BootsnAll Travel Community

As I posted before here, I am still hoping to emigrate to Israel or Turkey in the near future to get myself a true Middle Eastern experience.

Now after lots of applications with regular companies in Israel, each time to see the working permit being the big problem, I found out that for hotel staff a more flexible working permit application is in rule because of a shortage in staff in this industry (see http://gov.il/ ---> Guide for Immigrant Workers)

In Turkey I guess hotel work is also recommendable because along the coast there's loads of tourists and the hotels may be keen on hiring multilingual staff speaking the main languages in Europe?

Now what I was wondering: is this the best time of the year to apply for hotel jobs in Israel/Turkey? Because with the busiest season near, I guess a lot of hotels are recruiting extra staff? Is it best to apply for jobs in this field now, or to do this at a later moment?

Also, is it best to email them my CV in advance or is it better to just walk in and offer my CV?

I hope to come to Israel or Turkey soon for a week or two to go actively asking around in the hotels ; the jobhunt holiday will depend on where to stay though. A guy I know in Tel-Aviv may have a spare bed for me where I can sleep over for free. Because I have not enough money for two weeks hotel and then maybe (if the jobhunt is succesful) an expensive move, I depend on either someone offering me a spare bed or either (if it exists) a very cheap B&B option...
Is there any advertisement space in one of the two country where people having a spare bed/room for a week or two advertise it? (I would be happy to pay a contribution of course as long as it is cheaper than a week in a hotel... of course with a bit of luck my friend in TA has a room available for free, but this is not sure yet)

After months of doubting about it, I decided to try to realise my Middle Eastern dream and go on a travel to try to find a job. I've been applying in Israel and Turkey for months now over the internet but each time there is some issue stopping the application from happening, while several companies did say they want to interview if I first fly over. As I realise it will simply not happen without going over first, I am going to go for it.



1) In Israel, I have three companies that are willing to interview me and show concrete interest. However, I am not Jewish and my desire to go to the Middle East is based on purely a deep fascination for the area and its culture. I constantly get conflicting information on how realistic it is to secure a working permit, some say it'll be close to impossible while others say a company with a bit of goodwill will be able to arrange it.

2) I know that for hotel work, there are special (more flexible) rules to request a working permit (see http://gov.il/ , go to Guide For Immigrant Workers) so normally I should be able to get a permit more easily when applying for work in that industry.
How realistic is it to find a job in two weeks' time, when walking from hotel to hotel with my CV? Note that I speak 4 languages (no Hebrew unfortunately but I do speak English, German and French) and that maybe this is a good time for hotel vacancies as the busiest season is approaching?


questions about Turkey:

1) Is it realistic to find a job in Turkey in two weeks' time? I have gotten some very conflicting info about this, as some say it's not hard at all while others claim it will be extremely difficult without speaking Turkish. I do speak 4 other languages (including English, French and German) but when I ask people about how realistic it is to find a place needing multilingual speakers in a few weeks' time, I get conflicting answers...

2) Which is the best area to go asking around? I doubt a bit between Istanbul or the seaside. Most companies are in Istanbul obviously although I am unsure if there's lot of vacancies for multilingual speakers.
Maybe my chances are better off in touristic areas where a lot of hotels recruit extra staff for the busy summer season, and maybe they need people speaking the language of the tourists.
In general though, I'm not sure if the best chances would be in Istanbul or in the coastal towns.

3) I even considered to move over without a job first... I have a financial reserve of almost 2000 GBP/3000 Euro, so I thought that if I am living in Turkey already it may be easier to find a job. However, is it realistic or not to think I would survive two months with that money (rent, food, ...) and is it realistic to have a job within that time?


Thank you for advice.

quote:

1) Is it realistic to find a job in Turkey in two weeks' time? I have gotten some very conflicting info about this, as some say it's not hard at all while others claim it will be extremely difficult without speaking Turkish. I do speak 4 other languages (including English, French and German) but when I ask people about how realistic it is to find a place needing multilingual speakers in a few weeks' time, I get conflicting answers...

I think it depends what you're willing to do. We encountered only three foreigners working in Turkey. One was a Lonely Planet author, so that's probably out, and one was married to a Turk and owned a Pension. So the only one at all comparable to your situation was the third, and he was essentially the "guest services" guy on a gulet cruise, but from what I can tell, it was more an exchange in kind - free accomodation, food and booze in return for helping out - I don't think he was actually being paid. I expect, if you go at the beginning of tourist season it would be possible to find that sort of position in a short time frame.

quote:

2) Which is the best area to go asking around? I doubt a bit between Istanbul or the seaside. Most companies are in Istanbul obviously although I am unsure if there's lot of vacancies for multilingual speakers.

Definitely stick to the tourist areas. I think probably the coastal resorts would be a better bet. But I haven't ever looked for a job there, so I could be way out to lunch.

quote:

3) I even considered to move over without a job first... I have a financial reserve of almost 2000 GBP/3000 Euro, so I thought that if I am living in Turkey already it may be easier to find a job. However, is it realistic or not to think I would survive two months with that money (rent, food, ...) and is it realistic to have a job within that time?

That's about 6000 lira, which should do you for around 3 months, particularly if you're outside Istanbul. I guess I would look at the "what's the worst that can happen" scenario. As long as you keep a reserve that's big enough to get you home, and you have somewhere to stay when you get there, the worst that can happen is you have to go home, hardly the end of the world.

I wish I could help you, but having researched this type of thing myself for numerous countries, including your own, the process on the website looks familiar. Either find an agency that'll charge you too much, or get a company to apply for you. I'm not sure if there are agencies though that will get you the permits prior to entry. For other countries I've found some for hotel students, or upper level executives.

quote:

Working visa may be obtained either when you are still in your home country, or already in Israel with a tourist visa. It is forbidden to work in Israel without a working visa.

Least you can get it switched over once there.
I can tell you one thing, I believe English and French are both in-demand languages. And in the meantime, you can do what I've just started to do, familize yourself with some Hebrew. There's a site called CartoonHebrew which is a big help in the alphabet, I think. Being familiar doesn't mean you have to commit yourself or become fluent. But knowing the letters and 5 words maybe a positive during an interview I'd think. I've heard of reasonably priced classes over there too. Maybe, I'm fuzzy on the exchange rates and costs. But you'd be the only person in Ireland to know it!

MyMerhaba is a great expat site which has a classifieds section. Check the Turkish forums at Hospitality Club(.org) for job offerings and/or apartment shares. Perhaps try Craigslist.org? Your best bet is an apartment share, since renting a furnished apartment would have set me back 5-600 Euros/month but for $300 I shared one with an existing roommate.

I would definitely stick near the tourist areas with your language knowledge, and perhaps if the hotel jobs don't pan out, what about offering guide services? There are guides surrounding every popular attraction (Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, etc.) who offer tourists a tour of the facility and a thorough explanation for a fee. Brush up on your history and break out the smile, and you can talk to almost any tourist. Even better, offer to give city tours. It will help out while you are looking and you make your own hours