When moving to Israel you will experience some job market differences that you need to important aspect when applying to any job! This is the first piece of information the Human Resources department will see and you need to make sure it suits what they are looking for. This is also true for companies in Israel as they want to interview candidates that are as close to being a right fit for them as possible. So how do you make your CV pleasing to the Israeli mentality? Here are some tips and answers to questions that you may be asking:

Is it bad that my CV isn’t in Hebrew?

Even though we live in a Hebrew speaking country it does not necessarily require a CV in Hebrew. This all depends on what language you wish to work in. Urban Recruits works with many companies that work in English and are looking for English speaking employees. In these cases it is best that your CV is in English, this shows that your writing abilities are up to par. If you would like to apply for a Hebrew speaking job, then a CV in Hebrew will come in handy. Urban Recruits also has positions requiring other languages (e.g., French, Spanish, Italian, German, etc.), in these cases a CV in the respective language is a nice add on, but English will also always be accepted.

What are the important items to include on a CV in Israel?

Like any other CV, the most important item to highlight is your work experience. This is what will determine if a candidate is called in for an interview and hired or not. It is also an option to tailor your CV depending on the job you are applying for. For example, you may be applying for a job in marketing so your work experience should include every position you held that involves marketing. Another job you are applying for may be for a sales position, so everything should have to do with sales. You get the point! This will show the company that you are accomplished in the field.

You should also be highlighting any skills you have! This includes language skills and computer skills. Companies will love to see that you are diverse and can speak a variety of languages. This gives you the opportunity to qualify for many tasks and positions within in the company or amongst other companies. When discussing computer skills it is not necessary to put that you are knowledgeable about Microsoft Office applications, this should be a given. However, if you have a background in JavaScript, C++, Pearl, etc. then those should be listed along with your proficiency in those skills.

Another item that people think is necessary to include on an Israeli CV is where you did your army service. Since this is a monumental part of Israeli way of life, most people see it as a bad thing if they did not serve in the army, however this is not the case. If you did serve in the army, then of course put that information on your CV, it is a huge part of your life that should be acknowledged. However, if you did not serve then all the companies want to see is that you did something during those years and that there is no gap of inactivity.

Who should I be in contact with to look over my CV to edit/translate it?

Before sending your CV out to companies you should always have it checked over by friends or family members to make sure it sounds coherent and that there are no grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Especially, if you are applying for a job in English and it happens to not be your mother tongue then you should have a native English speaker review your CV. As well, if you have the connections, send your CV to at least one professional to ensure that what you included is the correct information.

When you send your CV to Urban Recruits we make sure your CV is the best it can be before sending it out to any companies. This includes making sure it presents the relevent work experience, that it includes all your skills and that there is no spelling or grammar errors. We let you know the changes that should be made, if needs be, and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward!

Have any burning questions you want us to answer? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at info@urbanrecruits.co.il with “URblog” in the subject line.

Until next time,