I have lived in Israel for about 15 years. Granted, my language aptitude is somewhat below average, and I certainly speak Hebrew at a level lower than the average immigrant who has been so many years in the country. However, one thing that I have noticed about myself is that I have a very different personality when interacting in Hebrew than when I am conversing in English. I am more tentative in Hebrew than in English, and because my Hebrew vocabulary is not large, I end up not always being able to give the impression that I have knowledge and ability to get the job done.
On the face of it, it is not strange to recognize that people have various personalities depending upon the situation. We all behave differently when acting in the different “roles” that make up our normal everyday life. For instance, a person has a variety of personas, depending upon whether they are serving as parent, employee, or friend. This is natural and automatic, and it may or may not be important to consciously recognize this fact.
On the other hand, if you are not fully confident in Hebrew (or even if you are), and the impression you make on others when speaking a language other than your mother tongue is not identical to the impact you make in your first language, then at a minimum you should be aware of this, and even try to alter the situation if necessary. Of course it is always difficult to gauge the impression you are making on others, and many times our initial assumptions are not necessarily correct. Sometimes it is worthwhile to ask colleagues or other acquaintances for their honest feedback.
Let’s examine a common example. How can a job candidate come across as confident and knowledgeable in a job interview conducted in Hebrew when they do not feel that they have the comfort level in the language to succeed? Clearly, raising your Hebrew level generally is always a good idea, and the more you can put yourself in situations in which you must communicate in Hebrew, the quicker your abilities will improve. Practicing job interviews with native level Hebrew speakers is also a good idea. You can anticipate some of the questions that will be thrown at you in an interview, and combining this with knowledge about interviews (for instance, see: http://jobsearchinisrael.blogspot.com/2010/03/interviews-what-is-employer-really.html) will allow you to practice in Hebrew the answers you will supply and raise both your ability to respond to these questions as well as your confidence level. Of course, you can always try to cheat by asking the interviewer if it is acceptable to conduct the interview in English (or some other language), but there are risks with this approach, including the negative impression you might make by avoiding Hebrew combined with the possibility that the interviewer will not be capable of making the switch.
The implications are equally important when you pass the interview stage and are working. In my first main job in Israel, working in technical support at a hi-tech company, I was always afraid that my co-workers thought I was an idiot. Between the combination of learning a new technology and having poor Hebrew language skills that minimized my ability to understand and express myself, I generated many strange looks from the company’s engineers. Thank goodness I passed that stage successfully, but the memory of that experience has not totally disappeared. Working hard to learn the material and doing my best to improve my language skills (and relying on the fact that most people in hi-tech companies have a good level of Hebrew :>) were the basis of my coping strategy, and this allowed me to ultimately become a strong contributor to the company; however it certainly required awareness and effort on my part.
Everyone, including me, advises immigrants that concentrating on improving their Hebrew language skills is one of the most important things they can do increase their attractiveness in the Israeli employment market. As you go through the stages of improvement, being aware of the perceptions that others have of you when you express yourself in Hebrew can be used to even further improve your successes in the Israeli workplace.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Teaching English in the Israeli School System
English teachers is the Israeli public school system are in demand. Dr. Judy Steiner, Chief Inspector for English Language Education, was kind enough to write an article which describes the profession and requirements to become a member.
English is without question a global language, used in international trade and tourism, in academia and research, and in the electronic media. Therefore, professional English teachers are in high demand in Israel and the Ministry of Education is interested in encouraging new immigrants and other qualified Israelis to teach English. The purpose of this document is to provide you with information regarding how to become an English teacher in Israel. For additional information, please contact Dr. Judy Steiner at : 02-5603587 or by email at steiner1@netvision.net.il.
Introduction to the Israeli Educational System
The Israeli educational system is divided into Jewish, Arab and Christian sectors. The Jewish sector is further divided into secular (mamlachti), religious (mamlachti dati) and independent (atzmai: Beit Yaakov and Haredi). All the schools are under the auspices and supervision of the Ministry of Education.
Elementary and junior high schools are run by the Ministry of Education. However, almost all Israeli high schools have the status of independent, recognized schools and are run by public bodies such as municipalities, national networks and local committees. Some high schools provide a general academic education while others may be vocationally oriented. Yeshiva High Schools combine general studies with Torah study.
Generally speaking, the school year for elementary schools begins on September 1st and ends on June 30th. Secondary schools also start on September 1st but end on June 20th. In some schools students study six days a week and other schools have a five-day work week. The Ministry of Education is currently undergoing educational reform that will affect the number of hours teachers are expected to teach. The numbers below reflect the current system (prior to the reform) required for a full-time position, depending on the age group of the students:
As in many other countries, teachers’ salaries in Israel are not among the highest. A teacher's salary consists of a base salary plus various additives. The base salary depends on academic degree and experience. Experience abroad is recognized; if you taught in schools prior to making Aliyah, (immigration to Israel) bring documentation (a letter from the principal or from the department head) to prove your experience. If you go to reserve duty in the Israeli army each year, your service is counted as additional experience. Attending in-service courses or additional academic studies gives you increments towards your salary.
Vacation
Teachers receive approximately two months paid vacation in the summer, one week before and during Passover, a week during Sukkot, plus additional Jewish holidays and Israeli national days.
English Teaching in Israel
Learning English is compulsory from the fourth grade; however, most elementary schools start teaching English in the third grade. In addition, there are schools that begin English instruction in the first and second grades.
Requirements for Teaching English in Israel
An Academic Degree: Teachers must have a degree from a recognized academic institution, which needs to be approved by the Israeli Ministry of Education. For immigrants coming from non-English speaking countries, the degree must be in English.
A Teacher's License:
Contact the district inspector for the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers:
Teachers are entitled to a sabbatical every six or seven years (your choice), on condition that they register and complete the necessary paperwork. If you take a sabbatical after six years you are eligible to receive 66% of the previous year's salary; you receive a higher salary if you take your sabbatical after seven years. You are expected to be enrolled in an approved professional development program during the sabbatical year and you are refunded for the cost of tuition. You may teach on a part-time basis throughout your sabbatical year.
Conclusion
Because of the importance of English in today's global society, it is imperative that our students meet the standards that have been set in the national English Curriculum. The English Inspectorate invites you to join the approximately 9,000 English teachers who are enabling their students to reach the level of English necessary to succeed in their education and future careers.
Introduction to the Israeli Educational System
The Israeli educational system is divided into Jewish, Arab and Christian sectors. The Jewish sector is further divided into secular (mamlachti), religious (mamlachti dati) and independent (atzmai: Beit Yaakov and Haredi). All the schools are under the auspices and supervision of the Ministry of Education.
Elementary and junior high schools are run by the Ministry of Education. However, almost all Israeli high schools have the status of independent, recognized schools and are run by public bodies such as municipalities, national networks and local committees. Some high schools provide a general academic education while others may be vocationally oriented. Yeshiva High Schools combine general studies with Torah study.
Generally speaking, the school year for elementary schools begins on September 1st and ends on June 30th. Secondary schools also start on September 1st but end on June 20th. In some schools students study six days a week and other schools have a five-day work week. The Ministry of Education is currently undergoing educational reform that will affect the number of hours teachers are expected to teach. The numbers below reflect the current system (prior to the reform) required for a full-time position, depending on the age group of the students:
- For elementary school (grades 1 to 6) a full-time position is 30 hours of frontal teaching per week.
- For junior and senior high school (grades 7 to 12) a full-time position is 24 hours of frontal teaching per week.
- A mother of children under the age of 14 can work fewer hours for the same pay. In elementary school, she can teach 24 hours per week and receive a 10% addition to her salary. In junior and senior high school (grades 7-12), she can teach 19 hours per week and receive a 10% addition to her salary. For example, if a mother teaches 19 hours per week in the 8th grade, she will get paid as if she teaches 21 hours per week.
- Teachers are permitted to work on a part-time basis.
As in many other countries, teachers’ salaries in Israel are not among the highest. A teacher's salary consists of a base salary plus various additives. The base salary depends on academic degree and experience. Experience abroad is recognized; if you taught in schools prior to making Aliyah, (immigration to Israel) bring documentation (a letter from the principal or from the department head) to prove your experience. If you go to reserve duty in the Israeli army each year, your service is counted as additional experience. Attending in-service courses or additional academic studies gives you increments towards your salary.
Vacation
Teachers receive approximately two months paid vacation in the summer, one week before and during Passover, a week during Sukkot, plus additional Jewish holidays and Israeli national days.
English Teaching in Israel
Learning English is compulsory from the fourth grade; however, most elementary schools start teaching English in the third grade. In addition, there are schools that begin English instruction in the first and second grades.
Requirements for Teaching English in Israel
- Knowledge of Hebrew: English teachers must be able to speak, read and write in Hebrew. Participating in an ulpan (intensive Hebrew course for new immigrants) prior to teaching is strongly recommended. New immigrants are frequently required to continue their Hebrew studies in training courses organized by the Ministry of Education. Courses take place throughout the country and studies generally last for 6-9 months.
- 1. Retraining Course: For new immigrants who are already certified teachers, the Ministry of Education offers a one-year subsidized retraining course that usually starts in October and lasts for the entire school year. Requirements for entry into such a program include:
- North - Oranim - http://www.oranim.ac.il/
- Haifa - Gordon - http://www.gordon.ac.il/
- Tel Aviv - Seminar HaKibbutzim - http://www.smkb.ac.il/
- Tel Aviv - Levinsky - http://www.levinsky.ac.il/
- Tel Aviv - Talpiot - www.talpiot.macam98.ac.il/english.htm
- Center - Achva - http://www.achva.ac.il/
- Center - Beit Berl - http://www.beitberl.ac.il/
- Jerusalem - David Yellin - http://www.dyellin.ac.il/
- South - Kaye - http://www.kaye.ac.il/
- a. possession of an Israeli Identification Card (teudat zehut) and/or an Israeli Immigrant Card (teudat oleh);
b. an academic degree (a degree in English if the degree is from a non-English speaking country);
c. teaching credentials from abroad;
d. Hebrew proficiency at a post-ulpan level.
- 2. If you do not have a teacher's license, there are retraining courses for academics in the Teacher Training Colleges:
- 3. If you are interested in teaching English in areas where there is a great demand for English teachers, it is sometimes possible to be hired as an unlicensed teacher. In this case you can begin teaching, and in your second year apply to your local English inspector for an evaluation report. If the report is positive, you can then contact the Ministry of Education to inquire about further courses you are required to take in order to qualify for a teacher's license. You can attend these courses and at the same time continue teaching.
Contact the district inspector for the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers:
- North 04-6500177
- Haifa 04-8632676
- Tel Aviv 03-6896389
- Center 03-6896635
- Jerusalem 02-5601637
- South 08-6263117
- Rural 03-6898757
- Contact the English District Inspector
- Bring the following documents with you when you meet the inspectors:
- 1. all degrees and teaching certificates (originals and photocopies);
2. a translation of degrees and certificates (for languages other than English);
3. transcripts from the academic institution;
4. proof of experience in teaching from previous places of employment abroad (including place of work, dates of commencement and conclusion of employment as well as position);
5. Israeli Identification Card (teudat zehut) and/or an Israeli Immigrant Card (teudat oleh); - During the interview, the inspector will review your documents, background and experience. Your employment options will be explained, and the particular steps you must take in order to gain recognition will be outlined. The inspector will then organize an interview with the acceptance committee. The committee reviews your documents and determines the grades you are eligible to teach, and any further requirements you must fulfill in order to receive certification (training courses, etc.)
- Note: Original documents should be used for presentation purposes only. Make sure to have plenty of photocopies of any document you need to submit. Do NOT give original documents to anyone.
- To find a job as an English teacher, contact the English inspector of the Ministry of Education, in the geographical area where you plan to live.
- When a school wishes to hire a new immigrant who has received Israeli qualification, the Ministry of Education Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers may be able to provide financial assistance toward teaching hours. The principal must submit a written request for assistance. If the school provides a minimum number of hours, it can receive a limited number of matching hours from the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers. It is necessary for the teacher to apply within the time period of eligibility for assistance, and to meet all other criteria.
- The Ministry of Education encourages teachers to study. Most teachers regularly enroll in some kind of training program or in-service courses. In many cases, the Ministry of Education will pay part or all of the tuition for academic study. Decisions regarding funding are made by a special committee, on an individual basis.
- Pedagogical counseling is available to new teachers from the English Inspectorate.
- Useful web sites for English teachers in Israel include:
1. The site of the English Inspectorate: www.education.gov.il/english;
2. ETNI (Israeli English Teachers Network): http://www.etni.org.il/;
3. The English Teacher's Association of Israel holds professional conferences throughout the school year: www.etni.org.il/etai/
Teachers are entitled to a sabbatical every six or seven years (your choice), on condition that they register and complete the necessary paperwork. If you take a sabbatical after six years you are eligible to receive 66% of the previous year's salary; you receive a higher salary if you take your sabbatical after seven years. You are expected to be enrolled in an approved professional development program during the sabbatical year and you are refunded for the cost of tuition. You may teach on a part-time basis throughout your sabbatical year.
Conclusion
Because of the importance of English in today's global society, it is imperative that our students meet the standards that have been set in the national English Curriculum. The English Inspectorate invites you to join the approximately 9,000 English teachers who are enabling their students to reach the level of English necessary to succeed in their education and future careers.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Freelancer in Israel – What does it Mean?
People in Israel typically consider the freelance (contractor, self-employed) issue in one of these situations:
This issue is possible to discuss generally, however it is dangerous to think that you have a full understanding of the issues without consultations with the relevant financial (accountant, investment, insurance) professionals.
Definitions:
Back to the subject at hand, the gross amount paid to an employee before taxes (bruto) and the gross amount paid to a contractor can not be understood and compared as equivalent. From the perspective of certain deductions, such as tax and health, they are financially identical - the only difference being that in the case of an employee the company makes these deductions before transferring the money, and in the case of the contractor the money is transferred without deductions and the freelancer must handle this themselves. Still, the after-tax (netto) amount of money is the same.
However, companies are obligated by law to offer to their employees vacation (minimum 10 days/year), sick leave (minimum 18 days/year), pension (2.5% minimum in 2010), and severance pay (equal to 8.3%/month), things with a monetary value; these are not generally provided to a contractor. Social security is a kind of hybrid in that employers deduct a portion of the gross/bruto pay as well as make a required contribution of 6% for their employees; contractors must make this payment themselves and do not get this extra 6%. In addition, some businesses offer additional benefits, such as a variety of savings/pension plans in addition to the obligatory (and minimal) pension plan; again these are typically not provided to contractors.
So, when you are considering an offer as a freelancer, these points are relevant:
Another difference between working as an employee and as a contractor relates to unemployment benefits. If an employee is laid off and the employer writes them a letter, they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits (assuming specific conditions are met); there is no such provision for a contractor. Please note that for people going the proxy company route, unemployment benefits are also not available to you.
In order to be complete, there are other costs associated with working as a contractors/freelance that don’t exist for a regular employee. First, there are one-time costs to complete the paperwork so that you can operate legally in Israel as a freelancer. There is no charge by the government organizations to submit/process these forms; if you decide to use an accountant for assistance with the forms it generally costs 1,000-1,500 NIS. This process generally takes less than a week. Also, certain professions and businesses may require certificates and/or licensing from other governmental agencies in order to work as a contractor. In addition, you must pay an accountant to file the relevant tax forms. There are potential benefits to the freelance mode of operation in that you can deduct certain expenses, such as car, utilities…
This article is in no way meant to substitute for consulting with a qualified financial professional, including an accountant, investment advisor and/or insurance agent, in order to fully understand the options specific to your situation. Hopefully though, it does give a good initial overall picture of the details to consider and the questions to ask when going through the process.
Special thanks to Boaz Felsenstein and Don Shrensky for reviewing this article and making critical comments. Boaz is an experienced recruiter specializing in the hi-tech sector, and he can be reached at: boaz.felsenstein@gmail.com. Don is a US & Israeli CPA, and can be reached in Jerusalem at don@dscpa-israel.com.
- They are offered a job as a freelancer, and want to know what to do to be able to accept such payments
- They are offered a job as a freelancer, and need to understand how the offer compares to the compensation of something they understand better: a traditional employee
- They are offered the option by an organization to work as a freelancer or as an employee, and must decide which is best of them (this is relatively rare)
This issue is possible to discuss generally, however it is dangerous to think that you have a full understanding of the issues without consultations with the relevant financial (accountant, investment, insurance) professionals.
Definitions:
- Freelancer - someone that provides a service to a company (works), presents a bill, and is subsequently paid by the company. The freelancer is responsible for paying taxes, social security, health… themselves from the total amount that they receive, as well as contributing to savings/insurance/disability/pension plans if desired. In order to be eligible to operate as a contractor, a person must register with the relevant government organizations: VAT, Mas Hachnasa (tax) and Bituach Leumi (social security).
- Employee - provides service to the company (works), but their compensation comes without requiring a bill to be presented; the employer makes standard deductions (tax, social security and health) before transmitting compensation (neto) and has specific legal obligations to the employee (pension, vacation, sick leave, severance pay [pitzuim]).
Back to the subject at hand, the gross amount paid to an employee before taxes (bruto) and the gross amount paid to a contractor can not be understood and compared as equivalent. From the perspective of certain deductions, such as tax and health, they are financially identical - the only difference being that in the case of an employee the company makes these deductions before transferring the money, and in the case of the contractor the money is transferred without deductions and the freelancer must handle this themselves. Still, the after-tax (netto) amount of money is the same.
However, companies are obligated by law to offer to their employees vacation (minimum 10 days/year), sick leave (minimum 18 days/year), pension (2.5% minimum in 2010), and severance pay (equal to 8.3%/month), things with a monetary value; these are not generally provided to a contractor. Social security is a kind of hybrid in that employers deduct a portion of the gross/bruto pay as well as make a required contribution of 6% for their employees; contractors must make this payment themselves and do not get this extra 6%. In addition, some businesses offer additional benefits, such as a variety of savings/pension plans in addition to the obligatory (and minimal) pension plan; again these are typically not provided to contractors.
So, when you are considering an offer as a freelancer, these points are relevant:
- In terms of standard deductions (health, tax), consider the contractor gross amount to be financially identical to the bruto (before tax) amount of an employer
- To make the contractor amount comparable with the bruto employee total, about 25% needs to be added, which accounts for the social security, minimum vacation, sick leave, and pension obligations of a company towards employees, plus severance pay – a contractor does not receive this from the employer. You can think of the situation like this: if a freelancer wants the same benefits as an employee of the company at the same pay structure, he/she will have to pay about 25% of the received compensation. Speak to an accountant to relate this to your personal situation.
- For hi-tech companies and professional roles, it is not unusual to be offered employee savings/pension plans in addition to the relatively low level mandatory pension plan. The standard package can come to an additional company contribution of 12.5% or more. For such an opportunity, generally a contractor should add in the range of 35+% to the gross salary of an employee to arrive at the equivalent compensation. The 35% is derived from the lack of savings, pension, severance company contributions together with the lack of vacation/sick leave/disability insurance. It is sometimes possible to negotiate up if you can make the argument that as a contractor, the company doesn't have to pay for a room for you, PC... if this really is the case. Again, keep in mind that this is a rough estimate, and you should consult with an accountant to understand as this relates to your specific case.
Another difference between working as an employee and as a contractor relates to unemployment benefits. If an employee is laid off and the employer writes them a letter, they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits (assuming specific conditions are met); there is no such provision for a contractor. Please note that for people going the proxy company route, unemployment benefits are also not available to you.
In order to be complete, there are other costs associated with working as a contractors/freelance that don’t exist for a regular employee. First, there are one-time costs to complete the paperwork so that you can operate legally in Israel as a freelancer. There is no charge by the government organizations to submit/process these forms; if you decide to use an accountant for assistance with the forms it generally costs 1,000-1,500 NIS. This process generally takes less than a week. Also, certain professions and businesses may require certificates and/or licensing from other governmental agencies in order to work as a contractor. In addition, you must pay an accountant to file the relevant tax forms. There are potential benefits to the freelance mode of operation in that you can deduct certain expenses, such as car, utilities…
This article is in no way meant to substitute for consulting with a qualified financial professional, including an accountant, investment advisor and/or insurance agent, in order to fully understand the options specific to your situation. Hopefully though, it does give a good initial overall picture of the details to consider and the questions to ask when going through the process.
Special thanks to Boaz Felsenstein and Don Shrensky for reviewing this article and making critical comments. Boaz is an experienced recruiter specializing in the hi-tech sector, and he can be reached at: boaz.felsenstein@gmail.com. Don is a US & Israeli CPA, and can be reached in Jerusalem at don@dscpa-israel.com.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Changing Careers
In the last article, related to immigrants and employment, one of the subjects that I touched upon was related to changing careers. I received a few comments/questions on this point, so I think it is worthwhile to clarify this issue.
As a brief reminder, my previous message was:
Of course, in the real world (especially concerning immigration), complications can arise. If a person has job experience in a particular sector/role before aliyah, there can be the case that in Israel they still don’t meet the local requirements for a similar position. There can be a variety of reasons for this:
• Language – For many jobs in Israel, a minimum of conversational Hebrew is required. Many new immigrants do not meet this requirement, not immediately upon arrival and oftentimes not even after ulpan. Clearly the best course of action is to do everything possible to improve your level of Hebrew, continuing with ulpan, taking private lessons, or simply thrusting yourself into situations in which you are forced to speak. In any case, for the person that finds themselves in the situation of seeking employment and not having sufficient languages skills, being creative helps. The objective is to use the skills that you do have to find the correct position in Israel. As an example, I heard once of an operations/manufacturing manager that arrived in Israel and couldn’t find work because his level of Hebrew was not high enough to manage staff. Ultimately he considered the various aspects of his job, and discovered that buyers/purchasers (one part of operations) in Israel that were experienced could get a job without a high level of Hebrew, since the work is mainly interfacing with foreign suppliers and dealing with managers in Israel that spoke English. Thus, he was able to find a place for himself.
• Certification – A number of professions in Israel require licensing: http://www.israemploy.net/Licensed_Professions/. Sometimes the process is a short, and in other cases it can take weeks/months. During this interim period, if you want to find a job, your creativity can again be an asset. You can start by considering what types of jobs are available in a similar profession that doesn’t require licensing. For instance, an accountant might consider working in a corporate setting where their financial/accounting skills are valued but a CPA certification is not necessary; a nurse might work as a medical care giver. The other alternative is to temporarily seek a position that utilizes your skills and interests that is not directly related to your profession, although this can be more difficult and time consuming to fulfull.
• Job doesn’t exist in Israel – As an example, neither a physician’s assistant nor a nurse practitioner licensing exists in Israel – the positions simply don’t exist current in Israel.
To summarize, if you meet the requirements in Israel to continue in your pre-aliyah profession, in my opinion it is a good idea to initially focus on getting your first job in Israel by not straying from your expertise. However, for those of you that arrive in Israel not qualified/capable of doing the same job, either temporarily or for the long term, clearly you must do whatever is necessary to find suitable employment opportunities, including completely changing careers.
As a brief reminder, my previous message was:
Immigrating introduces such a large number of life changes, so a good initial objective can simply be to keep things as simple as possible. A job candidate is always more attractive to a potential employer if they can show relevant work experience/education. So, you might decide to postpone making that career change until you have put some of the more major aliyah issues behind you, and gained some Israeli work experience.My point above was that a candidate has the best opportunity to be attractive to an employer if they are applying for a job in which they have experience/knowledge. Therefore, if all things are equal, focusing on jobs that can use your previous work experience to your benefit is a positive.
Of course, in the real world (especially concerning immigration), complications can arise. If a person has job experience in a particular sector/role before aliyah, there can be the case that in Israel they still don’t meet the local requirements for a similar position. There can be a variety of reasons for this:
• Language – For many jobs in Israel, a minimum of conversational Hebrew is required. Many new immigrants do not meet this requirement, not immediately upon arrival and oftentimes not even after ulpan. Clearly the best course of action is to do everything possible to improve your level of Hebrew, continuing with ulpan, taking private lessons, or simply thrusting yourself into situations in which you are forced to speak. In any case, for the person that finds themselves in the situation of seeking employment and not having sufficient languages skills, being creative helps. The objective is to use the skills that you do have to find the correct position in Israel. As an example, I heard once of an operations/manufacturing manager that arrived in Israel and couldn’t find work because his level of Hebrew was not high enough to manage staff. Ultimately he considered the various aspects of his job, and discovered that buyers/purchasers (one part of operations) in Israel that were experienced could get a job without a high level of Hebrew, since the work is mainly interfacing with foreign suppliers and dealing with managers in Israel that spoke English. Thus, he was able to find a place for himself.
• Certification – A number of professions in Israel require licensing: http://www.israemploy.net/Licensed_Professions/. Sometimes the process is a short, and in other cases it can take weeks/months. During this interim period, if you want to find a job, your creativity can again be an asset. You can start by considering what types of jobs are available in a similar profession that doesn’t require licensing. For instance, an accountant might consider working in a corporate setting where their financial/accounting skills are valued but a CPA certification is not necessary; a nurse might work as a medical care giver. The other alternative is to temporarily seek a position that utilizes your skills and interests that is not directly related to your profession, although this can be more difficult and time consuming to fulfull.
• Job doesn’t exist in Israel – As an example, neither a physician’s assistant nor a nurse practitioner licensing exists in Israel – the positions simply don’t exist current in Israel.
To summarize, if you meet the requirements in Israel to continue in your pre-aliyah profession, in my opinion it is a good idea to initially focus on getting your first job in Israel by not straying from your expertise. However, for those of you that arrive in Israel not qualified/capable of doing the same job, either temporarily or for the long term, clearly you must do whatever is necessary to find suitable employment opportunities, including completely changing careers.
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