Kearney Middle East Office Evaluations

Question

Good evening, PrepLounge community!

I hope everyone is doing exceptionally well.

As I navigate through the final rounds of interviews, I've been asked to rank my preferences for Kearney's offices in the Middle East—specifically Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh. Given the current market dynamics, my paramount concern is to secure a position. My familiarity with Dubai's lifestyle and its highly competitive, potentially saturated market makes me cautious about placing it at the top of my list. While I have less insight into Doha's opportunities, I understand that Riyadh is actively hiring and represents a growing market, which seems like a safe bet for my first preference.

However, as an Indian expat, I'm seeking advice on which location would be most suitable, both professionally and personally. Could you share your insights or recommendations on prioritizing these offices? Any advice on navigating these markets as an expat, and how each city caters to professional growth and personal well-being, would be invaluable. Your expertise and experiences would greatly aid in my decision-making process.

A little about me: I'm an Indian expat with my sights set on landing a role at Kearney. For the next five years, I'm all in on pushing my career forward. While I'm eager to prioritize my professional growth, I'm also open to balancing other aspects of my life as needed. Career progression is at the forefront of my plans.

Answer 1

Hi there!

I've worked with multiple candidates for Kearney ME offices and one of my candidates got an offer last week for Riyadh (so I can confirm they're actively hiring).

All the candidates that I've worked with who had an international background (e.g., India, Pakistan, etc.) went for Dubai. Of course, that makes Dubai more competitive, but it's also because Dubai is more international and perceived as more inclusive.

If we assess by those criteria, Doha would come second, then Riyadh (even my candidate that got the offer for Riyadh is actually from there).

That aside, I would strongly recommend that you build an application strategy that diversifies your risk. Here are some principles to keep in mind:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,

Cristian

Answer 2

Hi there,

It is always best to pay for advice that could be life-changing. Consider hiring a case/career coach to make sure you are optimizing your decisions (just like you would hire an accountant for more $ back on your tax return, or a financial advisor to ensure higher % returns).

This most important is: Where do you fit? Where do you have working rights? Where does your resume/profile “match”? Where have you networked most and gotten a referral?

All things equal, Riyadh is the most attractive office (for now), but there are other factors you need to consider!

Answer 3

A lot of consulting firms are moving to Saudi… that will have an impact in Dubai's demand. But there are significant differences in lifestyle that you can easily google and consider how they apply to you.