Success Story – Aaron Levine, began as a programmer and was promoted to software manager, Correlation Systems / Hila Yaakobi

aaron levine, 26, is married and has three children. he left south africa to come on aliyah eight years ago. aaron found his job at correlation systems through the jobnet site. he was hired as a programmer and four months later has already been promoted to software manager. prior to his job at correlation systems, aaron did part-time freelance work out of his home as a java programmer for a us company.

aaron recalls:
the freelancing work i did was my first job. several months ago i finished my ba in computer science at machon lev [jerusalem college of technology] and i decided to go out and look for work.

why did you decide to stop working as a freelancer at home and set out to look for a job?
it was really great working at home since it allowed me to help my wife around the house and with the kids, but i decided to look for a more stable, orderly place where i'd be able to work fulltime.

how did you conduct your search?
i began the search process at the university through placement company reps, but the supply was high, so i set out to look on the web. i found the jobnet site by doing a google search.

aaron levine at the correlation systems offices

what were you looking for?
i was looking for work in java programming, in the direction of algorithms. when i saw the ad on jobnet for a job at correlation systems i had a feeling it was the right job for me because it fit exactly what i was looking for – java programming with specialization in scientific applications.

on the company:
correlation systems is an israeli company specializing in data mining (data processing used to search for information hidden in large, preexisting databases). the company was founded in 1992 and worked primarily in the field of security. last year the company began to switch to the civilian sector, providing solutions for fishing, transportation, internal security at organizations and healthcare. the company is an active partner in the european commission's research program, collaborating with leading european companies to market company products in europe and the far east. correlation systems is a small, intimate company with six employees at its offices in or yehuda, in addition to a branch in zug, switzerland.

aaron, how did your contact with correlation systems proceed?
i saw the ad on jobnet, sent my resume and ariel, the ceo, called me. i came in for an interview, which focused on my experience and abilities in creating new solutions. there was very good chemistry between ariel and i, and i liked the atmosphere here from the start. at all of the other places i went to for interviews the process involved a lot of tests and interviews. only here, besides the personal interview, i didn't have to go through any other processes.

did you go to a lot of interviews before arriving here?
i went to about seven interviews.

how long did your job-hunt last?
it took two or three months for me to find my job here.

did you continue working while you were looking for work?
during the search i kept working at my prior freelance job and there was even a period of a few weeks during which i was working two jobs simultaneously so i could finish my projects at the previous job.

where did you acquire your knowledge of java programming?
some of it i learned in college and the rest i learned on the job. in programming you always have to keep learning new things and expand your know-how and abilities.

what does your job entail?
the company does geographical data mining and finding information flowing from gps and similar devices. i'm currently working on a very interesting project for a taxi company. our system is linked to the taxi company's management program, studies the patterns of the taxis and allows us to predict the probability of finding customers in certain locations at given times. this way when a cab driver is available, instead of looking for a fare by roaming the streets randomly he receives a recommendation for where he should wait for a passenger and how long he can expect to wait. in this project i'm in charge of program development, which includes software for cell-phones and a data-mining server. 

do you like your work?
it's very interesting and i really enjoy working here. my job is very challenging and fun. on one hand we're working on innovative projects like a startup, but on the other hand we have a lot of long-term projects for steady customers.

do you work hard?
we work hard but without pressure. we have a good time and the atmosphere is pleasant.

how was your integration here?
i was taken in very nicely. i felt really at ease from the moment i arrived. it's a small and friendly place where everybody helps everybody else.

was the size of the company among your considerations while looking for work?
it was a factor in my search. i went to interviews at very large companies, too. during the job-search phase i was open to everything.

are you pleased with the fact the company is small?
i think working at a small company has its advantages, especially in terms of finding a challenge. i always have new challenges and we work on several things simultaneously. at a large company you're boxed in and spend a lot of time working on the same
thing – and it's generally much less interesting.

do you see yourself staying here and developing your career?
i'm very happy here. i couldn't imagine anything better. i have challenging, interesting work, the people are nice and there's definitely room for me to develop here professionally. it's a small, dynamic company, so although there's no formal managerial development track, the potential to develop my skills is enormous and i see myself staying here for a long time to come.

to wrap things up, do you have any advice for jobseekers?
what helped me most during my search was the decision not to be afraid of challenges and new things. even if you're not so familiar with a certain area, learn how to do it and believe in yourself and your ability to advance and to learn new things. don't be afraid to say this during an interview – "i don't know it thoroughly, but i'm capable and prepared to learn."


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for the hebrew article