By , ,
Published December 07, 2015
There was a time when the recruiting methods of the Mossad were as secretive as the spy work of Israel’s world-famous intelligence agency itself, but times have changed.
This week, the legendary agency stepped out from the shadows and launched a glossy, corporate-style promotional video in which agents give their perspective on working at one of the world’s top spy outfits, their motivations for joining, and a flavor of what the challenges are. It’s a slick presentation, not dissimilar to other on-line spy agency recruitment campaigns of recent years launched by the likes of America’s CIA, Britain’s MI5, or Canada’s CSIS.
“My work isn’t exactly 9 to 5,” a male agent says, while a female agent confesses, “It’s not really child’s play. I never imagined this is what I’d do with my life.”
“My friend’s think I work in marketing,” the man admits. Both state, “I’ve learned things about myself that I never knew.” The video ends with the female agent saying, “This is my world; my calling. Maybe it’s yours as well?”
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The recruitment video sits on the homepage of the Mossad’s website which is presented in both English and Hebrew. The ‘Careers’ section leads anyone thinking of applying for consideration as a Mossad agent to fill in an acceptance test, as well as being asked to give a significant amount of information about themselves.
“We must continue recruiting the best minds in the country so that we can deal with the big threats against the State of Israel at this time,” Tamir Pardo, the current director of the Mossad, told the Jerusalem Post. “The human capital and the quality of the Mossad are the secrets to the organization’s success. The Mossad will continue to operate in every place and time in order to safeguard the State of Israel’s security.”
Traditionally, the Mossad has recruited agents following mandatory Israeli army service, a period during which military recruits have been through a range of experiences that might indicate their suitability for a role in intelligence. Most 18-year-old Israelis, male and female, are conscripted into the military for three and two year periods respectively. Now though, the Mossad, well aware of the power of social media and video images, has embarked on a new recruitment drive, designed to appeal to a new generation of candidates.
The Mossad was created in 1949, within a year of the establishment of the modern State of Israel. Its activities have become the stuff of legend, pulling off many famous operations in all corners of the globe, and many more that, due to the nature of the work, will never be known. Some of the most notable operations include:
The shadowy world of spying is occupied by agents of virtually every nation state. Last year, U.S. intelligence agencies were deeply embarrassed by revelations they had listened in to the private phone calls of world leaders, many of them close allies. It is assumed they include Israel.
“I think it is almost a universal assumption that everyone tries to spy on everyone,” Mark Heller, of Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies told FoxNews.com at the time. “Since the U.S. - by virtue of its resources, if nothing else - is the most capable, then it is probably best to assume that it does [now] or has done in the past to Israel what it has apparently done to its other friends and allies.”
“It’s almost a given,” Heller added. “The whole story reminds me of the scene from Casablanca when the chief of police is shocked to find out that there is gambling going on in the casino.”
https://www.foxnews.com/world/israels-legendary-mossad-steps-out-of-the-shadows-in-recruitment-drive