Know .Net? The SHABAK might want you!
The Israeli SHABAK is massively seeking out new software developers.
For those of you who aren't from israel - The phrase "Shabak" stands for "General Security Service" which is the Israeli equivalent of the American CIA. 
The Shabak is always looking to hire software developers as you can always submit your CV via their website.
I'd like to mention the PROs & CONs of these jobs. So let's look at one of the jobs they offer:
This is what they want for a (non-senior) .Net developer:
- 3 Years of proven experience in web development
- 2 Years of proven experience in .Net
- Nice to have: Oracle, J2EE, CICS, MF, and Adabas
Pros:
- All the hype aside - you go to bed knowing you've done a service to your country.
- The salary is OK. A (non senior) .Net developer averages about 15,000 NIS salary in the Shabak. Which is OK for a (non-senior) .Net developer?
- All the benefits of working for the government and not in the private sector. There's a very strong Trade union ("ועד עובדים" in Hebrew) and that's VERY good as you get all sorts of benefits and your working rights are preserved.
Cons:
- With 2 years of .Net experience you can easily find a job as a SENIOR .Net developer in Israel. This means more pay and more responsibility.
If you can get paid more - why take a job that pays substantially less? - I'm just going to mention that the Shabak wants 7 years of web development experience for senior .Net developers. That's like saying I want a pilot with 60 years of flight veterancy. It's possible, but how many people really fit this? And that's 5-4 years more then what anyone else wants for a senior .Net developer.
- The hours. As a Shabak employee you'll sign away your holidays, weekends, 29th of February every four years and every other waking day you have.
Imagine if your boss could say "We have to get a version out! This is a matter of national security! People die every moment you don't code!" - This isn't the first "one of a kind, never to be repeated" technological mass recruiting the Shabak has done (as they claim). The last one was about 14-16 months ago and that was for the same jobs.
Let's look at this: Software projects hired dozens of software developers, same software projects are hiring the same amount of developers again. Can you guess where all those dozens of software developers are now? My take is that they all left.
Sum-up:
Pro: good happy feeling about serving your country, strong trade union & good pay comparing to that type of job
Cons: Low pay in comparison to years of experience, No time off & proven track record of high burn-out rate.
Still think it's for you? Go to their website and send them your CV.