Hi! I am moving to Dubai in 3 mos. I have 1.5 years of experience and have passed all levels CFA, am an ACCA Affiliate and hold a BSc in Applied Accounting. I am targeting Strategy & Associate position. Do you think I have a chance of landing an interview considering I am anexpat

Hi,

Being an expat would not be a deterrent given the bulk of the workforce in Dubai is not local anyway.

The key consideration is whether your profile is competitive enough. Without looking at your CV further its hard to give a realistic POV, but generally firms look for a track record of excellence/achievement and also markers that signal you have what it takes i.e. top university, big brand employer, fast promotions etc.

In addition - you do want to also network as this will be critical in getting a referral. 

Given you will apply as an Experienced Hire, i believe the following articles will be helpful for you:

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

Using AI for Case Preparation

Succeeding in Consulting as an Experienced Hire

All the best!

Sure, you sound like you have a great profile. 

Do a scan of the top x firms in ME. 

Then start checking what roles they have open that would be relevant for you. 

Prepare your CV so it's in top shape and reach out to recruiters for a quick chat to confirm that the role is relevant for you and still open. 

And then apply. 

If yo have any questions, feel free to drop me a line. About a third of the candidates I've worked with applied in the ME so I might be able to share some useful, tailored advice. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, unfortunately, no one can seriously answer the question of whether you have a chance of landing an interview based on the few pieces of information you provided. However, if you'd like a more detailed assessment, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
• Moreover, whether you get invited to an interview depends on many more factors than just your education and work experience. I would strongly advise you to consider working with an experienced coach like me to polish your application files to perfection and to secure strong referrals.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

That's a strong technical foundation with the CFA and ACCA—that immediately signals rigor and commitment, which is valuable. As noted, being an expat in Dubai is neutral; the firm's focus is whether you fit their specific hiring bucket.

Here is the real challenge: The 1.5-year mark puts you in a tricky zone for experienced hire recruiting. You are too experienced for the analyst/business analyst track, but typically, consulting firms in the GCC region look for a minimum of 2.5 to 3 years of post-undergrad experience for the Associate role (the entry point for EH) unless you are coming from a feeder program. Experienced Hire hiring isn't done on a set schedule like campus recruiting; it's driven by immediate need. You are essentially competing against candidates who have either a major brand name on their CV (like a bulge bracket bank) or more time served in high-impact roles.

The immediate priority is translating your deep finance knowledge (CFA/ACCA) into the language of strategy. Right now, your profile screams "excellent financial modeler" or "private equity analyst," but not necessarily "strategy consultant." You must craft a cohesive narrative that shows how your 1.5 years involved structured problem-solving, stakeholder management, and influencing strategic outcomes, not just accounting processes. Your job over the next three months is to get a strong internal referral. In the Dubai offices, where headcount can fluctuate quickly, a referral is often the only way your CV gets pulled from the general applicant stack and put in front of the hiring partner for immediate consideration.

Start your networking now and focus your conversations on identifying the specific value gap (e.g., restructuring experience, sector expertise like TMT) that your target firms are currently trying to fill.

All the best with the move.

Hi there,

You are leaning more towards finance roles. But don't see why consulting firms wouldn't interview you. Being an expat is not an issue.