Anticipating what the future might hold can be nerve-wracking for both job seekers and employers. New trends and technological advancements will inevitably bring forth changes in the job market.

What skills and academic qualifications will be the most sought after in the next three months? Which countries, sectors, and industries are hiring the most? Bayt.com has recently released its bi-annual Job Index Survey, which is an in-depth study that aims to measure the job availability and hiring trends in the MENA region.

Key findings:

• Most employers across the region demand good communication in English and Arabic (64%).
• Business Consultancy/Business Management/Management Consulting (58%) industry is looking to hire the highest number of employees in the next three months.
• Sales Manager (20%), Accountant (19%), and Marketing Manager (16%) are the top roles that MENA employers are hiring for over the next three months.
• Companies will be mainly hiring entry-level staff especially Junior Executives (41%).
• Banking/Finance (29%) is seen as the industry that attracts or retains top talent.

Data for the Middle East Job Index Survey 2020 was collected online from June 23, 2020 to August 6, 2020. Results are based on a sample of 1,055 respondents from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, and others.