How to write that perfect CV in the UAE: Tips by an HR professional
One page can change your life. This one piece of paper is your invitation to a meeting, your certificate of excellence, and your chance to get a bumper raise before you've even begun a new job. What's on this precious note? Your CV.
'The worst thing you can do for your CV is write down your job description,' says HR veteran Anam Irfan, who has worked with the likes of Majid Al Futtaim and Tenaris, and across industries such as oil and gas and construction.
The Pakistani expat, who has been in the UAE for 35 years, is currently the chief people officer and partner at byteSpark AI, and spoke to wknd. about the difference between a good CV and an effective one, what companies can do to draw and retain talent, and what you can do to boost your own profile in the tough-as-stone job market. Her firm is a headhunting initiative that uses AI to pursue candidates and link the right person to the right job. 'Our platform does a recruitment with speed, with efficiency. That, and we help people with CV-building skills,' explains Anam.
If you are looking for a new job this year, you are, unsurprisingly, not alone. According to a survey by Censuswide, 75 per cent of the professionals in the UAE are searching for new employment in 2025.
But to make your CV (and application) stand out, says Anam, 'Don't tell me what you were hired to do, impress me with what you have done. What you have achieved. A CV needs to be clear, concise, impactful. That means talking about outcomes, numbers.'
To make things more engaging, she recommends paying attention to your personal brand. 'After all, if you don't write about your accomplishments on social media (or LinkedIn), how will a recruiter know about your abilities? With the new generation that is coming into the workforce, Gen-Z and Alpha, it will be all about the personal brand. They're all on social media, whether it's Instagram, or LinkedIn, or TikTok. If you want to excel, you need to up your game on these platforms.'
Closing the gender gap
As a woman who has worked in traditionally male-dominated industries, Anam says her formula for being seen and heard is simple: Show up with irrefutable data.
'If you have your own clear voice and influence at the table, and you come backed up with data — that's when magic really happens. I make sure that when I speak, it is with facts and figures, making them curious about 'why did she say what she said',' she adds.
Having a comfortable relationship with your audience will also smooth your way to a receptive audience, the HR executive adds. 'You have to make sure that you're building relationships through the journey. Women have the gift of empathy; relationship-building is natural. When you do that, things become easy.'
The first challenge to success — both when it comes to speaking to colleagues and presenting an argument (or counter-argument, for that matter), she says, is the negative self-talk that women tend to suffer from. According to a study, published by the US-based National Library of Medicine, positive self-talk has the ability to improve cognitive performance. 'We women sometimes lose out because we are very self-critical, thinking we need to over-prepare. Sometimes, we overthink and stop ourselves from expressing a certain viewpoint. You don't say it, but someone else does. And you are left reeling,' she says, adding that one needs to curb that instinct to keep mum at important moments.
Don't tell me what you were hired to do, impress me with what you have done. What you have achieved. A CV needs to be clear, concise, impactful. That means talking about outcomes, numbers"
Anam believes the foundation to professional success then begins in one's formative years. 'If you don't have a very good childhood, it impacts you and your personal skill set,' she explains. However, if you are taught resilience in the face of diversity, it will hold you in good stead.
If you do find yourself without glowing personal skills though, remember that many things can be learned — all you need is a growth mindset; that ability to find lessons in everything.
It's also why grooming is so important in a work place; it helps your discover and grow your abilities. 'You may have your own mindset and your own aspirations, but if the opportunity is not given in the right organisation, it changes everything,' she says. 'When I was just in training,' she recalls, 'I was already presenting budgets to CEOs — my mentors and leaders put me in the room and pushed me to learn by doing. My confidence was built up like this.'
Anam is the mum of a six year old, and she laughs when asked about work-life balance. 'There is no such thing,' she says. 'For me, it's not about a work-life balance, it's really about integration. So, I have boundaries — at five, I have to leave. My son is six. He needs a mom. I need to spend at least couple of hours with him once he's back from school. He needs to have mealtimes with me. He needs to have his sleeping time with me. He needs to have some reading time with me. Once he's gone to bed, I can get back to any pending work that I have. The key is to know when to take a break and pause.'
Corporations need to understand that you cannot have those legacy annual performance reviews. You need to move beyond that. Things are agile. That's where frustrations happen in employees — they feel it's not a fair assessment"
Organisations too need a shift
While she's quick to say that she's only worked in supportive firms, she does admit that the way many organisations do things leave a lot to be desired. 'Performance management systems are so outdated. There is usually an annual goal-setting in organisations and annual reviews; but the goal posts are constantly shifting.
'Corporations need to understand that you cannot have those legacy annual performance reviews. You need to move beyond that. Things are agile. That's where frustrations happen in employees — they feel it's not a fair assessment.'
'The other thing is, teaching employees about their potential growth trajectory. The more you know where you are heading, the greater will be your commitment to your cause,' she explains.
At the end of the day, your turn with a company begins with an introduction — and you owe yourself the best one. Begin by working on an effective CV.
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