Are you going to apply for a job? A vital ingredient of this job application process is to craft a RESUME.Like other parts of the world, UAE recruiters and employers demand a CV, even when they don't ask for it. You need to give them. 

Why Do You Need a CV?

It's okay to feel overwhelmed with CV requirements on a job ad. You start questioning why an employer requires a CV. A resume is your first impression of your prospective employer,recruiter, or hiring manager. Thereby, you need to do it right.

Your UAE resume explains who you are professional. It's all about your professional accomplishment and achievement. When done perfectly, it demonstrates who you are as a professional. By highlighting your experience, skills, and education, you are selling yourself and presenting your real worth in front of your recruiters.

It would be best if you had a CV whether you apply online for a job or go to a walk-in-interview. Even you can't forget to take a resume with you while you plan to attend a job fair.

Explore: CV writing Guide for Students 

Why Following a Proper CV Format is a Must in UAE?

Recruitment agencies and hiring managers receive a dozen resumes for one job application. Therefore, they rely heavily on ATS or Applicant Tracking systems. Almost every other UAE recruiter has installed this software on their computer. So, they store resumes into this system, which keeps data in databases for easy retrieval. 

Your CV must be written appropriately and well-formatted. When it doesn't follow the format, information will land on the wrong column and create confusion. For example, a mobile number column must have a number not the address. This little mistake will cost you the whole opportunity/

On the flip side, the plus-size of properly formatting your CV is that the right information lands on the right column, and you appear on search based on keywords like primary skills, experience, etc.

Finally, you know what a CV is and why you need to follow a format. So let's continue reading and explore all about UAE Resume format and Writing Tips.

Here is Dubai and UAE CV Format or Layout you need to follow. 

• Personal details.
• Personal Statement
• Work Experience.
• Education & Training
• Soft & Hard Skills
• Hobbies & References

Let's start getting details of every section of CV one by one. 

Section No.1 Personal Details

It comprises your name, contact number, email ID, and address.

• Your name: You might be well-recognized in your family with a nickname. Remember, CV is a professional matter not a personal one. Thereby, you need to use a name carved on your official documents like ID card, Passport, and government documents. 
• Email ID - A job seeker should add a professional email Id in his Dubai CV. Try not to add some funny ID or weird address in your resume. Remember, CV is all about setting a good first impression. You will do it right by creating a professional email id with your name and then use it on your resume.
• Contact No. You need your contact number with international code. If you are applying from another country, you can add Skype ID so that the recruiter can use it instead of an international call. Once you land in the UAE, get a new SIM card and update your CV with your latest contact number. Do you have more than one contact number? No worries, only add one that you use most frequently. Don't confuse or mix it all up.
• Home Address -You need to mention city and Emirate details in your address.
• Language: Many recruiters in UAE are ready to hire those who can speak English and Arabic fluently. In the Language section, you should state those languages that you are comfortable speaking and writing of.

Things Not to Mention in Your Details

Some people add too many personal details that are never required from them. For example, they mention nationality and religion. What's the point of adding that information? You don't even have to add your ID card number. Another thing you should avoid is your age. Yes, you won't need to provide this information unless the job mentions explicitly an age range like 22-35yrs. In that case, you will add your personal details to your Dubai CV. 

Every recruitment agency is busy, so please don't waste time adding unnecessary details to your resume.

Section No.2 Personal Statement

 It is a summary of your professional life. Within only three lines you will introduce yourself to the recruiter and try to get his instant attention. Use the best adjectives in this section and make an impact.

Section No.3 Work Experience

It is the most crucial section of your resume, so you need to mention history carefully. The length of the Dubai CV should not be more than two pages. Thereby, you can mention the latest three different jobs in the sector in the past seven to eight years. Another idea is to mention three relevant and most important job roles in your history. 

What to Write in Work History?

Add three job duties and then use bullet points to mention essential details of your job role. Bullet points make your CV easy to read, so use them wisely. Don't put seven bullet points. Under every job title, you can add a maximum of 3-4 bullets for creating an eye-catching CV.

Try to add actionable verbs alongside some figures and stats so that it impresses your recruiter to a great extent.

Latest Experience Info  is What Employer Needs 

Keep Work Experience up-to-date. The recruiter isn't interested in a job you did a decade ago, and he wants to know what you did most recently. So, keep the experience section as fresh as possible.

What if you don't have work experience? 

In that case, you need to keep the education and skill section above the experience. You will try to get the employer's attention toward your degree and skills and try to sell him all that. Fresh graduates should know how to write a cover letter for a job with no experience on their plate.

Section No.4 Education

Every recruiter is interested to know all about you, and therefore, you will mention your high school degree alongside graduation and post-graduation details. You won't mention primary and secondary school details under the education section. If you are a Ph.D. student, then skip high school and mention graduation and post-graduation only. 

Get an Idea; Where to Find jobs in Dubai?

Again the main idea of writing all about your education is to keep it quick and straightforward to read. 

Section No.5 Soft and Hard Skills

Many job seekers only mention hard skills and forget all about soft ones, while recruiters pay attention to both. Your soft skills offer the recruiter an idea of how you will work with colleagues and other staff. Will you be a team player? Will you be a problem solver?

Soft skills are how you will interact with others, while hard skills will perform a particular job at hand. Both skills are related to you and define your traits, so be mindful of what you add.

The critical point is that you need to be honest about this skill section. Don't mention a skill that you don't have. When you are confused about what skills to put on your resume, get help from your colleagues, friends, and family members. They will tell you what you can add under the skill section of your Dubai CV.

Section No.6 Hobbies and Interests

Your interests and hobbies give employers a clear picture of you. Try to add specific hobbies and interests. For example, maybe you like watching series but don't simply write. I like to watch series but be specific, aka I want to watch fantasy or crime TV series. The reason for this is to find a connection with the recruiter. Maybe during the interview, he talks about a series, and you guys find a link. This section is informal, and it's more like being relatable. 

Things to Know About Dubai Job Interview

Always keep one thing in mind, recruiters are intelligent people. So if you lie about an interest, skill, or anything and have doubts, they ask questions about it. In the same manner, if you say I like to read books, they will surely ask questions during the interview. So before heading to a job interview, give your CV a quick read, so you should be prepared for an unexpected interview question.

Section No. 7 References

Don't mention any reference in this section. A simple statement 'Referenced will be provided on demand," is good enough. Not adding personal details of other people here is that you will distribute CV and its copies for multiple jobs. You don't know where this resume will land, so you better not add any details.

When an employer requests a personal reference, get help from colleagues, friends, or teachers. Also, inform your reference that you applied for a job so that the employer doesn't catch him off guard. 

Wrap up

Finally, you know all about CV writing templates and layouts. I explained every section of the UAE CV in detail, so when you start writing a section then it won't cause any trouble. Try to craft an interview-winning CV in Dubai. After writing it, please read it twice to avoid any mistakes or errors that might leave a wrong impression. 

All the best for Your Job Search Journey in UAE!