1. The Narcissist

Right off the bat, this is the CEO who wants the spotlight. His office is the size of a hotel lobby, and you have to take an uncomfortable 25 steps before reaching the handshake that welcomes you. The meeting is never about business; it is about his accomplishments. He boasts about his network, his influence, and the people he knows. Every conversation somehow circles back to him.

Deal Success Indicator: 5/10
Comfort Level: 4/10
How to Win the Deal: Let him talk, acknowledge his achievements, and subtly tie your pitch to his personal brand.

2. The Desk Front

This one is tricky to explain. He is the one that gives the impression of being the decision-maker, but you soon realize he is merely a front office clerk reporting to the real boss. His authority is limited, and every discussion requires a follow-up with the person who truly calls the shots. He plays along because the pay is good, but deep down, he resents the lack of real power.

Deal Success Indicator: 3/10
Comfort Level: 6/10
How to Win the Deal: Identify the true decision-maker and work around the Desk Front. Gain his support, but don’t waste too much time.

3. The Know-It-All

This CEO isn’t here to listen. He is here to teach. Although it is the first time he meets with you, he is sure he knows everything about your business, your industry, and probably even your personal career trajectory. The conversation is more of a lecture than a meeting. Trying to challenge him is futile.

Deal Success Indicator: 6/10
Comfort Level: 5/10
How to Win the Deal: Agree with everything he says, validate his opinions, and strategically insert your value proposition within his narrative.

4. The Silent One

This CEO listens without speaking, never interrupts, never argues, and rarely gives an opinion. He is either playing it cool or genuinely reflecting, but you can never be sure. A meeting scheduled for an hour is over in ten minutes. By the time you leave, you are left wondering where you stand.

Deal Success Indicator: 7/10
Comfort Level: 4/10
How to Win the Deal: Keep your pitch sharp and precise. If he asks questions, it’s a good sign. Follow up with a strong email recapping your proposal.

5. The Old-School General

This battle-hardened CEO has been through it all. He built the business from the ground up and still believes in doing things his way. Hands-on, he micromanages every detail and trusts no one fully. His leadership style is blunt, often humiliating employees publicly. He always refers to his humble starts, surprisingly, it has to be a WC cleaner, a driver, or a car washer. They all have the same story. His team survives by nodding along, and fake laughter fills the room when he cracks a joke. For the employees, to survive is to a continuous check of their loyalty and total submission.

Deal Success Indicator: 4/10
Comfort Level: 3/10
How to Win the Deal: Appeal to his ego. Show him how your solution aligns with his old-school principles while subtly introducing modern efficiency. Let him feel like the decision is his idea.

6. The Organized One

Here, you are dealing with a clear, straight-to-the-point person. He brings in the right people to meetings, and the atmosphere is professional but empowering. His team is engaged, and you can tell that their opinions matter. His team is not trying to impress when they engage in the conversation, they are genuinely discussing solutions. Even before stepping into the office, you sense the positive energy. The front desk staff smiles genuinely, and everything just works.

Deal Success Indicator: 9/10
Comfort Level: 9/10
How to Win the Deal: Be transparent, professional, and solution-driven. Offer real value, and you will be heard.

7. The Yellow Smile Guy

Everything about him feels fake. His smile, his tone, his enthusiasm: it’s all an act. You can sense the insincerity in his words, and yet, he plays the game flawlessly. You know he has already made up his mind before the meeting started, but he keeps the charade going just for appearances.

Deal Success Indicator: 3/10
Comfort Level: 2/10
How to Win the Deal: Mirror his energy. Play the game, but don’t rely on him for long-term success. Have a backup plan.

8. The Scream, Bash, Destroy CEO

The moment he enters the office, he is yelling. Scolding, humiliating, and berating his employees, all for no apparent reason. He thrives on fear and chaos, making the work environment toxic. Employees flinch at his presence, and the tea girl gets scolded in front of you for something trivial.

Deal Success Indicator: 2/10
Comfort Level: 1/10
How to Win the Deal: Keep it short and to the point. Don’t engage beyond what is necessary. If the deal isn’t worth it, walk away.

9. The Visionary

This CEO is a rare find but a true game-changer. Forward-thinking, innovative, and open to new ideas, he surrounds himself with talented people and actually listens to them. He values solutions over hierarchy and is willing to take calculated risks. His company thrives on collaboration, and decisions are made based on merit rather than politics.

Deal Success Indicator: 10/10
Comfort Level: 10/10
How to Win the Deal: Bring fresh ideas, show adaptability, and align your pitch with his broader vision. If your offering adds real value, he will see it.

These are the nine types of CEOs you will likely encounter in Dubai. Some will challenge you, others will frustrate you, and a few will make your career.

Commence with Impact: Open with a concise summary of your skills and notable achievements. This introduction serves as a crucial element of your CV, offering recruiters an immediate insight into who you are.

Prioritize Results Over Responsibilities: Instead of merely listing past duties, distinguish your CV by accentuating results. Incorporate quantifiable data to underscore your accomplishments. For instance, rather than stating “Contributed to increased social media engagement for Company X,” express “Elevated social media engagement by 38% for Company X.”

Tailor to Target Role: Directly align your CV with the job description, elucidating why you are the ideal candidate. Relate your achievements to the specific elements of the role, demonstrating a deep understanding of its requirements. While crafting a tailored CV may demand additional time, especially when applying for numerous positions, the investment is worthwhile if it aids in securing your ideal job.

Highlight Development and Progress: Focus on your personal growth in the CV. Showcase how you have evolved and thrived in your roles, emphasizing your accomplishments. This signals to recruiters that you have gleaned valuable insights from past experiences and are committed to continual learning.

Illustrate Connectivity: Showcase your connections, whether established during university or previous job roles. Highlighting your network underscores strong communication skills, a quality highly valued by employers.

Demonstrate Industry Acumen: Display an awareness of the industry you are targeting, indicating your ability to stay abreast of trends. Exhibiting knowledge of the industry enhances your attractiveness to employers and proves beneficial during interviews.

Incorporate Power Words: Infuse your CV with impactful language to underscore your achievements. Employ terms such as adaptable, innovative, implemented, and achieved for each role, providing concrete examples of your contributions.

Recognizing that many companies use keyword-based filters, align your CV with the job description. A thorough understanding of the role and industry equips you to craft a CV that stands out. Best of luck in your job search!

1. Roles and responsibilities: Tailor your resume to match the job you’re applying for. Make sure the job titles and responsibilities are relevant to the position.
2. Experience: Your resume should show the right kind of experience. Be consistent in presenting your experience, and highlight where you added value or contributed to important projects.
3. Skills: Include all the relevant skills you gained in previous roles. Your skills should complement your experience and show your suitability for the job.
4. Results and achievements: Managers like to see results, so if you exceeded your targets, mention it with specific amounts or percentages to demonstrate your achievements.
5. Education: Highlight relevant educational certificates, especially if they are listed as essential or desirable in the job requirements.

Once the details are right, your CV needs to look good and be easy to read. Pay attention to these details:


6. Readability: Ensure your resume layout is clear and consistent. Use one type of font, and use bullet points to list skills, achievements, and responsibilities. Avoid spelling or grammar mistakes.
7. No inconsistencies: Arrange your resume in reverse chronological order and keep it concise. Check for any unexplained gaps in your work history or inconsistencies in your responsibilities and achievements.
8. Relevant language: Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume. Match your language to the job requirements, avoiding excessive jargon. Remember that the reader might not be an expert in your field.
9. Formats and labels: Format your resume so it’s easy to open. Save it with your name in the title (e.g., Clarks_CS_resume). Keep the file size under 1MB for easy sharing.

Having the right skills and experience is crucial, but if your resume doesn’t clearly showcase them, you might miss out on opportunities.

1. Conciseness is Key: Hiring managers sift through a vast number of resumes, making brevity crucial. Keep your content concise and to the point, allowing the reader to quickly grasp your key qualifications and achievements.
2. Optimal Length: Aim for a resume length of 2-3 pages, irrespective of your level of experience. Even senior executives with extensive work histories should adhere to this guideline, as excessively long resumes can appear disorganized and overwhelming.
3. Strategic Executive Summary: Begin your resume with a short executive summary. Summarize your top skills and career achievements in 5-10 key bullet points. This provides a quick snapshot of your value proposition. BE straight to the point.
4. Reverse Chronological Order: Present your work experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent position at the top. This format is reader-friendly and aligns with hiring managers’ preferences.
5. Prioritize Recent Experience: Focus on detailing your experiences from the last 5 years, as hiring managers are significantly more interested in recent accomplishments. Provide more in-depth information about these roles while keeping earlier experiences succinct.
6. Highlight Achievements: For each position, outline key responsibilities and highlight your personal achievements. Use quantifiable facts to strengthen your impact, such as, “Led a 10-person Sales Team, achieving a 30% increase in annual revenue between 2018-2019.”
7. Tailor for Each Application: Customize your resume for each job application by emphasizing key points that align with the specific requirements of the role. This targeted approach demonstrates your suitability for the position.

Remember, your resume is a dynamic document that should evolve with each application, showcasing your unique strengths and qualifications for the job at hand.

Age discrimination, commonly known as ageism, emerges when job seekers face unfair treatment or disadvantages due to their age. This bias can take on various forms throughout the recruitment process. It frequently begins with biased assumptions held by hiring managers before they even meet the candidate.

Hiring managers may prematurely assume that older applicants are less adaptable to change, less tech-savvy, or less ambitious, all without genuinely assessing their individual qualifications. Additionally, ageist stereotypes, such as the belief that older workers are less innovative or energetic, can significantly influence hiring decisions.
Moreover, it is disheartening when owners express preferences for “fresher” and “younger-looking” candidates for purely aesthetic reasons. Yes, this bias does exist.
There are also more rational concerns, such as worries about overqualification, where employers fear that older applicants may be overqualified and likely to leave for better opportunities.

As an applicant, there are ways to counter this discrimination and ensure your resume reaches the actual decision-makers within a company, giving yourself a fighting chance.
We cannot stress this enough: crafting a resume is an art in itself, particularly in today’s landscape where AI, human judgment, and unprofessional screening processes are all factors. Navigating the complexities of avoiding wrongful dismissal from the applicant pool can be extremely challenging.

Age discrimination in recruitment is a pressing issue that restricts opportunities for older job seekers and impedes organizational growth. However, recognizing the problem is the first step towards finding a solution.

From leveraging data and embracing calculated risks to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, discover the tools and techniques used by successful executives to navigate complex decision-making landscapes. Elevate your decision-making prowess and position yourself as a strategic thinker in elite business circles.