u/justanothergirlsname

QA since 2016, briefly did release management (2020-22, deployment scripts, release notes, automated deployments), then landed a DevOps role in April 2025 (AKS, Docker, Helm, Terraform, GitHub Actions, Dynatrace). Laid off March 2026 (US-Iran war fallout).

Catch: The project was already built out when I joined, so it's maintenance/troubleshooting experience, not "built it from scratch."

Currently: studying for CKA, have AWS Cloud Practitioner certification, failed Azure Admin once (haven't retaken).

Questions:

1. How do I position "maintained an existing setup" experience without underselling or oversell it?
2. Finish CKA first, retake Azure Admin or go deeper on Terraform/Actions instead of more certs?
3. Is DevOps still worth pushing into right now or pivot toward AI/ML-adjacent roles even if it means starting lower?
4. What hands-on projects/work actually helped you ace interviews? (personal projects, contributions, anything)
5. What am I missing - blind spots, gaps, anything hiring managers actually care about?

Been job hunting here for a few months now and honestly, the silence between applications gets to you. I’m curious how everyone else is handling it. Not just the job search grind, but the day to day.

A few things I’m curious about:

1. What’s your daily routine like?
2. How are you managing financially?
3. What’s actually kept you sane?
4. Skilling up or job hunting full time?

Here’s my situation : Visa cancelled, grace period ends by 24 August. Selling the car, cancelled the credit card and stressing over Wasl’s three month penalty for breaking the contract early.

Just want this to be a space where we’re honest about what unemployment in the UAE actually looks like and would like to know I’m not the only one going through this.

Hey! Anyone knows a good rented storage unit to store furniture and appliances in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman or Sharjah? Please let me know. TIA

I’ve been on the job hunt for a few months now, and let me tell you, I have seen some absolute red flags out there.

The current UAE job market is tough. We’ve seen layoffs, a massive influx of talent, and intense competition. But there is a line between market correction and outright exploitation and right now, some HR departments are crossing it.

Based on what I've been seeing on the ground lately, please look out for these massive red flags:

"No Visa Provided" / "Work on a Visit Visa First": Absolute hard pass. It’s illegal, it leaves you with zero legal protections, and it's a massive liability. If they can't afford your visa, they can't afford your salary.

The "Trial Basis" Trap: Do not work for free to "prove yourself." A probationary period is built into standard contracts for a reason. Work starts after the contract is signed.

No Health Insurance (or making you pay for it): Providing health insurance isn't a generous perk, it is a mandatory legal requirement in the UAE.

The "Currency Conversion" Pitch: If an HR manager converts a low AED salary into INR (or any other home currency) to show you "how big the number is," laugh and walk away. You pay Dubai rent in AED, not INR. 😂

One-Way Notice Periods: Contractual courtesy works both ways. If they expect you to give 2 or 3 months' notice but want the right to fire you on the spot with zero compensation, it’s a trap.

If the market is asking you to compromise on your legal rights, basic health, and financial dignity, it might be time to pivot. Let’s normalize treating 2026 as a strategic break year. Upskill or look elsewhere rather than falling into a trap that sets your career back years.

Just recently, I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a Head of IT offering 15k–16k AED/month. When the HR was called out on how insultingly low that is for a leadership role, his response was: “Well, I have 1,200 applicants for this job”. This is the reality of the current market. Because demand is incredibly high, companies are trying to pay you less, actively assuming you’d be desperate enough to take it.

To everyone else in the trenches of the job hunt right now - Know your worth, know UAE labor laws, and don't let the panic of the market dictate your value.

Hey! Our family is navigating a double layoff in a brutal job market. I lost my DevOps role in April, and my husband is facing a layoff (Business Development Manager) with a July visa deadline.

Despite aggressive networking and referrals, we keep hearing that companies have paused hiring. Balancing this uncertainty with a toddler makes the stakes incredibly high, and we’re facing the reality of having to leave the country if we can't secure something soon.

If you know someone who is actively hiring for DevOps/QA or IT Sales (BDM), please let me know. We would love to connect.