Interview with Dina Mehanna, HR Director at Genius Computer Technology, UAE
Biography Dina was born and raised in Dubai, U.A.E. She completed her B.A degree in Elementary Education at the American University of Beirut and further pursued her M.A degree in School Administration and Supervision through the University of Phoenix-Arizona. She loves working in HR – it’s a different world that needs her constant attention and passion. Dina still misses her students and being part of their growth, success and life!
How do you like living and working in UAE? I was born and raised in the U.A.E. (my second home after Lebanon) therefore, living and working in Sharjah/Dubai was never a problem to me. On the contrary, I still love and learn a lot from both emirates, despite the short distance drive between each other, they are far apart in almost everything! That’s exactly why I respect and admire their differences, in terms of diversity, culture, and above all daily life style.
What is your biggest professional challenge? I have many, but I’m specifically interested in being a pioneer in building an authentic, credible and sustainable training/development industry in the Middle East (especially in Lebanon and the U.A.E). I feel that the mind-set of the Middle East (especially GCC) countries is depending heavily on foreign and exported resources (trainers, programs, materials, etc.) and falsely believe that through them, success is guaranteed. That’s the mind-set we should all struggle to change and replace, how? With candidates, GCC Nationals or Arabs, who show commitment, devotion, have successful professional, educational backgrounds and experiences and have the ability to develop and improve our industries.
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Lebanon: Destination for Bayt.com’s Virtual Job Fair this September
Following the unprecedented success of Bayt.com’s series of Virtual Job Fairs across the Middle East Region throughout the past year, the great minds behind these series have, once again, come together to decide that Lebanon will be Bayt.com’s next VJF destination, in a bid to boost the Lebanese employment market and get Lebanese job seekers and employers seeking top Lebanese talent together under one roof: Bayt’s revolutionary and unique virtual roof, part of a platform that will enable them to share knowledge, thoughts, concerns , “CVs” and “job vacancies” real-time and in inimitable style.
What exactly is a Virtual Job Fair? The Virtual Job Fair is an innovative online recruitment environment that goes live and stays live for a limited period of time. It is designed to effectively connect qualified job seekers and top employers on-line in order to exchange valuable information for recruitment purposes.
How exactly does it work? Bayt.com’s Virtual Job fair takes place completely online. Throughout the whole period of the VJF, job seekers will be able to apply to jobs 24/7 while employers will be present online in their “Virtual Booths” to answer and ask questions and offer details about employment opportunities in their companies.
What are the participation costs for Job Seekers? Job Seeker participation is absolutely FREE of charge. Professionals simply log on, register and start interacting with their employers of choice at http://virtualjobfair.bayt.com
What are the participation costs for Employers? Employer Participation fees are extremely low compared to the costs of the traditional physical job fair: no travel costs are incurred (it all takes place online), no branding material or physical booths are required (these also take place online), thus, all costs are reduced dramatically and the recruitment ROI at these fairs is exemplary. Interested employers can request a call from Bayt.com and can learn more about VJF from this URL http://virtualjobfair.bayt.com/en_CA/guest/employers
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Interview With George Kavala, Recruitment & HR Outsourcing at Dulsco, UAE
Biography George Kavala comes with several years of experience in Business Development and Full Cycle Support for Recruitment and Staffing. His interaction with clients at various levels of CXO’s,prospective, job seekers & other stakeholders has enriched his understanding of the HR domain. He nurtures the desire to pursue and acquire relevant knowledge and lives with a passion, culture and discipline that could precede success.
How do you like living and working in UAE?
Working in the UAE is a very lively and charming experience. We get to meet people from different nationalities and cultures. The country itself has such fantastic infrastructure and facilities that it makes living and working here an enjoyable experience. Almost anything and everything is available at an affordable cost and at best quality. I definitely enjoy living and working in the UAE.
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What should I do to ace an interview with a leading Pharmaceuticals firm
Question from the Job Seeker
I finally have an interview lined up for next Tuesday with a leading Pharmaceuticals firm in Dubai. What should I do to ace the interview?
Answer From Bayt.com HR Guru
Good for you! The pharmaceuticals industry as per Bayt.com’s recent HR research and surveys and based on Bayt.com Job postings and search figures has been one of the lesser industries affected by the economic downturn and many top pharmaceutical companies in Dubai and elsewhere in the GCC and Middle East continue to hire top qualified professionals with experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Make sure you do the following before the interview:
Career UnCovered: Ahmed El Zeftawy, HR Director of Al Jaber Group, UAE
Biography HR Professional with more than 18 years of HR regional and international experience. worked for a Management consultancy firm (in Cairo) an Oil & Gas Multinational for 7 years (in both Egypt and Italy) and in Bechtel as an HR Country Manager for 1 year- Also worked for 10 years in Borouge, a semi governmental Petrochemical Company in the UAE before moving to Al Jaber Group – one of the largest private groups in the UAE and the Middle East- as HR Director.
Best career advice I ever got Sometimes people are surprised to realize what an inside game career management is. In fact, if you are not sure about what major to choose or what career to pursue or what job to look for next, a great first step would be to start envisioning what your ideal career or job looks like. This can only come from the inside! Only you know what you prefer and how you would like to live. Stick to your career beliefs throughout your work journey and do not get drifted by the money only.
Job Seeker Blog: Considering switching careers from banking to another industry. What advice can you give me?
Question from the Job Seeker
With the economy in Dubai the way it is I am considering switching careers from banking where I have been a successful senior marketing executive in a leading financial services multinational for some years to another industry as no banks seem to be hiring these days. What advice can you give me?
Answer From Bayt.com HR Guru
The Middle East banking and finance sector was, without a doubt, one of the hardest hit sectors during the economic downturn. However, the hiring activity has been on the rise through the past quarter and many
Story time: Quelques résultats marocains de l’enquête de l’Indice de Confiance des Consommateurs – JUIN 2009
Dans le cadre des enquêtes et sondages que Bayt.com réalise en collaboration avec Yougov, nous avons publié les résultats de l’enquête concernant l’indice de Confiance des consommateurs du mois de juin 2009. Le sondage a été effectué du 29 avril 30 mai 2009 et a concerné 11.458 participants dont 12% marocains (2ème taux de participation). Dans cet article, nous souhaitons partager avec vous quelques résultats concernant le Maroc.
Tout d’abord, l’objectif de l’enquête est de nous éclairer sur les perceptions et attitudes des consommateurs, dans la Région Afrique du Nord et Moyen Orient, concernant l’économie de leurs pays, leurs situations financières et de travail, leurs comportements d’achat et d’investissement et un aperçu général sur le marché de l’emploi. Les chiffres et statistiques fluctuent d’un trimestre à un autre en fonction de la tendance d’augmentation ou diminution de 4 indices clés.
Middle East Professionals Cut Costs
All work and no play makes professionals in the Middle East a sad constituency but according to Bayt.com’ s latest HR Survey completed in conjunction with research specialists YouGov, entertainment expenditures have been sharply curtailed in the Middle East as professionals have retrenched and sought to cut costs during the recession. Shopping must be one of the region’s favorite activities with the sprawling world-class malls that include every amenity, however according to Bayt.com’s latest HR research, this pastime has been going through an awkward phase lately: with all the doom and gloom that the global economic downturn has brought, it seems both men and women are finding themselves compelled to think twice before spending money on luxury rather than necessity.
Bayt.com’s most recent “Surviving the Recession” Research Report has shed some very interesting light on the struggle of Middle Eastern Consumers during the recession, the feelings it has evoked in them, the effects it has had on their health, their families’ health, their financials, and the measures they have resorted to in order to guarantee survival through these turbulent times. Cutting down on spending has been without a doubt the option most Middle East consumers have resorted to, with an overwhelming 43% of participating respondents stating they have cut down on their spending in general, 7% shifting to smaller houses to save cost and another 7% shifting to cheaper areas.
Career Tip: Ashraf Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Number 1 Sales Trainer and Author of “The Craft of Selling Yourself”
Networking is Key to Job-hunting
If you want to be prosperous for a year, grow grain.
If you want to be prosperous for ten years, grow trees.
If you want to be prosperous for a lifetime, grow people.
–CHINESE PROVERB
Networking is about growing and cultivating people…..relationships, friendships, synergies, and trusts. Like IQ and EQ, high Networking Quotient (NQ) is a pre-requisite to personal and professional success.
Dr. Stephen Covey says in his epoch making book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that highly effective and successful people are neither dependent nor independent, in fact, they’re interdependent people. They derive strength from others and give strength to others. Successful people are like colonies, they interact with each other, help each other, support each other, integrate with each other, coordinate with each other, synergize with each other for the ultimate and collective good of the entire community. They survive on their mutual strengths; they thrive on their collective resources. Someone has rightly said that T.E.A.M stands for Together Everyone Achieves Miracles.
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