At just22 years old Rabia Aslaam, a Pakistani National who was born and raised in Kuwait, found work as an accountant with a reputable employer through the Middle East’s #1 job site, Bayt.com. The story of how she found her dream job, using Bayt.com’s leading world-class search tools and technologies, earned her a grand prize of US$1,000 and free flight tickets to a European destination of her choice.
The ‘Bayt Works for Me!’ competition invited all those who have found work through the Bayt.com website to encourage others by recounting their experiences online. “I read how people got their dream jobs through Bayt.com, so I posted my CV there and on other recruitment sites, but none of them called me except Bayt.com,” Aslaam wrote.
“Bayt.com has really made a difference in my life. Now I can gain good experience and go for my MBA, too,” said Aslaam.
Aslaam was the popular choice of over1.3 million Bayt.com voters who visited the site earlier this year and selected her job seeker success story the most inspirational piece out of hundreds of other write-ups.
Presenting a cheque for US$1,000 from Bayt.com, and two business class tickets to Europe courtesy of Lufthansa, Dany Farha, COO of Bayt.com, said: “Searching for work can be demoralising and lonely, even when the best services are available. The ‘Bayt Works for Me!’ initiative was about sharing the experiences of people who have found great jobs through Bayt.com, so as to give other job seekers a lift and offer constructive advice. Congratulations go to all our winners!’
Rabea Ataya, CEO, Bayt.com, added, “Thousands of entries were received, showing the number and variety of opportunities available through Bayt.com. Entries were received from virtually every nationality and walk of life, and the ‘Bayt Works for Me!’ competition is real proof that Bayt.com has worked for thousands of people around the region. These success stories will encourage others to march ahead and persevere in their job search.”
Bayt.com re-launched its ‘Bayt Works for Me!’ initiative in December2006, after a highly successful and widely acclaimed initial round of the competition. The best entries were posted online and visitors were invited to vote for their top three stories.
A runners-up prize of US$500 went to Mohammed Essess from Jordan, who is now working as a Product Engineer thanks to Bayt.com. He wrote, “I found myself in an unsuitable job, working as an office boy making coffee for the manager and his secretary.
During that time I kept searching on Bayt.com because it was my only hope. Now I am one of five engineers working with a well trained team in a prestigious company.”
Nancy Farid of Kuwait, IT Project Manager with Al Ghanim Industries, also won US$500 for her success story. She wrote, “Bayt.com provided me with a personalised list of search results, and this really helped me not to miss any opportunities. Now I am doing the kind of work I really love and I have a career path to follow.”
The success story of Rabia Aslaam, an accountant with Posta Plus in Kuwait, was the people’s choice with416 votes. She wrote: “After I got my job through Bayt.com my parents went for Hajj. I felt it was Allah’s gift to my family.”
Certificates of recognition were awarded to three additional inspiring success stories chosen by Bayt.com management panel.
Certificates of recognition went to Tarek Eletrebi, Creative Director; Noha Mohamed Abdel Samie, now a multimedia specialist with Daleel Tech of Saudi Arabia; and Keerthish Rao, Product Manager for the Middle East and Africa with UAE-based Emerging Technologies.
More than26,000 employers, representing companies of all sizes, now hire through Bayt.com, making it the largest single pool of employers for job se ekers anywhere in the region.
Founded in2000, Dubai-based Bayt.com has offices in10 regional cities - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Doha, Manama, Kuwait City, Amman and Karachi.
Bayt.com has a database of more than1.3 million users - mostly from around the GCC but also the wider Middle East, Africa, Asia, North America and Europe.