Beirutista

If 2020 has taught us anything with its perpetual stay-at-home orders and loathsome lockdowns, it’s this: (1) your home is your office, and (2) if you want to remain employable in this tough job market, you have to be versatile. In other words, sharpen your skill set and expand the repertoire of your competences. “Sure, Beirutista,” you’re probably thinking to yourself, as you stroke your chin pensively. “I’m a seasoned web developer [ or insert other specialty here ]. I’ve got a decent internet connection. And I keep on piling new and catchy certifications. But how can I locate paid projects right up my alley? Better yet, where do employers track me down?” Compelling questions. Allow me to introduce you to Ureed.com , an online marketplace where freelancers and employers can connect through facilitated channels. The idea is rather cunning: if you’re a freelancer, establish a profile on Ureed.com’s platform, populate it with a portfolio of your sample work, pitch for available proj...

“Why are you in Lebanon? What are you doing here?” Almost exactly one decade ago – on January 2, 2011 – I boarded a flight from Los Angeles to Amman via Paris. Amman was not my final destination. It was the first stop in a circuit of three Levantine countries – Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon – where I would be leading an ambassadorial mission on behalf of my alma mater, MIT in Boston. At the end of the month, after my tour ended, I decided to linger in Beirut and look for a job. I’d forever dreamt of planting roots in the land of my heritage. Growing up, my brothers and I had spent paradise-like summers in Lebanon that exposed us to the warmth and unique hospitality of our culture. We spoke the language fluently, so I certainly never felt like a foreigner. And most importantly, I’d recently bagged my second graduate degree and was ready to launch a career. Somehow, the consulting gigs I’d held in Paris and Abu Dhabi felt lacking. Sure, I was challenged intellectually. But I was in search o...