A CV that works well in the UAE isn't wildly different from a good CV anywhere — but a few local conventions trip people up, especially candidates applying from markets where those details are usually omitted.
Keep it to one or two pages. Use a clean, single-column layout that's easy to scan — many recruiters review dozens of CVs a day and skim before they read. Reverse-chronological order (most recent role first) is the norm.
Including a professional headshot photo is optional and not a legal requirement, but it remains common practice in the region, particularly for hospitality, retail, and customer-facing roles. Corporate, tech, and finance CVs increasingly go without one. When in doubt, check what's typical for your specific industry rather than defaulting either way.
Skip salary history — the UAE market negotiates this separately, and stating it early can anchor you lower than necessary. There's no need for references on the CV itself ("available on request" is standard). Avoid dense paragraphs; recruiters respond better to scannable bullets.
Many UAE recruiters and larger employers use applicant tracking software that scans for keywords from the job description. Mirror the exact phrasing used in the listing (e.g. "stakeholder management" vs "client relations") where it genuinely applies to your experience.