Hiring Situation in the Middle East – Consulting Firms

The situation in the Middle East is quite complex at the moment. In the past, the MBB firms—buoyed by sustained growth—hired aggressively and also encouraged internal transfers. However, right now it’s very difficult to secure a job interview, as all the MBBs (and many other firms) are in an almost complete hiring freeze, especially for junior roles such as BA/A, C, and PL.

There are still some opportunities for senior positions and within smaller boutique firms, but they are limited. I expect the situation to improve in 4–6 months, but for now, the landscape remains quite challenging.

Hi there,

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

• First of all, apart from perhaps a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has really never been a complete hiring freeze, in any region or country.
• Moreover, I would strongly advise you to focus on what you can control, which is perfecting your application files and securing strong referrals for your applications. Whether consulting firms are hiring more or fewer candidates is not that important if you are a strong candidate. Also, please keep in mind that waiting a full year in the hope that consulting hiring will be more intense a year from now is certainly not advisable.

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

Hi there,

The consulting market in the Middle East is active, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Firms like MBB, Strategy&, and Oliver Wyman continue to hire—especially for roles linked to public sector transformation, economic diversification (e.g. Vision 2030), and large-scale infrastructure or tech strategy projects.

That said, while there’s demand, hiring is still selective. Some firms may be slowing down generalist hiring in favor of industry-specific or Arabic-speaking candidates. There's no full freeze across the board, but timelines can be longer, and internal referrals often make a big difference.

If you're considering applying, now is a good time to engage with recruiters or tap into your network on the ground. 

Feel free to reach out if you need further guidance or support.

Best,

Evelina

Hi,

Based on what I have heard, consulting firms in ME are hiring. The intensity is depending on the specific country.

Mattijs

Hello, 

It depends on the firm, but overall, one can safely say that recruitment is slow. Firms are still hiring but they are EXTREMELY selective, and some have delayed start dates to 2026. 

This means the recruitment process will be very competitive and only stand out candidates have a chance. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any follow-up Q!

Hi there,

I've recently had candidates interviewing in the Middle East, so I can confirm that they are still hiring. 

Whether they are hiring more or less than 'usual' is impossible to quantify.

What's certain is that now in June it's rather off-cycle, so the volume is lower than say Sep-Nov. 

If I were you, I'd reach out to the recruiters at each of the firms that I'm targeting to confirm the timeline.

Best,
Cristian

Hi,

Broadly would concur with other coaches.

I do know that there is still some hiring activity - a couple of my mentees are in the MBB process right now. 

Mihir