Those who have been working in the UAE or any other Gulf countries for some years must have experienced the zeal and enthusiasm with which the holy month of Ramadan is celebrated. The whole vibe changes and so do the daily routine of the people, especially for those who fast. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During this time, Muslims all over the world fast together for the entire month.
Those who fast, follow an extensively specific routine. There is a specific time designated for eating, sleeping and praying. Thus, working people (whether fasting or non-fasting) also experience major changes at their workplaces during Ramadan in terms of shorter work days, overall work culture and the daily work routine. While afternoons seem long and tiresome, evening comes alive with friends and family coming together to break their fast.
Ramadan is considered to be an auspicious month when people fast together, pray together and feast together. However, that certainly doesn’t mean work and business come to a halt. Ignoring one’s duties is not the spirit of Ramadan. Most people have this misconception that hiring activities stop completely during this period. Although there is a slowdown in the hiring activities, that doesn’t mean you stop searching a job for yourself during this time. There still are a lot of job vacancies waiting to be filled. All you need to do is draft a perfect strategy for job search this Ramadan.
Outlined below are a few tips that will help you find your next job during the holy month of Ramadan
1. Stay at the top of your game
One of the biggest mistakes job candidates commit is not searching actively for a job during Ramadan. Ramadan is not the time to slacken in your job search efforts. It is the time for you to gear up and look more actively. Utilize this time to search for the latest opportunities and stay ahead of your competitors.
2. Focus on your reputation
Most companies heavily rely on word of mouth or online sources for finding job candidates. It goes without saying that they only want to hire the best candidates. To find such candidates, employers spend time checking their reputation, both offline and online. Therefore, utilize the month of Ramadan to build your online and offline reputation. Take part in networking events and clean up your social media accounts to make your online presence more professional.
3. Learn the art of selling yourself
To land a job, you need to first convince the employers that you are indeed perfect for the job role. Therefore, you shouldn’t leave any opportunity to sell your skills. The best way to go about it is to utilize tools such as your social media accounts, profiles on job sites and CV. Make sure to update your online profiles and CV on a regular basis. Keep yourself updated about the latest practices being followed by other job candidates so that you are not left behind.
4. Apply consciously and selectively
It is highly advisable to be selective while applying for jobs. Don’t just randomly apply to any job that you get to know about. Not every job opening that is advertised may be the right fit for you and this rule also applies when you are job searching during Ramadan. Therefore, it is important to read the job description carefully before applying to ensure that you apply to the relevant ones.
5. Reach out to the people in your network
Ramadan is a time to keep old and build new relationships. Keeping this spirit of Ramadan in mind, take some time out and reach out to the people in your professional network. Most companies rely on employee referrals to fill vacant positions. You will only get to know about such job opening if you have a strong network. Moreover, your chances of getting hired increases drastically when an existing employee of the company refers your name for a job role.
Hope these tips will help you with your job search.
All the Best & Ramadan Kareem!
About Megha Raizada –
Megha Raizada is a professional writer working with the premium job portal Naukrigulf.com. She has a keen interest in the global job market but also loves to keep a track of everything interesting happening around the globe. You can reach her at Twitter and Google+.
