What a UAE recruiter looks for first
Before skills, a recruiter here wants to know whether hiring you is simple. Put the answers where they cannot be missed.
- Where you are now: inside the UAE or abroad, and the city.
- Your visa status: employment visa, family visa, visit visa, or needing sponsorship.
- Your notice period or the date you can start.
- Nationality, which employers here commonly expect on a CV.
- A UAE phone number if you have one.
Format rules the software needs
Screening software reads structure, not design. A beautiful two-column CV often arrives as scrambled text.
- One column. No tables, text boxes or sidebars.
- Contact details as plain text in the body, never inside an image.
- Standard headings: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills.
- Dates in one format, such as Jan 2023 to Present.
- PDF unless the posting asks for Word.
- Two pages at most.
Keywords: use the posting’s own words
Take the job title, the tools and the main tasks from the posting and use the same terms in your summary, bullets and skills, wherever they are true for you. If the posting says “MEP coordination” and you write “services coordination”, software may not connect them.
Do not paste the posting into your CV or hide keywords in white text. Recruiters see it, and it reads as dishonest.
Photo and personal details
A professional photo is common on CVs in the UAE, and many recruiters expect one for client-facing roles. Keep it small, at the top, and make sure your name and contact details are also in plain text. Marital status and date of birth are optional; add them only when the posting or the sector expects them.
For UAE nationals
Emiratisation rules push private companies to hire UAE nationals, and many postings are open to nationals only. If you are a UAE national, state it in the first lines of the CV, so recruiters filtering for it find you.
Check it before you send it
Run the finished CV against the job posting. Maseera’s free check reads your file the way screening software does, scores the match, and lists the posting’s keywords that your CV does not show. Add the ones that are true for you and leave the rest.
FAQ
Should I put my visa status on my CV?
Yes. It is one of the first things a UAE recruiter checks. One line near your contact details is enough.
English or Arabic CV for the UAE?
English for most private-sector roles. Arabic, or both, for government and some semi-government employers. Follow the language of the posting.
Do I need a photo?
It is common and often expected, but not required. Use a plain, professional head-and-shoulders photo or none at all.
How long should my CV be?
One page for under five years of experience, two pages at most beyond that.