page.

Secondly, listing your higher qualifications is a clear sign for the hiring manager that you’ve completed your school and graduation levels. Besides, you should only mention your GPA if it is impressive enough for your potential HR. Below is the structure you should consider for your education section: 

Dates 

Location

Full qualification with acronyms

Level of attainment 

Quantify Your Skills 

Rather than simply listing down your skills, give a peek into how you secured them and how they helped you get ahead in your career. Be honest at this stage and only include the ones that you are relevant to the potential position. Try to quantify your hard and soft skills and showcase them as achievements to explain how those abilities impacted your performance to HR. 

Volunteer Work or Extracurricular Activities:

One of the tips to make a perfect CV is to exhibit your licenses, certifications, volunteer work, or any other extracurricular activity. This section will offer the hiring manager a comprehensive glimpse of your background. However, precisely describe them to keep the word count to a minimum and maintain the ideal resume length. Therefore, avoid exaggerating or providing extra or unnecessary details. Hence, keep this section precise, crispy, and attractive. 

Open Up About Your Language Proficiency

Open up about your language proficiency in the language section, specifically Arabic and English. These are the most widely spoken linguistics in the United Arab Emirates, so you should emphasize significantly on them. Use terms such as ‘Basic’, ‘Intermediate’, ‘Advanced’, or ‘Fluent’ to highlight your level of proficiency. 

Include Reference Section

Including references is not a must-do in job applications, but it becomes when your potential HR asks for it. Nonetheless, write this section ‘available upon request’ and get your references ready. So, you can easily present them if the hiring manager requests you for it. For this, you should always get the approval of your referee before including their contact information in the reference section. 

What is an ideal CV format in UAE?

The ideal CV format for job applications in the United Arab Emirates is like any traditional resume structure. It requires applicants to include their professional experience before education and skills while following a reverse-chronological layout.

How do you create an ATS-friendly CV for job applications in the UAE?

A CV structure with a simple, straightforward, and professional layout is ATS-friendly. Include all your information in decent typography. Avoid saving your resume as an image file, as an applicant tracking system can’t scan it. 

What is the perfect length of a UAE CV?

One page length of a CV is perfect for a freshly graduated or less experienced applicant. Candidates with up to ten years of work history should limit their application to two pages. 

Final Verdict

We have shared all the details regarding how you should structure your CV for job applications in the UAE. Now, you have the power to format your resume perfectly and make it perfect for both ATS and the recruiter. Creating it while implementing the above guidelines will highlight your accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and personal details efficiently.

Keeping the vitae concise and decent will also emphasize your professionalism and may convince HR to have a face-to-face meeting. Nonetheless, if you don’t feel confident in your structured application, make the safe move by seeking professional assistance from expert CV makers.