This Emirati human resources country manager landed her first job at 16

This Emirati human resources country manager landed her first job at 16

Dubai: 'Start young, be brave and always think a step ahead'. This is the advise from a young Emirati woman who has moved up the highly competitive corporate ladder after defying gender and age bias. Determined to move ahead and take bold steps, Marwa Taymour, currently the human resources country manager in for UAE and Kuwait with GE Renewable Energy, got her first job when she was only 16 years old, after attending an employment fair for fresh graduates. "I can't hire you, because you're not at legal age yet," the hiring manager had bluntly told her. Before that, the organisers of the event almost declined to let her in, saying that the law wouldn't allow them to hire her. But Marwa's was determined and she remained at the job fair until it ended. Sharing with Gulf News her early experience, Marwa, now 30, said: "As she (the hiring manager) left the building, I asked her to just interview me and then make the choice to reject me. An hour later, she said: 'I can't hire you because you're not of the legal age, but I can give you a part-time experience.' "I am very passionate about moving forward, taking