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economic model synonymous with progress and efficiency," Sharone said. Yet despite these commonalities, Sharone observed that Israelis and American workers related to their jobs quite differently. Sharone noted that Americans felt less control over their working lives than did their Israeli peers. Even in high-pressure sectors like corporate law or finance, Israelis were better able to negotiate the terms of their employment and to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. A critical factor underlying this difference, Sharone told me, was the very process of securing employment. In Israel, rejected job applicants tend to blame the system. In the United States, rejected job applicants are far more likely to blame themselves. Sharone attributes this contrast in attitudes to what he describes as two very different hiring strategies. In Israel, job candidates are screened in a depersonalized and fairly objective process focused on demonstrated skills and credentials. In what Sharone calls the "specs game," applicants are grilled and pretested on their abilities and are sometimes eliminated because of technicalities or attributes-like their age-that don't necessarily relate to the job. This might make them angry, but it tends not to diminish their self-esteem. They consider it not their fault but the fault of an imperfect and sometimes unjust system that is beyond their control. In the United States, by contrast, job seekers engage in what Sharone calls the "chemistry game." While demonstrated skills and credentials are generally essential to getting an interview, they are typically not sufficient to clinch the deal. For that, job seekers need to conjure up what Sharone calls "interpersonal chemistry"-that is, to show a deep commitment not only to the job but to the institution behind it. It's not enough to merely want and need the job or be qualified for the job. As one online job site advises: "Standing out from the equally-qualified pack and getting that job offer most often boils down to 'fit.'" Sharone attributes this focus on "fit" in part to what he calls the "career self-help industry," the legion of job coaches, counselors, and consultants who insist that it's not enough to impress employers with one's work ethic, experience, and skills-one must also come across as the right sort of person. "In the US, having your identity constantly put