It is often said that job-hunting in Israel is heavily based on “protexia” (connections) and there is definitely some truth to this. As an oleh, you might think that you are at a disadvantage, not having old school and army friends to rely on for support. And if you’re experienced in your field but have no former colleagues to help you find a job, that can be concerning as well.
But here’s the good news: Networks can be built at any age and at any point in life, and the prevalence of social media in our lives means that connections can be created virtually as well. Connections with people often begin online and become real friendships later on. Israelis are hard-wired to help others, as we have all grown up on values of chesed and kindness, so even a distant connection can be the one who will help you land a job.
You can start building your network even before you start actively looking for a job in Israel. Connect to people in your field and related industries on LinkedIn. Comment on their posts, ask questions and show interest in what they share online. Join industry-related and general job groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. Contribute where you can and connect personally to people in these groups who you would like to know in real life.
Israelis that are currently in the US are a great resource as well. Reach out to founders and ask them to meet for coffee and attend events happening in cities around the US. For instance, Israeli Mapped in NY and Israeli Mapped in Boston list Israeli startups in those cities and hold get-togethers for their members.
Once you are in Israel, it’s a good idea to attend networking events. These take place all over the country and many of them are in English (although you can always go to the Hebrew ones and find people who want to practice their English with you). Get to know people, write down who they are and what they do and ask them how you can be of service to them. When you get home, search for the people you met on social media and connect to them there. Write them a note about how much you enjoyed meeting them and will keep them in mind when you hear of someone needing their services, hiring in their field etc.
Ask to meet some of them one-on-one for coffee, to continue the conversation you started at the event or to dive deeper into how you can help each other. (Remember, if you issued the invitation, coffee is on you.)
You can also join small networking groups that have regular events and where members try to help each other out as much as possible. There are BNI groups all over Israel and there are a number of English Speaking Networking groups as well. ESN combines professional development with networking support and also hosts occasional large events.
Don’t underestimate the power of “friends of friends.” Ask your friends who they know in your field and request they introduce you, so that you can connect to those people and be mutually helpful to each other. If you’re applying to a company, it pays to ask your friends whether they know someone who works there and can help get your CV seen. If a friend asks them to use their protexia as a favor to them, they might do it even if they don’t know you personally.
When you’re actively looking for work, let people know what kind of job you seek and ask for leads of places that are hiring. You won’t find every relevant job ad on your own, so it’s great to have people looking out for you and sending you relevant ads that they spot. There are also jobs that aren’t widely advertised or haven’t been publicized yet, which you can find out about from connections. Don’t be afraid to look “desperate” by letting people know you are on the job hunt. It’s just like dating; if you don’t tell people you want to be set up, it won’t happen. Put the word out there that you are looking and you will get help from friends and strangers alike.
Lastly, don’t neglect your network once you have a job. You never know when you will have to rely on it again. And even if you never need it yourself, you will have the privilege of helping others advance their professional careers by utilizing your own protexia, just like a true Israeli.