“Networking goes a long way as Dubai is hugely built on relationships and word of mouth” Bijal Soni – Co-Founder Hala Social
What made you want to move to Dubai and how long have you lived here?
I was born and raised in Dubai so this has been the only home I have ever known.
What was you first job ?
I started as a Junior PR executive at Weber Shandwick which is an international PR agency.
What’s your job role now ?
I run a performance marketing agency called Hala Social which I co-founded with my partner three months ago. We work with e-commerce businesses to help them generate revenue on a daily basis. At the moment, I run everything by myself as it’s a brand new start up so I’m managing the day to day tasks for any legal, finance, admin, or client facing activity.
Any tips for girls wanting to find work?
Definitely need to connect with recruiters and requirement agencies here related to your specific industry
Networking also goes a long way as Dubai is hugely built on relationships and word of mouth recommendations are some of the easiest ways to Find a job.
How did you find accommodation and do you have any recommendations for first time movers ?
I haven’t had to find my own accommodation as I already lived here but a lot of my colleagues were guided by our companies directly or they have found their homes via Property Finder, Dubizzle
What’s your recommendations on best places to get your hair and make-up done ?
Hair salons – Tips and toes, Nicolas and Jean beauty salon, Rossano Ferretti, Be Bar blow dry
Make up – I usually work with freelance make-up artist but also like Pastels a lot. Some make-up artists that I really like are @tanyagajria, @angeliqueturner, @nadine.elias
Favorite clothing stores?
What local brands do you like?
Well I mainly shop online @namshi, @missguided, @ounass, @allthingsmochi, @asos.
Other offline stores @urbanoutfitters, @andotherstories, @zara, @mango, @topshop
Favorite ladies night brunch and ladies day
Seven sisters for ladies night
Cove beach for ladies day
Seven sisters, Garden brunch at JW, Hotel Cartegna, Iris, La carnita, for brunch
What do you do when you’re not working and partying ?
Traveling most of the time. Or if I’m in Dubai, then weekends are for staycations or hikes, beach, dinners, movies, adventure sport.
Any tips for ladies wanting to move to Dubai
Dubai has a zero tolerance policy for a lot of things that are considered normal in other parts of the world but that doesn’t mean that you can’t live an incredible life here. Some of the Do’s and don’ts include:
DONT’S
Don’t drink on the streets and drink & drive (that’s pretty standard everywhere but the law here is ridiculous as sometimes you can end up getting deported based on the level of alcohol and if you have caused an accident in addition to jail and fine)
Dress modestly in public places. Swimwear is only for pool and beaches. Party wear at bars, nightclubs are not a problem
Don’t photograph anyone without their permission especially a local
Don’t post a video of any incident that is being committed on social media as that is actually a punishable crime
0 to minimal public display of affection
Don’t offer drinks to anyone in a Arabic traditional attire.
Don’t mock any religion to anyone as again Dubai has a 0 tolerance policy
Offensive language or offensive gestures are not tolerated in public
You need to apply for an alcohol license in order to purchase alcohol from Dubai (you can purchase from MMI or even Barracuda in Ras Al Khaimah).
You can’t eat or drink in public places during the month of Ramadan
DO’S
Ask for help, everyone is super helpful in this city and will sometimes go out of their way to solve your problems / assist you
Gotta try a Friday brunch in Dubai. There are hundreds of options and some of the best deals you can find.
Also gotta try the ladies nights in Dubai. This is the only city where you can have the best night out without spending a single dollar.
Buy an Entertainer – this will get you to experience the city on a super economical budget.
You haven’t been to Dubai if you haven’t gone on a desert safari for some dune bashing
Dubai is generally a very safe city so it’s okay to travel solo and be out till late (of course you have to be responsible about where you are going and who with)
Try the Arabic street food – some of the best in the world
Bargain everywhere especially in local markets and souqs. Sometimes they charge 5x the price if you are a foreigner
One of the best banks to bank with is Emirates NBD in case you decide to move here (I had a lot of trouble finding the right bank in the beginning)
Dubai tends to get really hot in the summers so be mindful of the months. The best times to visit Dubai weather wise is from November to March.