Adjusting Your Resume for the Israeli Market
Structuring your resume for the Israeli job market can feel daunting, especially for first-time job seekers with limited experience in a specific field. As this document serves as your initial introduction to potential employers, making it impactful is crucial. Here are some essential points to keep in mind:
Below are some key points to consider when composing an entry-level resume.
- Consider your fields of professional interest: Before writing your resume, consider your professional interests and the type of work that appeals to you. Narrowing down your interests helps focus your job search and tailor your resume accordingly.
- Highlight your marketable skills: Identify skills that potential employers value, such as language proficiency or event planning. Creating a list of these skills aids in aligning your interests with job market demands.
- Customize for specific jobs: Tailor your resume to each job by emphasizing relevant skills. Include a “Skills” section highlighting abilities pertinent to the position, such as social media skills for an internet marketing role. Prepare multiple versions of your resume as needed.
- Summary statement: : Craft a concise “Summary” statement at the resume’s top, outlining your skills and experience. It can be a general overview and targeted to match the employer’s needs. For example, “MBA graduate with strong analytical skills, experienced in financial modeling. Excellent communicator, team-player, and deal-closer seeking opportunities in investment banking.”
- Experience: Include relevant volunteer or student experience in addition to part-time jobs or internships. Present this under the “Experience” section on your resume.
- Education: For entry-level resumes, prioritize education after the objective and skills sections. Listing higher education degrees suffices; there’s no need to include high school diplomas.
- Length of resume: Keep your resume concise, aiming for a one-page length. This format is suitable for job seekers starting their careers.
Israeli employers Israeli employers prefer concise, focused resumes that highlight strong experience in a specific area rather than broad skill sets. However, if you possess a diverse skill set, here are some tips for maintaining a resume that will capture the interest of Israeli employers:
- Create different versions of your resume. Emphasize skills relevant to each position for which you’re applying. For example, if you have both administrative and educational experience, craft separate resumes highlighting each skill set based on the job requirements.
- Relevant details should be at the top. Avoid burying important information at the bottom. If your relevant work experience is not immediately visible, consider adding a section titled “Relevant Experience” near the top to showcase pertinent skills and accomplishments. For example, if you’ve worked in non-profits but also have programming skills, prioritize the latter for tech-related job opportunities.
- Minimize unrelated work experience. List your work experience chronologically, starting with you most recent role. Include only essential details such as the company name, your position, and duration of employment. For positions unrelated to your target job, streamline the information to focus on relevant experience.
- Keep your target audience in mind. Considering that your resume may be reviewed by non-native English speakers. Opt for clear and concise bullet points rather than lengthy paragraphs to convey your qualifications effectively.
- List your computer skills. Most job opportunities require some level of computer knowledge. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, showcase your proficiency with relevant software and programs under a “Computer Skills” section to demonstrate your adaptability and readiness for modern workplace requirements.
Does your resume inadvertently turn away Israeli employers? Here are a few common pitfalls to avoid:
- Contact details: If you’re applying for jobs far from home, skip your mailing address. For instance, if you’re in Jerusalem and applying for Tel Aviv positions, list your cell number and email address only. In general, there is no need to list your home address unless specifically requested by the employer.
- Job title: While senior sounding titles from previous jobs can be impressive to a prospective employer, it is important to be aware that they can also be off-putting as they may imply high salary and managerial expectations. There are also cultural implications inherent in titles. For example, in Israel, the title “Vice President” implies that the individual manages many employees. Also, some titles are potentially ambiguous, such as “Account Manager.” Try to classify vague job titles more precisely based on the type of job for which you are applying, e.g., “Sales Account Manager.”
- Language skills: Language skills are important in the Israeli job market. Clearly list your language proficiency separately. Use terms like “Native speaker,” “Fluent,” or “Conversational.” Israeli employers often seek native language skills, especially for client-facing roles.
- Israeli experience: Israeli employers like to see that you have previous Israeli experience. Highlight previous Israeli experience, but if it’s less senior than your North American experience, place it lower on your resume, allowing employers to notice your North American accomplishments first. If you have not worked in Israel but volunteered here prior to your Aliyah, it is worth mentioning this as well, as it shows that you have experience working in a Hebrew-language environment.
- Personal Information: Avoid including personal information such as your address, marital status, and children to avoid potential discrimination.
- Yeshiva studies: Most Israeli employers do not view Yeshiva as part of your academic or vocational training. Avoid listing your Yeshiva or Midrasha experience unless you are applying for a job in Jewish education – or addressing a chronological gap.
- Hobbies: There’s no need to mention your hobbies unless they are exceptionally unique and/or relevant to the work for which you are applying.
How you send your resume can be almost as important as the content it contains. Submitting your resume correctly maximizes the chances of being interviewed for the job. So before you press the SEND button, consider these suggestions:
- Check for typos: While it may seem obvious, many resumes received by Nefesh B’Nefesh contain at least one typo. Before emailing your resume, run a final Spell Check. Additionally, ask a friend to review it for possible errors in grammar, formatting, or content.
- Include a Cover Letter: Along with your resume, include a short cover letter in the body of your email. The cover letter should be 3–5 sentences describing why you are a perfect candidate for the job. Olim have found that sending their cover letter in Hebrew results in receiving more follow-up phone calls. Keep in mind that most HR personnel are Hebrew speakers and are more likely to read a cover letter in Hebrew than in English. Send the resume file as an attachment (in Word or PDF format).
- Translate it into Hebrew: In certain professions, it is critical to send a Hebrew language resume; for others, such as hi-tech, it’s less important, though sending your resume in Hebrew may result in more follow-up phone calls. As a general rule, if you are sending your resume to an Israeli employer, it’s better to send a Hebrew language resume. The translation should be high quality, on par with the quality of your English version.
- Follow-up is critical: After emailing a resume to an employer, track down their phone number and try to speak to the employer directly. Most employers receive dozens of resumes and may ignore many of the emails they receive. When you follow up with a phone call, you have a better chance of ensuring that your resume is actually read.
Note for medical professionals: For licensing purposes, medical professionals should structure their resumes with the oldest information first, essentially reversing the typical chronological order of resume formatting.
For sample resumes and templates in Word format, navigate to your Microsoft Office program files directory, and select the Templates subdirectory. Remember to save the file with your name so employers can readily identify you.
* Last updated on May 12, 2024 *
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