“Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, and your actions louder than your words.”: Florence Nightingale
There’s a point in many careers where everything looks fine on paper, yet something inside feels unfinished. The job is stable. The routine is familiar. Life is moving forward. Still, a small voice keeps asking whether there might be something more out there.
That feeling stayed unnoticed in the background for years for Anisha while she worked as a pharmacist in India. She wasn’t unhappy. She had experience, responsibility, and a steady role. But the idea of working abroad kept returning in small, persistent ways.
Dubai slowly became the place she imagined when she thought about growth and change. Not overnight. Not dramatically. Just gradually, the way big decisions usually form. This is the story of how that idea became real.
How is the Life of a Retail Pharmacist?
Anisha is from Goa, where she began building her career in pharmacy. Like many professionals, her path didn’t follow a straight line. She started as a retail pharmacist, where she spent the next four years working closely with patients.
Retail pharmacy is demanding. Long hours, constant responsibility and conversations that require patience and clarity. Over time, she became comfortable managing daily pharmacy operations and interacting with people from different backgrounds.
From the outside, everything looked settled. But the thought of working overseas never really left her mind.
How to Take the First Step to Join the Dubai Workforce as an Indian Pharmacist?
Working abroad sounds exciting when you say it out loud. In reality, the first step is usually the hardest. There are exams to clear, paperwork to understand, and a lot of uncertainty.
For pharmacists who want to work in Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licensing exam is essential. Without it, nothing moves forward.
Anisha decided to prepare seriously. Not casually. Not as a backup plan. She treated the exam as a real turning point in her career. When she cleared the DHA exam in November, it felt like the first real confirmation that her plan could work.
It wasn’t the finish line. It was the starting point. Passing the DHA exam gave her eligibility to work in Dubai. But eligibility and employment are not the same thing. Many pharmacists try applying for jobs from their home country and wait months for responses. Some eventually succeed. Others lose momentum.
Anisha decided to do something that felt uncomfortable but necessary: travel to Dubai and look for a job there herself. She arrived in early February and gave herself one month to find a job. One month felt realistic. Long enough to try seriously, short enough to stay hopeful.
How is the Pharmacist Job Scene in Dubai?
The first few days in Dubai were not dramatic. She did what most job seekers do. Submitted CVs in person. Checked online job listings. Followed updates on LinkedIn. Repeat the routine every day.
A week passed without a response. This is the stage where doubt usually begins. New city, new country, no immediate results. But she had expected this phase and stayed focused. Then she saw a post about a walk-in interview.
The Job Interview That Changed Everything
Walk-in interviews are common in Dubai. Employers meet candidates face-to-face and often make decisions quickly.
Anisha decided to attend. It would be her first interview in the city. She assumed it would be practice, a chance to understand how interviews worked there. Instead, she walked out with a job offer. Her very first interview in Dubai led to employment.
The timeline she had prepared for suddenly became irrelevant. The interview was not intimidating or overly technical. The questions were simple and direct. They asked about her background. Her experience. Her work history.
The most important moment came when she mentioned her DHA registration certificate. That detail immediately showed she was ready to work. Her four years of retail pharmacy experience supported her confidence and helped the employer trust her ability to adapt quickly.
Sometimes preparation does most of the talking before you even realise it.
Before leaving India, Anisha assumed finding a job might take at least a month. She mentally prepared for a long search.
It took one week. From the outside, it sounds like luck. From the inside, it was the result of preparation, effort, and timing meeting at the right moment.
What Job Hunting in Dubai Really Looks Like
One thing became clear during her search: finding a job in Dubai requires daily effort. Sending a few online applications is rarely enough. You need to show up. Visit workplaces. Stay alert. Attend interviews. Keep trying. Being physically present makes a significant difference.
Is Work Experience Important for Pharmacists Looking for a Job in Dubai?
Anisha’s four years of retail pharmacy experience played a major role in her success. Employers value real-world experience because it shows how candidates handle responsibility, patients, and pressure.
Experience builds trust quickly during interviews.
Why Pharmacists Must Choose Dubai for Work?
Dubai has become a popular destination for healthcare professionals because of its growing healthcare sector, international work environment, and structured licensing pathway. Over the past decade, the emirate has invested heavily in healthcare infrastructure, medical tourism, and digital pharmacy services, which have steadily increased demand for licensed pharmacists across retail chains, hospitals, and clinical settings.
Salary expectations also play a major role. Entry-level retail pharmacists in Dubai typically earn around AED 4,500–6,500 per month, while pharmacists with a few years of experience often move into the AED 6,500–9,000 range. Hospital and clinical pharmacists generally earn higher packages, commonly between AED 8,000–12,000, and senior or specialist roles can go beyond that.
Alongside tax-free income, many roles include benefits such as health insurance and annual flight allowances. For pharmacists who prepare well and secure DHA licensing, the city offers not just employment, but a clear pathway for career growth and international exposure, exactly the kind of opportunity Anisha was searching for when she decided to leap.
To Conclude with…
When asked what she would say to other women considering a similar journey, Anisha’s answer was simple and honest. Women should feel confident taking responsibility for their careers and becoming financially independent.
Moving to another country alone can feel intimidating. Preparing for exams and attending interviews takes courage. But it is possible. Her story proves that.
