Nefesh BNefesh

There is a well-known adage that says: you never have a second chance to make a good first impression. Studies have shown that within one minute, you've already made your impression! As there are many cultural differences between North American and Israeli workplaces, the following are some important tips to prepare you to make a great impression on your potential Israeli employer.

For additional tips, see http://career.lifetips.com/. For the top questions asked by employers, see AllJobs (Hebrew listing).

Before the Interview

Do research about the field in general as well as the company or employer where you're interviewing. The Internet and other professionals in the field are excellent sources of information.

• Practice your presentation. If you think that you'll be interviewed in Hebrew, practice in Hebrew with an Israeli.
• Prepare extra copies of your resume.
• Have in mind why you are THE person for the job and be prepared to talk about your strengths.
• Have in mind some questions to ask the interviewer.

The Interview

A candidate cannot, by law, be disqualified based on marital status, army profile, pregnancy or sexuality. If an interviewer asks a question related to one of these topics and the candidate is not hired, he or she can claim that the interviewer violated the Equal Opportunity Employment Law. 

• Dress professionally and neatly. Women should not wear sleeveless or short skirts.  Men without beards, remember to shave.
• Turn off your cell phone.
• Arrive 10 minutes early. Be sure to get directions ahead of time and take traffic into account.
• If your interviewer is of the opposite sex and appears to be religiously observant, it's best not to initiate a hand shake.
• If speaking in English, don't infuse speech with too many Hebrew words (or Jewish, religious-sounding expressions). This goes for a pre-interview phone conversation, also.
• Watch your body language: Don't slouch or fidget.
• Make eye contact.
• Listen to what your employer is asking and answer directly. Don't give too many personal details or longwinded answers.
• Be confident and interested – not arrogant.
• Never bad mouth a previous employer.
• Don't argue or apologize.
• Don't promise to deliver something that you really can't.

The Interviewer May...

• Be late.
• Talk on his/her cell phone or phone during the interview.
• Ask you questions with potentially negative answers(e.g., how's your Hebrew? What happened at your previous employment?)Give your answer a positive spin – never sound negative ("I've improved my Hebrew greatly and continue…" or "I'm looking for a new challenge…")

Closure

• Don't ask about salary directly, especially on a first interview.
• Ask when you can expect to hear back.
• Follow up with a thank you email or phone call.
• If you've agreed to follow up the interview with something specific, e.g., a writing sample, do so as quickly as possible.