Key Highlights
- CA Swati Bagri. You know, in a bustling place like the UAE, where everyone’s hustling, how does one even stumble upon jobs in those big-shot Fortune 500 companies?
- CA Swati Bagri joined Amazon Dubai by chance, but moving to FMCG was hard.
- After trying for 3 months, here’s how Swati found a job at Kraft Heinz Dubai.
CA Swati Bagri: A Glimpse Into An Entrepreneur’s Spirited Journey
Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we? It’s 2014, and Swati Bagri, freshly minted as a Chartered Accountant, steps out into the corporate world. With a spring in her step, she’s ready to conquer!
Fast forward to 2018, and guess what? Swati’s CV shines with a whopping six years of experience. And not just any experience, but with the big guns of FMCG! We’re talking about giants like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Mars, all right in the heart of India. Quite impressive, don’t you think?
But here’s a twist: Swati and her husband had this dream. A dream to be near their beloved India but also to taste a slice of life overseas. Quite the adventurous duo, huh? So, when a friend of her husband dropped a hint about a Finance role at, wait for it, Amazon in Dubai, her interest was piqued.
However, there was a teeny-weeny challenge. E-commerce? That was a whole new ball game for Swati. Remember, she was the FMCG queen! But, always up for a challenge, in 2019, she took what many might see as a step back. She dived into the e-commerce pool with Amazon Dubai. Imagine the scene: From potentially being crowned the Head of FP&A at Mars, India, she chose to explore the unknown terrains of e-commerce.
But here’s the thing, folks. Sometimes, you take a sip of a new drink, and it’s just…not your flavor. That’s what happened with Swati and e-commerce. She missed the FMCG world. But, oh boy, getting back wasn’t a cakewalk. Picture this: Swati, in the vast desert of job hunting, searching for her oasis.
Then, like a ray of sunshine in a cloudy sky, a LinkedIn connection came to the rescue! Pointing her towards an opportunity at The Kraft Heinz Company, the world’s fifth-largest food and beverage firm. Voilà! By December 2020, our heroine was back where her heart truly belonged – in the FMCG world, wearing the proud title of Commercial Finance Manager.
And the cherry on top? Drum roll, please! In April 2023, Swati climbed another rung on her ladder of success, being promoted to the Head of Finance Transformation.
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And that, dear readers, is a glimpse into Swati Bagri’s journey – a tale of ambition, adventure, challenges, and triumphs!
The journey to securing a job in a Fortune 500 company in Dubai is not for the faint-hearted. The glittering skyline and bustling markets of this metropolis suggest a land of abundant opportunities, but the reality, as every job seeker soon finds out, is more nuanced.
Understanding the Dubai Job Landscape
While the job search method in India might be more straightforward, with platforms like naukri.com giving a fairly decent return on applications, Dubai presents a different ballgame. The sheer diversity of the applicant pool, with individuals hailing from almost every corner of the world, can be mind-boggling. They come lured by the promise of tax-free incomes and the dream of a high-quality life, but soon find that the competition is thick and fierce.
Dubai’s global attraction creates a unique challenge: How do you make your mark when every other applicant possesses a similar skill set, experience, or even better?
Crafting a Strategic Approach
This is where strategy plays a critical role. It’s not about blindly shooting arrows in the dark, hoping one will hit the target. Instead, it’s about precision, focus, and persistence. Here’s a deeper dive into the techniques that work:
1. Zooming in on the Target:
Instead of scattering efforts, focus is key. It’s essential to understand the industry, recognize its leaders in the region, and shortlist them according to career aspirations. Dubai, for all its vastness, has a relatively limited number of FMCG companies compared to a giant market like India.
2. The Power of the Resume:
In the high-paced job market of Dubai, first impressions are everything. With a deluge of applications hitting an employer’s desk within minutes of posting a vacancy, standing out becomes paramount. A strong CV is non-negotiable. Keeping it succinct, emphasizing key accomplishments, being truthful, and incorporating relevant keywords are crucial steps. Remember, in this ultra-competitive landscape, authenticity is your best companion.
3. Personal Connections Matter:
In an age of digital dominance, personal connections have not lost their charm. Reaching out to senior professionals, not with an air of desperation, but with genuine interest, can open doors that might remain closed otherwise. Asking for insights, seeking mentorship, or just understanding the company culture can pave the way for deeper, more meaningful interactions. The goal is to be remembered, not as someone begging for a job, but as a professional genuinely interested in growth and learning.
4. Patience – The Unsung Hero:
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a career in Dubai. Patience is not just a virtue but a necessity. The path is strewn with rejections, non-responses, and long waiting periods. But every ‘no’ brings you closer to that coveted ‘yes’. It’s all about resilience and believing in oneself.
Also Read: How this 25-year old CA quit an MNC job to be a Partner at a CA firm: Moksh Bandi
Wrapping Up…
The job hunt in Dubai, especially in Fortune 500 companies, is akin to a strategic game. It’s about making the right moves, waiting for the opportune moment, and seizing opportunities when they present themselves. The key lies not just in showcasing qualifications or experiences but in demonstrating value, persistence, and genuine passion.
As Swati’s story suggests, it’s not the number of attempts but the quality of effort that counts. So, gear up, strategize, and let the job hunt in Dubai be the adventure it’s meant to be.
And as we bring down the curtains on Swati Bagri’s electrifying adventure, let’s sift through the golden nuggets of wisdom she mined along her journey. Swati discovered, in the often tumultuous waters of job hunting, that patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a lifesaver. A call back from a recruiter or a potential employer? That’s a rare gem, with a dazzling success rate of just one to two percent. That’s right, it’s a jungle out there!
But fret not, aspiring job hunters, for Swati shares her beacon of light to navigate this maze. If the glimmering sands of Dubai are calling your name, unfurl your map of connections. Reach out, extend a hand, let your voice echo in the corridors of LinkedIn and beyond. Make connections, but let them be as genuine as the desert flower that blooms amidst the arid expanse. Be polite, be true, be you. Because in the end, it’s all about sowing seeds of authentic relationships and letting them blossom into opportunities.
And ah, before we bid adieu, Swati has a whispered secret to share, a page from the book of her life. Believe it or not, the eloquent and confident Swati hadn’t always been this way. English? It was like deciphering hieroglyphs till she was around 15. But did she let that dim her sparkle? No! With every conversation, every interaction, she chiseled her social skills, turning every stone of obstacle into a stepping stone for growth.
Now, over to you, dear readers. Are you treading the path of job hunting, feeling lost in the labyrinth? Or are you standing at the crossroads of career paths, seeking the light? Share your queries, unfold your tales, and guess what? Swati is here, ready to lend an ear and share a word of advice or two. Because every journey is unique, yet every traveler needs a companion. Let Swati be yours, as you embark on your own odyssey of triumphs and trials.
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