With time, the professional world has gone through vast changes, as it was once common to see professionals hold the same job until they retire. However, the concept of switching careers has now become much more accepted and prevalent.

Bayt.com has recently conducted the ‘Switching Careers in the MENA’ survey to highlight the factors defining career journeys in the region during a disruptive time, including employee expectations, personal goals and financial expectations.

Key Findings:

• Over 7 in 10 respondents (71%) have considered changing their career path completely.
• When asked why professionals may change their careers entirely, “to find their real passion” ranked first (37%) followed by opportunities to learn and challenge themselves (33%).
• More than half (51%) of respondents deem it necessary to work in the same field as their educational background.
• The biggest challenge associated with changing careers is transferring skills and relevant experience (41%).
• A majority of respondents (51%) believe that it is always important to obtain additional education/ training before changing careers.

Data for the Bayt.com ‘Switching Careers in the MENA’ Survey was collected online from July 31 to September 1, 2022. Results are based on a sample of 3,097 respondents from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Sudan among others.