Employment FAQ for Students and Young Professionals

One of the main concerns and sources of interest for English-speaking students and young professionals at any stage of the Aliyah process is their future employment prospects in Israel. Here are some of the questions that students frequently ask: employment faq

What’s better for my career – to study in the US or in Israel?
What degrees/fields are transferable from the US to the Israeli job market?
What's a good field to go into in Israel – practical, in demand, lucrative, interesting, growing…?
What should I study?
What is considered a good salary for Israel?
What can I do now, as a student from the US, to secure solid employment when I make Aliyah?
How important is it to have an American undergrad college degree before studying/working in Israel?
Which universities are considered “the best” (Israeli and American), from the Israeli employer's perspective?
How quickly will I find a job?
Can I continue earning an income from the US even after making Aliyah?
How important is it to have personal connections in Israel?
How important is it to speak Hebrew?
How does one integrate successfully into the Israeli job market?

Here are some responses to these questions:

What’s better for my career – to study in the US or in Israel? Generally speaking, unless you are studying a niche/specialty that is in demand in Israel but is not offered in an Israeli academic program, it is advised to study in Israel as your studies will be your "first step" into your professional life. The courses will be more relevant and geared towards the Israeli market, the studies are conducted in Hebrew and will allow you to learn the local professional “lingo,” your fellow students will be your future colleagues and professional network and your professors will occasionally provide an invaluable resource towards prospective jobs.

The cost of education is significantly lower in Israel, and, as a new Oleh, you may be eligible for subsidized education at a public university. For more information, please see: Benefits & Rights. By studying in Israel, you may avoid taking out significant student loans which can be an obstacle to Aliyah later on.

Keep in mind, of course, that there are other factors involved -- besides the question of subsequent employment. Deciding where to study is a personal choice and is dependent on family and financial considerations as well as career-related factors.

What degrees/fields are transferable from the US to the Israeli job market? Almost any field, as a whole, can be transferable to Israel. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, the fields of “therapy” and “counseling” aren’t formally recognized in Israel, while social work and psychology are recognized. Bottom line: This means that someone with a degree in therapy or counseling isn’t eligible for a job in the public sector (hospitals, schools, government agencies, etc.), as that requires a social work or psychology degree. As these fields aren’t regulated, however, therapists and counselors can work in the private sector or open a private practice. Another example is the field of Physician’s Assistant, which doesn’t exist in Israel as a profession at all.

The important part, for most professions, is to specialize in the more transferable aspects of the field. For example, if you're a lawyer, you will want to practice specialties such as corporate law, intellectual property, transactional law, international law, software licensing and international taxation. Other specialties are not as easily transferable to Israel, such as criminal, litigation, family, insurance defense, malpractice and environmental law. If it is an internship you are seeking, know that the concept of internships (including summer internships) is a far less widespread vocational phenomenon in Israel than in the US, making the initial steps of a young professional into the Israeli work force more challenging.

What's a good field to go into in Israel – practical, in demand, lucrative, interesting, growing…? Accounting, law, medical and para-medical fields, mental health fields, MBAs, hi-tech, engineering, education, graphic design, administrative work and non-profits. Keep in mind, however, that language intensive fields require very strong Hebrew skills.

What should I study? If you are studying in the US, be sure it's something transferable to Israel. Generally speaking, try to pursue something you find interesting that is also practical and relevant to the Israeli market (see above). It is always "safer" to go into a field that is growing and in demand (currently, such as various types of engineering). Another important consideration to factor into this equation is the typical salary range in your field of interest, and whether it will meet the standard of living that you envision.

What is considered a good salary for Israel? This is perhaps the most difficult question to answer, as "good" is a relative term and needs to be addressed on the individual level. Furthermore, many people are not always eager to share information of how much money they earn, as that is perceived to be personal information (though less so in Israel). However, the salary range of any field in Israel is not a secret, and it can be found in salary surveys that are made public via newspapers, online resources, etc. When discussing this topic, it is also important to keep in mind that the salary range of a field in Israel has significance only in comparison to other fields in Israel, as they are all geared towards the general Israeli economy. It is a mistake to compare Israeli salaries to American salaries. In contrast, it can be helpful to compare the average salaries of different professions within the Israeli job market.

The average gross monthly salary for an employee in Israel (i.e. – not an "independent income owner") has hovered in the 7,500 NIS/month range for the past few years. The numbers may be higher for "independent workers." Higher education graduates, especially in the "hard skill" professions such as law, accounting, engineering and finance will usually be on the higher end of the salary range. The public sector jobs (such as governmental, municipal, social work and teaching jobs) generally pay less. The highest paying professions are hi-tech and corporate-related fields.

What can I do now, as a student from the US, to secure solid employment when I make Aliyah? For most people, securing employment in Israel before making Aliyah is not an option. However, there are many things you can do in advance to increase your prospects of finding gainful employment once you come to Israel. The key elements to increase your marketability in the Israeli job market include developing a good command of conversational Hebrew, establishing a personal network of pertinent professional contacts and acquiring relevant, transferable professional knowledge and experience.

How important is it to have an American undergrad college degree before studying/working in Israel? The higher education system is different in Israel than it is in the US. In Israel, an undergrad degree is a specialized degree, and one applies to a specific faculty, e.g., law, medicine, business, arts, etc. An Israeli BA, unlike its American counterpart, is not based on a well rounded education with a concentration in a specific subject, i.e., a major, but rather is completely focused on that field of study. It’s important to be aware, however, that for certain degree programs it is extremely difficult to be accepted, including psychology, medicine, occupational and physical therapy, and others. If you’re applying for a Masters program, please note that your undergraduate degree must be in that field, otherwise you will have to take a series of undergrad courses before you apply.

If you plan on pursuing employment directly, without studying in Israel, your degree may be of varying value. If you intend to work in the public sector, you will have to get your degree recognized by the Israeli Ministry of Education (as well as other ministries, where relevant; for example, Health Ministry for medical professionals), as this will determine what type of public job you can apply for and what salary you will earn. In the private sector, it is up to the employer to decide what degree, if any, he/she requires; and you will be required to have your degree formally recognized.

In the competitive Israeli world of employment, it is highly advised to increase your employment marketability by possessing a solid academic background.

Which universities are considered “the best” (both Israeli and American), from the Israeli employer's perspective? There are 7 universities in Israel and a higher, constantly growing, number of college institutions. As a rule of thumb, the universities are considered more prestigious and are held in higher regard among Israeli employers. This is not based on a higher level of academics or more qualified professors, but rather because they have been in existence much longer and are therefore institutions that most of the current employers themselves have either graduated from or are familiar with. Unlike the colleges, studies in the universities are partially subsidized by the government, increasing their demand by top students. The acceptance rate to the universities is lower, and occasionally causes some employers to perceive this as indication of producing better students. That said, talented college graduates are becoming a growing phenomenon in the Israeli work force, and these traditional perceptions are starting to change. The rankings among the universities themselves vary by faculty and by the person you ask (as there is no official ranking). For instance; the Hebrew University is considered the top all around school in the country especially for humanities studies and medicine. Tel Aviv is considered to have the best schools in the fields of business and finance. The Technion is considered to be leader in technology and engineering and Bar Ilan in psychology, etc.

For the most part, Israeli employers do not know how to differentiate between the different schools in the US, unless they themselves happened to have studied there, or came across a graduate of a “tier 1” school.

How quickly will I find a job? An unofficial source has indicated that it takes new Olim from English-speaking countries, on average, six to nine months to secure their first job in Israel. Furthermore, for many, this job is not their "dream job" as far as salary, location, position, etc., but rather is viewed as a stepping stone to other opportunities and as an initiation into the Israeli work force (one of the "door openers" to an interview in Israel can be previous experience in an Israeli job). This is an important statistic to keep in mind, as it will give you a realistic expectation when facing the challenge of your Israeli job hunt.

It is important to budget for the initial few months following Aliyah. Please note that your Sal Klita (money received as a new Oleh from the Israeli government), your possible Nefesh B'Nefesh financial aid, and various other rights and benefits extended to new Olim by the State of Israel, help to mitigate the financial burden.

It is important to be realistic about the job search, and to approach it with flexibility and creativity: Two key elements that help you secure a faster source of income in Israel. "Flexibility" indicates a willingness to take on jobs even if they do not meet your original expectations, and "creativity" means thinking of original ventures to generate an income, such as turning a hobby into a money- making source or establishing a foreign source of income.

Can I continue earning an income from the US even after making Aliyah? Another source of income, of growing popularity for English-speaking Olim in Israel, is developing ventures using US-based salaries as sources of income in Israel. The main way to do so is by commuting (either physically or telecommuting), thus, taking advantage of the outsourcing possibilities that the US market has to offer. Please note that this strategy of income earning is not recommended for young professionals and students, in the long run, from a career perspective. Working as a commuter, one generally does not integrate into the Israeli workplace (unless you sell to Israeli clients or take on local Israeli partners etc.), it is harder to learn professional level Hebrew and to increase a professional network. It’s important also to be aware of the tax implications of commuting and telecommuting, and it is highly advised to speak to an accountant or a tax advisor to fully understand these implications.

How important is it to have personal connections in Israel? Career management firms in the US conducted research and found that the large majority of jobs are landed by personal connections, before a job is advertised or even made public. Of the people surveyed in this study, 60% said that they found their current job by networking. As mentioned, this survey was done in the US, and though there is no proof of this, almost anyone would tell you that the numbers are even more persuasive when approaching the Israeli job market, and even more so in a tight economy. Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in Israel has learned of the term “protexia” which loosely means “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

Everyone builds up a network of professional contacts, naturally developed up over a long period of time. When making Aliyah and integrating into this “protexia”-oriented society, it is necessary to proactively create a parallel network of professional contacts, by putting a significant deal of time and effort into the process.

How important is it to speak Hebrew? Strong Hebrew skills are essential for successful vocational integration into the Israeli work force. Many like to think of English as the international language, but nonetheless, in Israel, Hebrew is the dominant professional language. A good command of conversational Hebrew opens up job opportunities and expands one’s vocational options. Many Israelis perceive an ability to speak Hebrew as a professional statement by an Oleh or Olah that he or she wants to belong. Though language intensive professions such as speech therapy, psychology, etc. require Hebrew, it is generally important to be conversational in Hebrew in all professions. For instance, a computer programmer needs to understand what is being said in a staff meeting, an English teacher needs to understand the parents or the principal, and so on. The good news is that today, there are more tools than ever to study Hebrew comfortably from any location.

How does one integrate successfully into the Israeli job market? Knowledge of Hebrew, professional networking, relevant professional experience and academic background, realistic expectations and creativity - these elements combined, will ensure successful professional integration and lead towards gainful employment in Israel.

Nefesh BNefesh

Employment FAQ for Students and Young Professionals