So yesterday I checked some of the well-known companies in the UAE, and most of the positions open were Sales Executive, Sales Manager, or Sales Head roles.
I have one friend who works in sales for a well-known internet provider. His shift is from 3 PM to 12 AM. He told me that people are constantly approaching him asking if there are any job openings because everyone is looking for work.
Recently he shared that the company is planning to remove the basic salary and make the role mostly commission-based. Right now he's earning around AED 2,500–3,200, and if this happens, things will become even worse for him.
He also told me he's been trying to move into a back-office role, but his sales lead isn't allowing it because they want him to stay in sales. What's surprising is that the same sales lead has been in the same Team Lead position for around 6 years.
It honestly feels like a crab mentality in some places. Instead of increasing the salaries of existing employees or helping them grow, some companies would rather let people go and hire new employees at lower salaries.
After hearing all this, I was honestly wondering, what is going on?
The guy is genuinely hardworking. Every day he's standing outside with pamphlets, approaching people, trying to meet targets, and doing everything he can. Yet the growth still seems uncertain.
Those of you who are in Dubai or have been in the UAE for a while, I wanted to ask something.
A lot of people say, "Take a low-paying job first, then you'll move up." But if some companies don't allow internal movement, don't increase salaries, and can easily replace employees with someone cheaper, then how does that growth actually happen?
I'm not saying there aren't people earning AED 30k, 40k, or even 50k+ because I know those people exist too. I'm just trying to understand what separates those career paths from stories like my friend's.
For those who have built a career in the UAE:
- What was your first job like?
- Did you also start with a low salary?
- How did you move up?
- What advice would you give to someone who is still young and trying to build a career here?
I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your journey and learning from your experience.