Trying to understand the current hiring landscape

Question

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to get a quick sense check on what people are seeing right now. Given how things have been lately, I’m getting the sense that hiring has slowed down quite a bit.

I’ve spoken to two top consulting firms so far; one moved my application to the next hiring cycle but with no guarantee they’ll reach out, and the other initially told me to wait for interviews to be scheduled, then came back saying roles at my level have been filled, with a “we might reach out if things change” type of email.

I’m unsure how to approach this now. Are top consulting firms in KSA and the UAE still hiring in any capacity (even outside formal postings), and does it make sense to keep reaching out to principals and MDPs to stay visible?

Or is this more of a sign that the market is just slow right now and I should be looking more broadly beyond management/strategy consulting?

Answer 1

Hey,

There is a lot of uncertainty in the MENA region due to the current geopolitical scenario. When this happens, long-term projects are typically halted or postponed, and short-term engagements (e.g., due diligences) are also limited—there is simply too much uncertainty right now to buy a new company or start a joint venture.

Thus, this slowdown is unfortunately normal.

I wouldn't stress about it too much:

In a month or so, consulting firms and companies will likely have a clearer understanding of whether this is the new normal, or if the situation in Iran has evolved.
A lot of expats are planning to leave the area and are recruiting for opportunities abroad (I can say this confidently because I am coaching a few people doing exactly this). This means competition might slow down and turnover could increase, resulting in more opportunities for new joiners
Long-term, unless we enter a multi-year conflict around Hormuz, I don't think the prospects for MENA consulting (or the overall hiring numbers) will change much.

Hope this helps,

Tom