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How do I prepare for interviews, research pay and check an offer?

Who this helps: Candidates with interviews coming up or an offer to consider.

Last reviewed · 18 sources

The short answer

Ask the recruiter what each stage involves and prepare for that format; Israeli processes vary from a single conversation to several interviews, a home assignment or an external assessment day. Research pay with dated, clearly described sources, remembering that Israeli salaries are commonly quoted as gross monthly amounts. Before accepting, get the main terms in writing.

Stages you may meet

What sources report

Common selection stages

  • Recruiter phone screen

    What sources describe
    An early call, common in hi-tech; be ready to speak English from the first call at companies that work in English[1].

  • Interviews

    What sources describe
    With HR and the hiring manager. Tel Aviv University's career centre lists a task, further interviews or an assessment centre as possible next stages[2].

  • Home assignment (מטלת בית)

    What sources describe
    A task done at home, sometimes followed by an interview where you present it. One developer stresses it is one approach among several[3].

  • Assessment day (יום מיון, at a מכון מיון)

    What sources describe
    An external day for leading candidates: cognitive tests, an integrity questionnaire, a group exercise, a psychologist interview and role simulations[4].
Our recommendation

Ask the recruiter directly: "What are the stages, who will I meet, and is there an assignment or assessment day?" If a home assignment looks very long, it is reasonable to ask how much time they expect it to take.

Explaining international experience

Our recommendation
  • Prepare a 60-second summary of each recent role: the organisation in one line, your scope (team size, budget, customers), and one result.
  • Translate scale into numbers anyone can picture: "a 400-bed regional hospital" says more than a name nobody here knows.
  • Explain titles by what you did. Nefesh B'Nefesh notes that senior foreign titles can suggest salary or management expectations you may not intend[7].
  • Have one clear sentence on why you moved and why this role, then return to the work.

Asking about language and working arrangements

What sources report

Nefesh B'Nefesh suggests practising in Hebrew with an Israeli if the interview might be in Hebrew, and expecting a question such as "How's your Hebrew?"[6].

Example

Questions worth asking (examples):

  • "What language does the team use in meetings and in writing?"
  • "Which documents or customers would I deal with in Hebrew?"
  • "How many days a week is the team in the office, and is that fixed?"
  • "Who would I report to, and how big is the team?"

Questions you don't have to answer

Our recommendation

If you are asked about one of these, you can steer back to the job: "I'm fully available for the hours this role needs." Nefesh B'Nefesh also notes you can politely decline personal questions[6]. If you think you were treated unfairly because of a protected ground, read the Kol Zchut page on the law for your options, and get advice before acting. This guide is not legal advice.

Researching pay

What sources report

Israeli pay figures are commonly quoted as gross monthly amounts (ברוטו לחודש). The official wage statistics, AllJobs' tables and several surveys all use gross monthly figures[9][10][11]. Net pay is lower after income tax, National Insurance, health tax, your pension contribution and, where relevant, a study-fund deduction[12].

Salary sources and their limits

  • Central Bureau of Statistics

    What it is
    Average gross wage per employee job, by industry. Release 275/2026 (published 3 Sep 2026) covers June 2026[9].
    Limits
    An average, not a typical salary; counts jobs, not people; employees only; a few months' lag. Useful for industry context, not for one role.

  • AllJobs salary tables

    What it is
    Ranges by field, experience and seniority from users' reports; gross monthly, excluding car, bonuses and options[10].
    Limits
    Self-reported; sample and method not detailed.

  • Recruiter tables (e.g. Ethosia, GotFriends)

    What it is
    Ranges by role and experience, mostly tech and biotech[13][14].
    Limits
    Based on each firm's own placements; methods not fully published.

  • Professional surveys (e.g. PM Live, ECEJI)

    What it is
    Surveys of one profession with stated sample sizes (710 product managers; 629 engineers)[11][15].
    Limits
    Respondents chose to take part; one profession only.

  • Levels.fyi

    What it is
    Self-reported pay at mostly large tech companies, as annual totals including stock and bonus[16].
    Limits
    Annual, not monthly: don't compare directly with gross monthly figures.

Before trusting a salary figure

  • Is it gross or net, monthly or annual?
  • Is it an average, a median or a range?
  • When was it collected? Look for this year or last.
  • Whose data is it: everyone, one sector, or one recruiter's placements?
  • Does it match the role's seniority, field and region?
What sources report

Nefesh B'Nefesh advises not raising salary first in a first interview[6]. When you are asked, give a gross monthly range based on two or three of the sources above.

Checking an offer

Terms worth clarifying before you accept

  • Gross monthly salary, and what it does and doesn't include (overtime, travel, car, bonus, equity).
  • Whether there is a study fund (קרן השתלמות) and how much each side contributes.
  • Which pension fund, and from when contributions start.
  • Working hours, office days and remote-work arrangements, in writing.
  • Start date, job title, who you report to, and any trial period.
  • Notice period on both sides.
  • For equity: how much, the vesting schedule and what happens if you leave.
Our recommendation

Ask for the offer in writing before you resign from anything or turn down other processes. For questions about your rights, start with Kol Zchut's pages above; for disputes, get advice from a lawyer or a workers' rights organisation.

Your next step

For your next interview, ask the recruiter what each stage involves, and pick two salary sources from the table to set your gross monthly range.

Related guides

Sources

We read each source on the date shown. “Source date” is what the source itself displays; our own review of this guide was on 1 October 2026. Hebrew sources are summarised in English.

  1. [1]
    ראיון טלפוני: כך תיצרו את הרושם הנכון (Phone interviews) (opens in a new tab)

    Jolt (published courtesy of Drushim) · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: In hi-tech, an early stage is often a recruiter phone screen; processes can be long; be ready to speak English from the first call in companies that work in English; follow up if there is no response within about a week.

  2. [2]
    טיפים לראיון עבודה (Interview tips) (opens in a new tab)

    Tel Aviv University, Center for Career Development · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Ask about next steps and timing at the end of an interview; a short polite reminder is fine if the date passes; next stages may include a task, another interview or an assessment centre.

  3. [3]
    מה בוחנים מחפשים במשימות הבית של מועמדים למשרות תכנות? (What reviewers look for in programming home assignments) (opens in a new tab)

    Geektime (guest post by Daniel Koren, developer) · In Hebrew

    Source date: 21 Oct 2018 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: One developer's description of a take-home exercise followed by an interview where the candidate presents it; common failures; he notes this is one approach, not universal.

  4. [4]
    איך להתכונן לימי מיון ולראיון עם פסיכולוג? (Preparing for assessment days) (opens in a new tab)

    AllJobs (Yael Primak) · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Some employers send leading candidates to an external assessment day; typical parts include cognitive tests, an integrity questionnaire, a group exercise, a psychologist interview and role simulations.

  5. [5]
    אנחנו מלמדים עולים איך לעבור ראיון עבודה בישראלית (We teach olim how to pass an Israeli-style interview) (opens in a new tab)

    Globes (Yaniv Pohoriles), interview with Gvahim's CEO · In Hebrew

    Source date: 21 Sep 2015 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Gvahim's CEO describes Israeli interviews as very informal, with personal questions, and says olim often need to reframe titles and salary expectations.

  6. [6]
    Tips for Successful Interviewing in Israel (opens in a new tab)

    Nefesh B'Nefesh

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Practise in Hebrew if the interview may be in Hebrew; expect questions about your Hebrew; avoid raising salary first in a first interview; ask when to expect an answer; interviewers may ask personal questions you can politely decline.

  7. [7]
    Adjusting Your Resume for the Israeli Market (opens in a new tab)

    Nefesh B'Nefesh

    Source date: Last updated 12 May 2024 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Concise, focused CVs; short bullets for readers who may not be native English speakers; leave out address, marital status and children; senior foreign titles (e.g. 'Vice President') can read differently; list language levels; most employers do not treat yeshiva or midrasha as academic study; short cover note in the email body; Hebrew CV generally preferred, less critical in hi-tech; suggests phoning to follow up.

  8. [8]
    חוק שוויון ההזדמנויות בעבודה (Equal Employment Opportunities Law) (opens in a new tab)

    Kol Zchut (כל זכות) · In Hebrew

    Source date: Updated 3 Feb 2026 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: The law applies to job candidates as well as employees, and lists protected grounds including sex, sexual orientation, personal status, pregnancy, parenthood, age, race, religion, nationality, country of origin, place of residence, views, party membership and reserve service.

  9. [9]
    השכר הממוצע ברוטו למשרת שכיר בחודש יוני 2026 (Average gross wage per employee job, June 2026), release 275/2026 (opens in a new tab)

    Central Bureau of Statistics · In Hebrew

    Source date: Published 3 Sep 2026 (data for June 2026) · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: What the official wage statistic measures: average gross monthly wage per employee job (not per person), by industry, from employers' reports to National Insurance; released with a lag.

  10. [10]
    טבלאות שכר (Salary tables) (opens in a new tab)

    AllJobs · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Salary ranges from data reported by AllJobs users; gross monthly pay for full-time employees, excluding car, bonuses and options; method and sample not detailed.

  11. [11]
    סקר שכר מנהלי מוצר 2026 (Product manager salary survey 2026) (opens in a new tab)

    PM Live · In Hebrew

    Source date: Survey run Dec 2025 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: A self-selected online survey of 710 salaried product managers reporting gross monthly salary excluding bonus and equity.

  12. [12]
    מדריך לתלוש השכר (A guide to the payslip) (opens in a new tab)

    Israel Hayom · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: The agreed salary is the gross figure; net pay is lower after income tax, National Insurance, health tax, the employee's pension contribution and, where relevant, study-fund deductions.

  13. [13]
    טבלאות שכר (Salary tables) (opens in a new tab)

    Ethosia (recruitment firm) · In Hebrew

    Source date: 5 Jul 2026 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Recruiter salary tables for tech, biotech and related functions; method and whether figures are gross are not stated.

  14. [14]
    טבלאות שכר בהייטק (Hi-tech salary tables) (opens in a new tab)

    GotFriends (recruitment firm) · In Hebrew

    Source date: Sep 2026 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Tech-only ranges drawn from the firm's own placements, presented as gross monthly figures.

  15. [15]
    Salary report 2026 (opens in a new tab)

    ECEJI (Electrical & Computer Engineering Jobs Israel)

    Source date: Apr 2026 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: A self-selected survey of 629 electrical and computer engineers reporting gross monthly base salary.

  16. [16]
    Software Engineer salaries in Israel (opens in a new tab)

    Levels.fyi

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Self-reported compensation shown as annual totals in ILS (base, stock, bonus), so not directly comparable with monthly gross figures.

  17. [17]
    הודעה על תנאי העבודה (Notice of employment terms) (opens in a new tab)

    Kol Zchut (כל זכות) · In Hebrew

    Source date: Updated 9 Dec 2025 · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Employers must give adult employees written notice of the main employment terms within 30 days of starting, and of significant changes within 30 days; the terms the notice covers.

  18. [18]
    חובת ביטוח פנסיוני לעובדים (Mandatory pension insurance for employees) (opens in a new tab)

    Kol Zchut (כל זכות) · In Hebrew

    Source date: not shown · Accessed 1 October 2026

    Used for: Who is entitled to pension contributions; contributions start after 6 months for someone without an existing pension fund and from the first day for someone who has one; the standard contribution split (6% employee, 12.5% employer including 6% severance component) on gross base salary.

This guide is general information, not legal, immigration or financial advice. Where it describes a rule, the official source decides; check your own circumstances with the authority before you act.

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