# Occupational Therapist Jobs



## gsimon83

Hi

I am a Senior occupational Therapist in the UK with over 6 years experience. I am moving to Dubai but having great difficulty getting a job. Does anyone have any advice or any contacts? I would greatly appreciate it 

Thanks


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## Sandgroper74

gsimon83 said:


> Hi
> 
> I am a Senior occupational Therapist in the UK with over 6 years experience. I am moving to Dubai but having great difficulty getting a job. Does anyone have any advice or any contacts? I would greatly appreciate it
> 
> Thanks


Hi, I am an OT too, currently living in Dubai although I'm presently a stay at home Mum. When I looked for work as an OT in Dubai in 2007, I found that the tertiary health system was somewhat underdeveloped and that the OT jobs were subsequently low paid (from what we are used to in the UK and Australia). The jobs included hospital accomodation and most jobs were in Abu Dhabi. I saw the jobs on recruitment websies like Gulf Talent tc. It also depends on what your area of speciality is. I met a paediatrician recently who said that the waitlist to see an OT is 3-4 months. You could try contacting healthcare clinics and hospitals such as Coopers, KidsFirst and Rashid Hospital. I was offered a medical equipment sales rep job once, if you are looking for alternatives.

I worked in Human Resources in Dubai, and really enjoyed it, so will be looking to return to that area shortly. You will find it easier to find a job once you are in Dubai, but it did take me 3 months, on the ground in Dubai, back in 2007.


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## gsimon83

Thanks for your reply. I've tried applying for jobs online through those sites u mentioned but I never gear anything back. I've also been told by agencies they want you to have worked in a hospital in the last 6 months and I am community based. It also goes against me as I haven't worked in peadiatrics. I'd bd willing to try sales or other areas of OT just can't seem to get a foot in? Do you have any other contact?

I am coming to Dubai this month and thought it might be worth going down to the hospitals? I'm a bit scared of coming over with no job so if possible I'd like to try get one before


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## Sandgroper74

gsimon83 said:


> Thanks for your reply. I've tried applying for jobs online through those sites u mentioned but I never gear anything back. I've also been told by agencies they want you to have worked in a hospital in the last 6 months and I am community based. It also goes against me as I haven't worked in peadiatrics. I'd bd willing to try sales or other areas of OT just can't seem to get a foot in? Do you have any other contact?
> 
> I am coming to Dubai this month and thought it might be worth going down to the hospitals? I'm a bit scared of coming over with no job so if possible I'd like to try get one before


I'm sorry I don't have any contacts. I just saw that Dubai Jobs are advertising for OTs in workplace injury management. That is actually my area of expertise and I am surprised to see the advert! I think employers have a wish list when they advertise and may never find someone who ticks all of the boxes. Think about the transferrable skills that you have and market these (with confidence!).

It depends whether you want to move to Dubai or have to. I moved here for , so had someone to support me while I looked for work. I personally wouldn't move to Dubai for OT experience, unless I had to eg. husband moving here.

Perhaps give the private hospitals and medical clinics a call, before visiting the government hospitals. Best of luck!


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## Maz25

gsimon83 said:


> Thanks for your reply. I've tried applying for jobs online through those sites u mentioned but I never gear anything back. I've also been told by agencies they want you to have worked in a hospital in the last 6 months and I am community based. It also goes against me as I haven't worked in peadiatrics. I'd bd willing to try sales or other areas of OT just can't seem to get a foot in? Do you have any other contact?
> 
> I am coming to Dubai this month and thought it might be worth going down to the hospitals? I'm a bit scared of coming over with no job so if possible I'd like to try get one before


You are better off spending the time you have before moving here to research the hospitals/ clinics, etc that offer roles similar to what you are after. Additionally, you should also research recruitment agencies that may assist in placing you in a suitable role.

Once you arrive, get on the phone and start making calls. Agents and employers are more receptive to speculative applications when the candidate is in the UAE and available for interviews. If you're abroad, unfortunately unless you have extensive experience, you will lose out to locally based candidates, who are plentiful at the moment.

As Sandgroper has rightly advised, you need to do some research into the cost of living and the salaries on offer. There are a lot of workers from the subcontinent who have more experience and would be willing to accept less, so you need to work on your CV and present a unique skills set that will allow you to demand a higher salary. Importantly, you are the better judge of your standard of living, hence make sure that the salaries on offer will help to sustain the standard that you used to. There is really no point in moving here if you are barely going to keep your head above the poverty line!

Good luck with your search.


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## gsimon83

Thanks for your advise. I have been to Dubai several times and researched into the hospitals at length. I have also signed upto agencies but still struggling. I think like you said it would be easier if I was there but I would feel it's too risky to quit my job in hope I'll get one once there.

I am over every other month and it would be easy for me to attend interviews it's just difficult getting all this across. Nobody seems to want to know unfortunately, it's proving very difficult


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