Hi everyone,

I’m currently exploring a potential move to Dubai/UAE for consulting/strategy roles, and wanted to get a ground reality check from people on the ground, especially given the recent US–Iran geopolitical tensions and regional instability.

A bit about me:

• Management Consulting Analyst at Accenture Strategy (India)
• ~2 years experience
• Background: strategy, transformation, problem-solving projects
• From IIM
• Looking at roles like:
  • Strategy / Management Consulting
  • Corporate Strategy / BizOps
  • Possibly PM / Strategy roles in tech firms

My key questions:

1. How is the job market right now (May 2026)?
From what I’ve read, it seems:

• Hiring hasn’t stopped but has become more selective and cautious
• Some sectors (like tech/finance) are still active, while others are slowing down
• Geopolitical tensions are impacting sentiment and investment in certain sectors

Would you agree with this? Or is it worse/better on the ground?

2. How much are the US–Iran tensions actually affecting jobs?

• Are companies freezing hiring / delaying offers?
• Are expats reconsidering moving to UAE?
• Is this a short-term dip or something more structural?

I’ve seen reports of:

• Selective hiring and slowdown in some sectors
• Cautious business sentiment and volatility due to tensions
• Certain sectors like real estate and tech seeing pressure or slowdown

Would love firsthand perspectives.

3. What roles/salary ranges should I realistically target?
For someone with my profile (~2 years consulting experience):

• Strategy / consulting roles → expected salary range?
• Corporate strategy / BizOps → typical comp?
• Is it still possible to get AED 20k–30k/month range, or is that unrealistic right now?

From online data:

• Specialist roles (tech/data) seem to command AED 15k–50k+
• Generalist roles seem much more competitive with flatter salaries

Where would consulting profiles realistically fall?

4. How hard is it to land interviews from outside UAE currently?

• Is relocation hiring still active?
• Or are companies preferring local candidates right now?

Referrals

Not directly asking for referrals, but if someone feels my profile could be a good fit in their firm, happy to connect.

Why I’m asking

I’m trying to decide whether:

• It’s a good time to push aggressively for UAE, or
• Better to wait 6–12 months until things stabilize

Would really appreciate honest, on-ground insights—especially from people in consulting, tech, or hiring roles.

Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently exploring a potential move to Dubai/UAE for consulting/strategy roles, and wanted to get a ground reality check from people on the ground, especially given the recent US–Iran geopolitical tensions and regional instability.

A bit about me:

• Management Consulting Analyst at Accenture Strategy (India)
• ~2 years experience
• Background: strategy, transformation, problem-solving projects
• From IIM
• Looking at roles like:
  • Strategy / Management Consulting
  • Corporate Strategy / BizOps
  • Possibly PM / Strategy roles in tech firms

My key questions:

1. How is the job market right now (May 2026)?
From what I’ve read, it seems:

• Hiring hasn’t stopped but has become more selective and cautious
• Some sectors (like tech/finance) are still active, while others are slowing down
• Geopolitical tensions are impacting sentiment and investment in certain sectors

Would you agree with this? Or is it worse/better on the ground?

2. How much are the US–Iran tensions actually affecting jobs?

• Are companies freezing hiring / delaying offers?
• Are expats reconsidering moving to UAE?
• Is this a short-term dip or something more structural?

I’ve seen reports of:

• Selective hiring and slowdown in some sectors
• Cautious business sentiment and volatility due to tensions
• Certain sectors like real estate and tech seeing pressure or slowdown

Would love firsthand perspectives.

3. What roles/salary ranges should I realistically target?
For someone with my profile (~2 years consulting experience):

• Strategy / consulting roles → expected salary range?
• Corporate strategy / BizOps → typical comp?
• Is it still possible to get AED 20k–30k/month range, or is that unrealistic right now?

From online data:

• Specialist roles (tech/data) seem to command AED 15k–50k+
• Generalist roles seem much more competitive with flatter salaries

Where would consulting profiles realistically fall?

4. How hard is it to land interviews from outside UAE currently?

• Is relocation hiring still active?
• Or are companies preferring local candidates right now?

Referrals

Not directly asking for referrals, but if someone feels my profile could be a good fit in their firm, happy to connect.

Why I’m asking

I’m trying to decide whether:

• It’s a good time to push aggressively for UAE, or
• Better to wait 6–12 months until things stabilize

Would really appreciate honest, on-ground insights—especially from people in consulting, tech, or hiring roles.

Thanks a lot!