Work in Jeddah

If you dream of settling in Jeddah, you will probably have to find a job there. Here are some tips to guide you through your job search.

Jeddah, which is found in the Hejaz Tihama region, on the Red Sea coast, is Saudi Arabia's second biggest and most popular city. Thus, it has been attracting foreigners across the globe due to the numerous job prospects it provides. In fact, Jeddah is West Saudi Arabia's major urban region, hosting not only the Jeddah Islamic Port, which is the country's biggest port, but also the country's commercial hub. In fact, Jeddah is deemed to be an opening on two holy cities, namely Mecca and Medina.

 Good to know:

To date, Jeddah's workforce consists of some 5 million workers, including a large number of expatriates.

Economy

Jeddah is known to be one of Saudi Arabia's economic hubs. In fact, the Eastern Province's economy mainly relies on petroleum. Over the years, oil refining has become another important pillar. You will also find quarries, power plants and mines, etc. Moreover, the Jeddah Islamic Port has also given a new dynamism to the city thanks to its 58 docks, its shipyard, as well as its re export and storage spaces. In short, storage, packaging, transport, trade and logistics also contribute to the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Note that Jeddah economy benefits not only from a strong technical and scientific leadership but also from massive investment. In 2009, MAN, which is a German company, has set up its head office in Jeddah, followed by Italcementi, which is an Italian cement company. You will also find major companies such as Saudi Binladen Group, Saudi Airlines, etc.

 Good to know:

Jeddah regularly hosts events such as automotive, machinery and equipment, processing and packaging exhibitions. Do not miss these!

Labor market

Most of Jeddah's companies are found along the King Abdullah street, which is next to the port. Local authorities are planning to set up the Middle-East region's biggest business district in the future. For now, you can search on the companies found in this street so as to have an idea about job prospects available there. You can even try your luck by sending spontaneous job applications to these companies.

The city also hosts many shops and shopping malls, particularly along the Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz street, which was formerly known as Tahaliyah Street. Who knows, you might find a vacancy at Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Tod's, Massimo Dutti, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana or Gucci. Moreover, information and communication technology, services, finance, real estate, construction, food processing, etc., are more promising sectors. As regards women, they are more likely to be hired in the education and health care fields.

 Good to know:

The hottest profile candidates have more chances of being hired in Saudi Arabia. Urban development experts, for instance, are the most welcome in Jeddah as local authorities are planning to further develop the city's infrastructure. Among these projects, a high speed lane which should connect Mecca to Medina and a land bridge which should facilitate access to the Persian Gulf from Jeddah.

Find a job

Now that you know more about the local labor market, you can start your job search on the internet thanks to general and specialized websites. Feel free to post your resume online so that potential employers can contact you. You can also register with a recruitment agency in Jeddah right from your home country.

 Important:

A good knowledge of English is mandatory to be hired in Jeddah.

 Useful links:

Expat.com - Jobs in Jeddah
Expat.com – Jeddah Forum 
Official page of the city of Jeddah www.jeddah.gov.sa
Gulf Talent www.gulftalent.com
Bayt www.bayt.com
Mihnati www.mihnati.com
Deloitte jobs.deloitte.com
Glassdoor Jeddah www.glassdoor.com