Female Chemical Engineer

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female chemical engineer Nov 24, 2007
A month ago i was visiting Dubai with my family and i must say i was impresed, that much that i see myself living there for a cuple of years and Dubai is perfect since i can be back home(Europe) in 5 hours.
And now to my question...Well i am 26 years old female with a university diploma of chemichal engineering, i have around 3.5 years experiance in industry(analysis, XRF, AAS, ecology, ISO standards)...now what are my chances there? Is there any interest for profesionals like me?
Thanks

justme
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Nov 24, 2007
any clue? I would really like to hear from you dbxsoul...you have really good answers!
justme
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Nov 24, 2007
Hi there,

Sorry I actually started answering your post earlier and was interrupted by dinner :)

I’m afraid my knowledge of the chemical industry is more or less limited to making a cup of coffee, although I can possibly offer some pointers.

To the best of my knowledge there are no large chemical processing industries with the exception of oil, petrochemical products (plastics etc.) and the paint industry.. of which there are two large local "players"; there may well be a number of smaller niche or specific producers of specific materials for specific products - but none that I can actually name off the top of my head.

Although, if I’m not mistaken your current field of interest is in the "process" side of things (with a background in chemistry) and not the "mixing pot", am I correct in this assumption?

From a "processes" angle there are a few options open to you, firstly I’d start off with some of the business consultancy company’s (KPMG, Kaiser etc.) there are a fair amount of them around town, specialising in new business development or restructuring as well as business process management.

BTW, flattery will get you into trouble :lol: and to think my school guidance counciler said i wouldn't amount to anything :roll:
dbxsoul
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Nov 25, 2007
Well hello!

Thank you for taking time for answering my question...and ofcours you can't think with an empty stomack...so dinner comes first :)

And yes, you are correct in the assumption...coz i actualy don't see my self "mixing pot" anymore...had my dose of chemichals...and once u get to know it, it is all a rutine...Not at all all those colors as everyone thinks (blue turning to red...)
:)
And what is the best way to start looking for a job there? Come to Dubai for a month and start knocking on heavens door hoping someone will open them? Or is ther any chance to contact them from the net?
And how do i find a company maybe suitable for me? On the net? And when i do, should i sent them mail or what?

You know what...you should open a consultant agency!

Once again, thanks a lot...
justme
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Nov 25, 2007
Hi there,

Nah, I couldn’t start a consultancy, I’d spend too much time on the forum (or Facebook) and not enough time on my clients :lol:

http://www.yellowpages.ae/Search.aspx - Search “business consultants”, wait for the page to complete loading as it is a little slow sometimes – 130 odd entries. I’d start with those that are familiar, and those that have websites linked.

There are also a number of various “yellow page” sites for the UAE/ Dubai. There is no standard/ set site. This is due to the fact that there are UAE sites as well as individual emirate sites (Dubai, Sharjah etc.), and then a variety of “yellow pages” put out by various government departments all trying to make money – Dubai Municipality, Department of Economic Development etc. Some are better than others! Googling
["business consultants" dubai], gave me quiet a number of good leads with just a cursory look through. To filter it even more you can use the Google advanced search option and simply look for sites that have the suffix “.com” – denoting company – this way you would avoid sifting through news sites etc.

Else, Google some of the larger companies you are familiar with from Europe, most of the “big ones” (businesses I mean :) ), have offices in the UAE.

There are plenty of small and sometimes dubious businesses around, if you have any computing background, check for things that arouse your suspicions – incorrect spelling, using yahoo/ hotmail/ gmail addresses, or companies that are not even hosted in the UAE. Most UAE sites have the suffix “.ae”. Basically stay away from these.

Almost every larger company site has a “careers” link; sometimes these are offers, and sometimes only the contact details for the HR department. If you are not applying for a specific position and are simply forwarding a CV to an attended mailbox then re-mail it every 2 weeks. In most cases someone will come along browse through the mails (forwarded CV’s) and delete them if they are not looking for a candidate (spam rules and persistence pays off).

Leave the door knocking until you have some good, established leads (or even interviews), then take the trip out and cover as many of them as possible in one trip.

Here are 3 quick ones to start you off – all done with the above search:

http://www.kcbusinessconsultants.com/
http://www.agnmakconsultants.com/
http://www.isbconline.com/
dbxsoul
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Nov 26, 2007
Hey soul, thanks for everything...

You see, the thing is that there is not that i don't have an option in my country for an employment, but there is too many well educated ppl...and not even knowing you fall in to that middle range where it is so hard to succed...and life just pass by...Atleast what i can do is move away for a few years and life it's self feels prolonged for ten...and not to mention the experience you get there...how many ppl can say they worked in Dubai...so that it self is a very good reference....

And what about you, what drove you in to Dubai and for how long? And i hope you don't mind asking what is that you do...coz it seems u know your way around about everything...aaa here goes my flattering again...can't help it
:)
So how did you find the city to live in? Was it worth it for you?

and about this:
(Leave the door knocking until you have some good, established leads) when i was in Dubai someone who works there said that this is the best way to get a job, but for me it feels so unsafe coz i really don't want to come there and look like i am begging for work...Like you said the employer can just feel that your desperate... so i did check out those links that you send me and i did a little research of myown... and i do have some time since i want to move there next october...

thanks again
justme
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Nov 26, 2007
No problem, I lived in Dubai for 6 years. I originally came because I had quiet a good offer, unfortunately after I arrived I found my sponsor had been less than honest regarding the situation; it was quiet messy and eventually I ended up at the Labour Department and succeeded in having my contact cancelled and moved on to a much better job where I was a lot happier. You right about the experience, I had quiet a lot of work experience before I came to Dubai, but working in the Middle East was quiet “enlightening” to say the least and I learnt quite a bit form the experience.

Initially when I moved there things were a lot cheaper, business and development work was still moving at a fast pace and it was a good place to be, you could afford to live and save. Over the time I spent in Dubai the last 2 or 3 years everything became expensive, specifically accommodation and schooling. The price of rented accommodation rose sharply in price at the same time that the Dubai Government launched the “lease-hold” property ownership initiative. I could never quiet work out why this was, as technically if there were more properties available the price should come down – but the reverse happened.

Ultimately after working in Dubai for 6 years I was being paid more than 4 times what I originally started on when I moved to Dubai, but had less and less savings to show for it! I just found it becoming very greedy and that everything revolved around money and “lifestyle”, to me these are not of real importance. The advertising was really a joke, they made it out as if you had enough money you could buy, “the lifestyle”, importance, status, class, culture and style… I mean really Advertising 101 principals!
From what I could also see was, that development was focusing on creating a wealthy “upper class” and a “middle class”, but nowhere do they may provision for the divisions in between or even a “lower class”. I’m not a “classest” at all, but just felt that it was very artificial and in my mind unsustainable. It was as if they were saying, “Lets build magnificent buildings an fill them with rich people and send all the labourers home when they are finished”, that may work in a Utopia, but who staffs and cleans the buildings, works in the shops etc. ? I may be wrong, but that’s my opinion.

In Dubai if you want to get anything done, you have to basically do it yourself and make it happen, if you give instructions you must expect that they won’t be done properly and you have to continually check on things. I once asked a staff member to change the florescent light tube in my office, when I came back he had hired a maintenance company to change the tube, not because he didn’t know how to do it, but because it was easier for him to do, and he could also shout at the labour, which made him feel important!

That’s another thing you have to get used to people, sometimes employees “empire-building” creating little bureaucratic structures around themselves to make them feel important and indispensable! This only makes things more difficult when you are trying to get something done in a hurry.

In short, staying in Dubai did make an impact, I built quiet a successful career for myself, which hasn’t hurt at all. I met my wife in Dubai and had my daughter in Dubai as well. I’m considering moving back there in next year, not because I miss the place, but because of the money : )

Make some contacts with the companies you are interested in working for, then next year mail them and let them know that you will be coming out for a few weeks and ask for an appointment/ interview.
dbxsoul
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Nov 27, 2007
well...got a little bussy at work...soul

Yes, i have been looking at the prices of accommodations and the rents are way high...but they are also very big...and i have been calculating a bit and rents are so high that in 3-4 years you could pay off the whole appartment.
But i guess i will have to handle it...and they are two of as coming, so it would be easyer as we can share the costs.
As for Dubai i think that every city has it's +/- and u have to make the best of it...I know i will.

Stay on gard i might have some more questions coming up for you... :lol:

thanks and take care...
justme
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Nov 27, 2007
no problem .....

check out sharing (villa or appartment), if you get people who you are compatiable with it makes the rental much easier!
dbxsoul
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Nov 27, 2007
I am, but my boyfriend isn't...he is a bit spoild... no to tell you the truth i also don't like sharing (anything) :D And i would lose my mind if someone doesn't clean the dishes a minute after he/she stops eating...
I already trained mine and it was a tough job... :D
justme
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Nov 28, 2007
:lol:

glad i'm not married to you :lol:
dbxsoul
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Aug 04, 2009
whats all about :?
catalyst
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