UAE. Currently clinching the top spot of the region's online job site hierarchy, UAE-based Bayt.com recently reported even more astounding results in its 2008 operations in terms of new users acquired and its level of profitability.

In the previous year, Bayt.com clocked in one million new registrations and recorded an 80 % increase in profitability.

The company projects to achieve the same level of success it had accomplished over the past financial year through a pan-regional strategic plan for 2009 and cement its position as the leading job site catering to the region's cyber-literate job seekers.

Emarat Business Review caught up with Bayt.com's Rabea Ataya, the firm's Chief Executive Officer, and discussed its motivations, the trends that currently sway the online job market, and the company's apparent resilience to the ongoing economic recession.

What would you say helped you achieve your status as the leading online job site in the UAE?

A solid and unwavering commitment to the region and to delivering the most advanced cutting-edge technologies coupled with the largest jobseeker and employer databases has enabled Bayt.com to secure the position of the Middle East’s number one job site. Also instrumental in maintaining the high loyalty and satisfaction levels has been the very strong emphasis on client service and on maintaining open and fluid communication channels with jobseekers and employers alike.

What made online jobseekers stick to your site instead of using others?

On Bayt.com, job seekers have found the fastest, easiest and most effective way to find a job in the region. Professionals know they can find on Bayt.com the largest selection of jobs that span all career levels, all industries and all top employers.

Moreover on Bayt.com we have made the process of managing the job search extremely simple and organised through the online ‘'Workspace' which tracks all job applications as well as all CV views and searches. Time and time again jobseekers have told us that the site is extremely user-friendly, intuitive and the wealth of choice and information in terms of jobs and career advice is unparalleled.

In your previous release, you mentioned that one million new users signed up at your site. Does this number indicate a growth compared to new users during the previous year? By how much?

The one million new jobseekers registered on Bayt.com during 2008 represent an 80% increase over the number of new JobSeekers acquired in 2007.

What caused the spike in the number of new registrants to the website?

The remarkable increase in new job seeker registrations on Bayt.com in 2008 is mainly a function of four factors.

Professional jobseekers from around the world found on Bayt.com the largest selection of attractive regional jobs and employers. The Bayt.com platform has increasingly solidified its reputation as the most effective and attractive online platform for jobseekers from around the world exploring careers in the MENA region. Bayt.com activities in Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon were accelerated. Overall marketing activities were enhanced and optimized and new talent acquisition sources were explored.

With the ongoing economic recession and the subsequent lessening of job availability in the region, has the number of vacancies posted on your website decreased? By how much?

Interestingly, while the number of advertised jobs has decreased since November there has been a marked increase in the number of employers using the Search functionality to search the Bayt.com database for professional talent. This signifies in part that while employers are wary to advertise open positions, they are in fact searching for talent. We have seen that many employers are hiring for key positions even while they downsize.

How has your business been affected by the current economic conditions?

Thankfully, because of the trade off mentioned earlier where more employers are purchasing search functionality even while postings decline, Bayt.com has not been that adversely affected. Largely, this is a function of the tremendous cost efficiencies implied in online recruiting which HR professionals and recruiting managers are very keen to take advantage of in recessionary times.

On Bayt.com recruiters realise they can recruit all the talent they need in this sensitive market fast, easily and cost-effectively on a proven platform with a nine-year track record of unmitigated success. As HR budgets decline even while hiring needs continue we expect online recruitment with the significant savings it enables to increase in popularity even more.

Do you think the majority of the UAE population prefer searching for jobs online to the old-fashioned way? Why so? What facilitated this shift to an online mode of jobhunting?

Globally, job seekers realise the importance of having their CV online on the major Jobsite that caters to their region. With its exemplary internet penetration levels and emphasis on knowledge economy the UAE has been no stranger to this global trend. With a leading regional jobsite like Bayt.com advertising over 5,000 fresh new positions on average a day even in a down market and filling more than that through the search functionality, Jobseekers realise that they can no longer afford not to have their CVs online.

You are the leader now in the UAE, but how do you plan to strengthen your presence in the other Middle Eastern markets to which you cater?

Bayt.com is the Middle East’s number one job site and our leadership positioning is by no means limited to the UAE where we are headquartered. Our comprehensive employer and talent acquisition strategy in 2009 is pan-regional and we plan to further strengthen new markets we have recently acquired and entrench loyalty and satisfaction levels for existing customers and users.

How much in revenues and profits did you generate in 2008? What is the total value of your business now?

Bayt.com in 2008 realised an 80% increase in profitability.

What are your projections for Bayt.com for 2009 in terms of revenues, business value, number of new users?

We expect to realise a similar increase in profitability levels this year.

This article first appeared in Emarat Business Review.

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