Computer Jobs in Israel - Job Hunting Tips

www.cji.co.il/tips.htm

by Jacob Richman

Updated: September 14, 2011

Your Resume
  • Spell check your resume but do not rely on it

  • Review the resume carefully for mistakes that
    a spell checker will not catch

  • Ask a friend or colleague in your field to review the resume and your cover letter

  • Make sure the phone number you provide on your resume has an answering machine or Tah Koli (Bezeq voicemail)

  • Tailor your cover letter to the job
      Point out how you qualify for the job and why they should hire you
  • Do not expect human resources to view your resume on your website
      Follow the company procedures
      If you are a web developer, graphic artist, technical writer, etc.,
      you should list your portfolio of websites in you resume
      Provide sample work examples based on the job description
  • Do not send resumes in a weird format (use Word or RTF or plain text)

  • You can submit an English resume for English-based technical jobs
      Always send a short cover letter specifically tailored to the job you are applying for
      The cover letter should be in Hebrew if the advertisement was only in Hebrew


    • The Job Search
  • Online resources: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.

  • Make connections with people on the social networks

  • Join professional groups / fan pages on LinkedIn and Facebook
  • Ask friends and virtual friends for introductions
      Be careful not to spam people on LinkedIn
  • Network with friends and relatives
      Moshe who knows Susan, who is the cousin of David, who knows Bob that works at...
      There are jobs publicized internally at companies before they are announced publicly

  • Follow the Israeli financial news
      Companies that get new orders / contracts
      start recruiting a short time after an announcement

      Globes in English

  • Use Google alerts if you are tracking a company or industry

  • Hand deliver your resume - take a walk through a science park

  • Visit exhibitions, conferences, user groups, company demos
      Do not bother the people while they are lecturing, or during the busiest times of the show, or at the end of the day when they only want to go home
      Always get there early before others
      Hang around and wait for a lull in visitors so you can approach people when they are free
  • Job fairs - Go!
      University campus fairs are the biggest and open to everyone
      Bring a teudat zehut (national identity card) to show the security guard
  • If you use an agent, ask where he/she is sending your resume

  • Do not use too many agents because they may be competing for the same job

  • Do not pay anyone for finding you a job

  • When possible, submit your resume directly to the company instead of a general job site

  • Always follow up by calling the human resources department and asking: "Did you get my resume?"


    • The Interview
  • Research the company (and the interviewer) before the interview

  • Get to the interview earlier then scheduled

  • Dress appropriately for the interview

  • Know your resume by heart
      Are your skills listed up-to-date? Can you pass a test?
  • Be ready to answer questions like:
      Why should I hire you?

      What are your strengths and weaknesses?

      Practice an interview with a friend or relative that knows the field you are in

      Do not get thrown by personal questions
      Know how to answer / deal with them
  • Everyone messes up an interview
      Learn from mistakes and you will do better on the next one
  • Differences between large and small companies
      Training
      Learning standard procedures
      Making connections
      Attending conferences
      Try to get at least 1-2 years solid experience as an employee at established company before joining a startup or starting your own company
      If you are new to the country, this is very important (IMHO).
  • No experience?
      If you do not have enough experience for a position,
      try getting in the backdoor
      i.e., Take a QA position and work your way to programming

      Ask if the company has internships

      Volunteer at a non-profit and get experience

      Keep learning new things on your own
      The Internet is the largest free library in the world

      Stay in the loop
      Stay connected with friends / virtual friends in the industry
      Attend free lectures, conferences, exhibits, user groups, events, etc.
      Network, Network, Network!
    Important:

    After you get your job, please help the next person that is still looking.


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