The financial world is ablaze again at the moment – market turmoil, downgrading, interest rates. Chaotic for all in working the industry. But haven’t there been enough market dips in the last three years? I was living and working in Asia in 2008 at the time of the most recent major crash. Life was good. And then I lost my job.

For a UK national with some serious levels of experience in the insurance and banking industry and an impressive track-record in business recovery and business development, I wasn’t too distraught – I could see the writing on the wall, and had seen it for some time. I was prepared.

Or so I thought. I believed that I would get a job again in Asia very soon, that it was just a matter of time before a major employer came knocking. However, I thought wrong. Companies were not recruiting, businesses were not developing and I needed to change tack.

At the time, you might remember, the Middle East was viewed as the new must-go-to location for financial services professionals. Heads were being cut everywhere, but the Middle East, it claimed, was impervious to the machinations elsewhere in the globe.

Glitz, extravagance, wealth, fantastic weather and an opportunity to explore; what more could an individual want when seeking new employment? Tax-free salaries with generous allowances for houses, cars and travel – who could resist the allure of the Middle East? It’s all about money, money, money.

I’d been a success in the UK, I’d been a success in Asia, so if I can make it in the Middle East, then just imagine how stand-out that might become in my next CV. I was offered and accepted work in the Middle East, not at a major global player, but at a major regional player.

I’ve been in the Middle East now for almost four years. The Middle East’s perks – big houses or apartments, cars, no tax, cheap living costs – are alien to most of Asia-Pacific, and the weather is excellent (if a bit too hot in summertime). It’s just not what it’s cracked up to be, though.

To a UK national venturing abroad for their first posting, the Middle East will be thoroughly enjoyable and financially advantageous, but it’s but a fraction of the lifestyle in Asia in terms of entertainment, socialising, events and sport.

So now I’ve done my penance, I’m looking for a new destination, and Asia is very much again at the forefront of my thoughts. Ignore all the articles on the news regarding the Arab Spring uprisings; it was a serious situation, but overblown in the press.

There are some top-notch jobs for all in the Middle East but you have to balance these up against the quiet lifestyle here – it’s perfect for married couples and for kids, but it’s no use to a single man brought up on competitive sport, women and partying!

So now the feelers are out again for Asia. The only problem is that I live in the Middle East and recruiters seem to take one look at my CV and presume that I’m just fishing.

Recruiters in Asia want candidates to be on their doorstep, at their beck and call, so that they might have a coffee with an employer, or even an interview. Of course, this is hard to do when you’re a continent away. As a result, the best thing to do is to visit Asia yourself, rattle a few cages and keep in contact with the employers.

All of this, of course, is only personal taste. There are plenty of happy employees living and working in the Middle East, with good jobs and good lifestyles. Pay is similar to the Far East, but it’s not all about money, after all, is it? Is it?