The know-HOW, WHEN and WHY, of getting your dream job in the Middle East... all in one course!

It can be overwhelming finding your way around such a completely different culture - but finding your way around a Gulf State job search can be a daunting task without understanding the nuances that await you out there.

That’s where our course comes in. We will take you, step-by-step, through the whole process of making the impression you need to make - to land your dream job here. Unlike many courses - we concentrate on what makes the difference with UAE jobs - not what you know already. Our course is totally unique and is not something that can be found somewhere on the internet or in books. It is the result of 25 years of experience in recruitment and headhunting in the Middle East where we have seen common mistakes repeated time after time. We have seen so many really great candidates fail because they weren’t aware of local culture, rules, and regulations - so we created this easy to follow course to hold your hand through those early days until you get used to the way things are done in the Gulf States.

What Will I Learn?

You will discover throughout 60 invaluable classes absolutely everything a job seeker in the Middle East needs to know to win a contract here.

  • The current state of the job market

  • The best ways and places to search for jobs

  • The most efficient ways to apply for positions

  • The best websites to use for applications

  • How to prepare and conduct yourself at interviews in the Gulf

  • How to build professional relationships with a recruiter and your future employer according to the laws

  • Enhance your skills and confidence

Who is this course for:

  • Professionals

    People who are already employed in the UAE, interested in learning what to do to increase their chances of finding a better job.

  • Job Seekers from Abroad

    People who are planning to move to the UAE and are trying to understand the local market in order to increase their chances of being employed successfully.

  • Temporary Residents

    People who are visiting the UAE on a three-month visa and need to get a good job urgently to stay in the country.

  • Students & Graduates

    People who have graduated recently or are about to graduate and are trying to figure out how to get a job in the UAE without previous experience.

  • Candidates looking at ...

    Full-time jobs in UAE or part-time jobs in UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf; Engineering jobs, Teaching jobs, Marketing jobs, Real estate jobs, Sales jobs, Executive jobs, Business development jobs, Sales executive jobs, Customer service jobs, Registered Nurse jobs, Medical jobs. In fact - career opportunities in the Middle East generally …

Instructor

  • Matthew Lewis

    Senior executive search, leadership and executive coaching professional with over 24 year’s global expertise in identifying, assessing and coaching talent at senior level executives.

    Matthew Lewis

    Matthew Lewis has hired senior executives in 45 countries across the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific for the world’s leading companies.

    Since 2010 he has been Partner for the Middle East and Africa with Boyden, the world’s oldest and largest private executive search firm, founded in 1946 with over 70 offices in 40 countries. He works with clients across sectors including: Consumer, Real Estate, Government, Industrial, Infrastructure, Airports, Airlines, Aerospace, Family Groups, Private Equity, Sovereign Wealth Funds, and alternative Asset Management. Matthew has conducted over 500 Global Searches, interviewed over 6000 global C level senior executives, conducting over 600 hours of executive coaching and assessment of executives, boards and their performance.

    In 2015 he Co-founded N3 Executive Coaching with Professor Justin Kennedy, Professor of Neuroscience and Founder member of the Harvard Medical School, Institute of Coaching. N3 delivers Neuroscience based, academically accredited coaching to executives, corporates, MBA schools across the EMEA region.

    Matthew is a regular speaker at various MBA Schools including INSEAD and London Business School where is he is an EMBA coach. Matthew graduated with a BSc (Hons) in the UK and has lived and worked in London, UK, Hong Kong and since 2007 across the Middle East and Africa based from Dubai, UAE.

Course description

Over many years of working in recruitment in the Middle East, we know that job seekers repeat the same mistakes time and time again when they apply for jobs.

We have seen really good candidates losing time and money - and in a place like the Gulf, with such expensive living costs - this can be disastrous.

Our course is designed to overcome these problems by addressing …

The lack of knowledge of the Gulf countries labour laws - and covers new rules and regulations which have been brought in and could allow candidates to protect themselves. In any conflict with an employer, candidates often find that they do not know their rights in the country and are totally confused as to how to sort the situation out.

The course gives current information about the relevant local laws which will let you avoid common misunderstandings with employers - and make you more confident in the workplace.


The lack of market understanding - many candidates are actually signing contracts with salaries so low that they do not even cover their living costs.

This course will run through the current state of the job market and give tips on how to negotiate the highest pay possible - for any given job - enabling you to earn good money while working here, and allowing you to save for life while you do.


The lack of interviewing skills - most candidates have no idea how other interviewees are answering questions or how the strongest candidates are performing during their interviews and salary negotiations.

Our course is the only one which provides benchmarking information so you can compare your performance with others in similar roles. Recruiters do not normally share their results with candidates.

We are fortunate in having a headhunter from one of the top 10 recruitment companies in the world as our speaker on this course. During his 25 year career, Matthew Lewis has interviewed thousands of candidates – from the weakest to the strongest.

Here he shares the best practices in answering questions during interviews, and which strategies to choose when dealing with different formats - from a full, multi-person, panel interview - to an individual interview with a CEO.


The lack of prioritising knowledge - setting the wrong priorities for job searches can, ultimately, cost candidates many days of lost time. Looking for jobs on websites with bad reputations, or on those which are completely ineffective is pointless.

Many candidates also write resumes/CVs in a way which does not make them visible to the initial job screenings - so they get completely ignored – no matter how good the candidate.

It is frustrating that such great candidates are losing time and money – and do not succeed.

The course will save you this time and money by showing you the shortest, and most effective way to find a job – and successfully land it.


The lack of inside information - there are many other areas - too numerous to mention - where candidates fall down simply because they do not have an insight into what they are doing, and are going in blindly, making mistakes which could be easily avoided with the right guidance.

Our course is designed by professionals who are experienced in the field of recruitment in the Middle East – and addresses all of the common issues which trip up those who are unprepared.



Course curriculum

How to enroll?

Enroll and get full access to course materials on Udemy