Middle East Consulting Outlook: 3–6 Month Expectations?

You are observing the situation correctly. That feeling of a tightening belt in the GCC is very real, and the cuts you mentioned at other firms reinforce an immediate trend: the Middle East consulting sector is currently in a necessary digestion phase.

Here is the underlying mechanism: From 2021 to early 2023, the region was running white-hot, leading to aggressive over-hiring across most large consultancies, particularly in anticipation of massive digital transformation waves and privatization work. Firms bulked up headcount faster than their mid-term pipelines could support. Now, as utilization rates drop below comfortable levels, the immediate priority is to freeze external hiring and maximize internal deployment. It is a correction of capacity, not a sign that the long-term government mandate (Vision 2030 programs) has vanished.

For the next three to six months, generalist intake will remain challenging. The focus is exclusively on two areas: A) Highly specific, specialist skills tied directly to implementation (e.g., deep public sector delivery expertise, certain digital engineering niches), and B) Senior lateral hires required to win new, bespoke mega-projects. For an MBA student relying on standard volume intake, I would not anticipate a meaningful recovery in hiring volume until the tail end of Q3/early Q4, once utilization stabilizes and firms are forced to begin budgeting for the next cycle. Network hard now, but be realistic that the seats are fewer and the competition is higher than last year.

All the best with your search.

I've been paying attention to the Middle East market for a long time now. There are ups and downs, but it has always been a strong recruiting market. When others stopped completely, Middle East kept going. There's a higher churn of people. And they rely immensely on freelancers to deliver the projects they have, which means that if they could find more good people they would be hiring them.

So focus on being a great candidate - if you have a good profile you will have your chance to prove yourself in an interview.

Indeed, it's not looking great. I've also felt the ME volume going down over the past few months. 

Where is it likely to go? No idea honestly. And also honestly, anybody who claims to know it must be part magician. Not even the Partners at the firms know it because they also typically adjust hiring on the economic cycles. 

Needless to say, none of this is within your control (big surprise). You can only control the quality of your application and how many relevant targets receive it. 

You might find this guide useful:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

If you have specific questions, feel free to reach out directly.

Best,
Cristian

I think for the next 3-6 months, the following might materialized based on what I’m seeing on the ground:

1. KSA remains the larger engine, but even that engine is stalling.
   KSA development spend is still massive, but ministries are tightening approvals, and many giga-project budgets (NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, Dir'iyah) are going through reprioritization and executive reshuffling. That slows down consulting demand even if the long-term project stays intact. They're building up their own internal capabilities in parallel.
2. UAE is in a holding pattern.
   Dubai is absorbing talent, but clients are far more selective. Abu Dhabi is steady and more people are moving from Dubai, although this is more of a mature market and consultancies are often brought in for more strategic / piecemeal projects rather than broad-based, complete overhaul / C-suite + Minister-level type projects
3. The broader consulting market is in a slump globally and may drift sideways before it improves.
   PwC and Kearney were not outliers. Multiple firms across strategy, implementation, and public-sector advisory are dealing with thinner pipelines, delayed starts and promotion cycles + higher attrition rates. You can argue that this is from both the industry having a bit of an identity crisis with LLMs vs. needing to justify more strictly when hiring consultants

There are catalysts, most credible of which are:

• KSA ministries completing their budget resets and restarting paused mandates post-January
• A few large transformations moving from planning to execution
• Saudi entities preparing for 2026-2027 delivery deadlines and staffing up again

If those hit, demand may rebound quickly, otherwise it's likely that this slump will last longer.

Hi there,

Over the next three to six months, it is hard to predict a strong recovery. Demand may remain subdued, especially for entry-level and mid-level hires. That said, firms still need talent and freelancers for key projects so opportunities will exist, particularly for experienced hires with in-demand skills or industry expertise.

hey there :)

You’re right to be cautious, I also see reasons to expect a slow few months in Middle East consulting what I hear from friends working there. Demand seems subdued, especially where clients are tightening budgets or delaying big projects. Recovery may take time, unless a major economic stimulus or oil‑driven rebound happens soon. If you keep your options open (other regions, sectors, or firm types) and stay ready, you’ll be better positioned.

best, Alessa :)