Back in 2015 as a Junior at the American University of Sharjah, it was internship time. I didn’t want to go down the route of forged letters from my parents – it was my time to shine! I gave myself a little pep talk ‘You have good grades, you know about marketing, you can do this and you will be great’. I applied everywhere – LinkedIn, InternsME etc. Reality check – no one cared about my grades or degree!
Multiple interviews followed and I started losing hope. The vicious circle of ‘what work experience do you have?’ – Er, I don’t have any – I am a student!
Tip for graduates, always talk about your experience with the projects you have done at university assessed by professors. Show you are able to apply your skills in real-life situations. Whether it’s tallying balance sheets, focus groups for market research, photoshoots for ads or technical builds for your engineering degree.
Finally, I managed to land an Interview! As a Pakistani, Khaadi has always been one of the top retail brands. The pep-talk was worth it. I repeated to myself, “It’s okay, be calm, you can do this, and you will be great!” It went well and I was offered for placement. I felt empowered and did my internship at a company admired. Upon graduation, I rejoined Khaadi in Dubai and started my career with the brand that I held near and dear to my heart.
A Retail Coordinator in 2016 progressing to E-Commerce Manager by 2019. 4 years of challenges, and learnings – all things that helped me develop. From merchandising a store, fit-out projects, and launching E-commerce in UAE & UK – every task was a steep learning curve. Great mentors were key – Eloise Berry(Head of Operations), Rehan Syed(CEO) and Amna(Head of Retail). Enjoyment at work is critical – above all with the long overdue recent focus on mental health.
Fast forward to 2022, moved to KSA after going through a personal promotion of getting married. I wanted to get back to work at the grassroots so I can learn more about the market, grasp the corporate culture within KSA then work my way up. I had 6 years of experience – why won’t anyone hire me? Will my lack of Arabic leave me jobless for eternity? I was feeling the same hopelessness in 2015 as a student. However, I continued to remind myself “You can do this, and you will be great”.
Finally, I landed an exciting role at Al Hala Trading Establishment, with their two core retail brands – Aura and Leem. Every day I face fascinating tasks from campaigns, promotions, managing content, conducting events etc.
SELF BELIEF is critical – ‘You can do this and you will be great’ – whether you’re a new graduate, entering a new market or field with no experience in the region, or just someone that is wondering whether a non-Arabic ex-pat woman can find a great job in KSA. Find something you are passionate about, that you know you will enjoy.
