If you’ve started consulting with people about aliyah, you may have noticed this phenomenon. Jews living outside Israel often state unequivocally that it’s irresponsible to make aliyah without having a job, while Israelis tell you that it’s almost impossible to get a job here until you are physically in the country. Who’s right?
The advice you’re getting abroad is based on the fact that it can be hard to manage your finances here, especially since there are a lot of adjustments you need to make. Banking, salaries, expenses – it’s all different here. And in a country where salaries are relatively low but expenses aren’t, it can be a real challenge to successfully navigate your finances here. This will, of course, be exacerbated if you are unemployed for the first few months, or longer, of your aliyah. So yes, it would be great to have a job waiting for you before you get on the plane.
Unfortunately, Israelis very much live by the seat of their pants. This is a country in which stability is a rarity, and we never know what’s coming next. We tend to hire employees who can start as soon as possible (after they work off their notice in their previous place of employment) and we may not trust that someone will actually move here until they have arrived. That makes it harder to get a job before you have made aliyah.
It’s not impossible, though! If you have an expertise that’s rare or you have connections in your field, you may be able to get a job offer before aliyah. It’s not likely to be before you make the commitment to come, so you can’t really make the decision to come only after you have a job. Instead, take the leap of faith, decide to come and start looking for a job close to your aliyah date.
Start networking and putting feelers out there. Get to know Israelis in your field who reside in Israel or in your country of origin. Let friends and family know that you are making aliyah and what kind of work you are looking for. Beef up your LinkedIn profile and revamp your CV to fit with the Israeli style. Even if these measures don’t get you a job before you get here, they will certainly help once you arrive.