Working in the UAE: Why some employees aren’t hired after a certain age – News

Lack of modern workplace behaviors, increased competition and increased automation are among the reasons

Some workers in the UAE are finding it difficult to find work after a certain age as they take on non-professional roles amid increasing automation, lack of modern workplace behavior and culture, and an increasingly competitive labor market.

In order to succeed in the job market, middle-aged workers need to constantly upgrade their professional skills, human resources and recruitment consultants say, as employers find it easier to shape younger workers than older ones.

Also, the job market in the UAE is very active and it is much easier to find young talent from other countries due to the country’s policy of attracting the best talent into the country.

Deepa Sud – CEO of Dubai-based executive search consultancy Plum Jobs explained that fostering a multi-generational workplace takes a lot of time and patience, yet many organizations do not have the resources to create this environment. So they went with what they thought was the easier option of recruiting younger candidates who they thought were more likely to learn quickly and be more adaptable.

underdog role

Nikhil Nanda, director of Innovations Group, said that aside from senior management or c-suite level positions, it is definitely harder to find a job when you are older.

“Generalist or non-specialist roles where experience plays less of an advantage are always harder to find for older people,” he says.

Deepa Sud said that as automation and technology advances, there are fewer and fewer jobs available and more sophisticated people are finding it harder and harder to get their next job due to a number of reasons such as lack of skills, qualifications and technical competencies promote.

“Too often we see middle-aged job candidates who have not made significant progress in their careers dismissed because they lack modern workplace behaviors and skills. Candidates aged 45 and over have invaluable knowledge, expertise and experience, but This knowledge, expertise and experience is often lost when ageism is pervasive in organizations,” Sud said.

How to find a job after the age of 45?

As the population ages and the cost of living rises, the chief executive of Plum Jobs says most people will need to work longer hours to maintain a reasonable lifestyle.

“As we age, we should focus on physical and mental agility, while learning newer technologies and harnessing the power of data to improve the way we work and interact with colleagues and clients,” she said.

Nikhil Nanda advises middle-aged workers to add more skills, focus more on technology, evolve to new practices in the market, and fundamentally reinvent themselves.

“Continuous learning of new skills will ensure an advantage over younger candidates. Employers are slightly inclined to hire younger candidates due to their malleability and potential for growth. If older candidates can clearly demonstrate a certain degree of flexibility and ambition, then I believe employers will definitely be more willing to hire them. There is always a ton of experience pegged to older candidates that organizations can benefit from,” he added.

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