LinkedIn data reveals fastest-growing jobs in UAE and KSA
New research from LinkedIn finds that 78 percent of people in the UAE and KSA are considering changing roles in 2022, with improved salary (48 percent) and an opportunity to learn new skills (45 percent) being the factors most likely to make people move jobs.
According to the latest data from LinkedIn, Data Scientist, Cyber Security Specialist, Talent Acquisition Specialist, and Back End Developer are among the fastest-growing jobs in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The pandemic, digitalisation and a slew of new government policies in the region have all influenced this year’s list.
While the list shows a number of new career opportunities in KSA and the UAE, it highlights a new trend in the Kingdom: continued evolution of the workplace and an increase in hiring levels have seen HR and Talent focused roles featured in the top five. Skills such as Big Data, Network Security and Machine Learning are also some of the fastest growing skills in the region, as technology and AI continue to hold centre stage in the region’s agenda.
In line with the unveiling of the fastest growing jobs, new research from LinkedIn reveals that a staggering 9 in 10 MENA professionals feel confident in their current role. This increased confidence could in turn be driving a desire amongst the workforce to change jobs, with 78 percent considering a switch this year. In the UAE, job competition has also dropped by nearly 35 percent, and job seekers across markets are in a stronger position to negotiate salaries and terms that benefit their ideal world of work.
It was found that the desire to consider a new job role seems to decrease with age with nearly 9 in 10 (87 percent) of Gen Z surveyed looking for a change compared to the 71 percent of boomers and Gen X.
The research also uncovered that nearly 85 percent of workers feel confident enough to push for a promotion or new job opportunities at work, while almost half of the workers surveyed in KSA and 40 percent workers surveyed in the UAE think their confidence in their role will only get better in 2022. One of the key motivators of this surge in worker confidence can be attributed to the increased prevalence of flexible working with 51 percent of the workforce saying that it has made them more confident to think about trying a new career.
Salaries appear to be a core factor with 48 percent citing an increased compensation as a good reason to consider a new job, while 50 percent also saying that a salary increase would convince them to remain with their current employer.
LinkedIn is also releasing its 10th annual Global Talent Trends report, with a focus on the reinvention of company culture. The report offers insights into how companies can stand out and attract top talent in this competitive market.
