Have you ever prepared for a job interview? If so, you surely recognize the following lines: "A certified Psychologist invites you for a personal crash course for success in your job interview", or: "advance preparation for a job interview will help you go through it, and stay alive".

Many books were written in order to set some "top tips" for success for such interviews. Just about anyone who was involved in this field, knows that preparing interviewees for interviews turned into a profession in every respect.

So, before you go out to your interview loaded with tips and advice, I'd like to provide you with another tip.

Yosef spent many long years in a foreign land, after he was sold as a slave by his brothers.  When he arrived to the home of Potiphar he was fortuned with kindness and esteem, but not for long. His Master's wife had plotted a lie about him, and he was sentenced to jail where he was imprisoned for twelve years.  

Yosef's condition was very bad. He was a slave, and at that time flies on the walls lived in better conditions than slaves. He was a G-d fearing Jew, in an idolatrous land. Additionally, he was a handsome young man in a land of unlimited atrocity. We can assume that Yosef's condition could not have gotten any worse.

Suddenly, with no advance preparation, he was called up before the King Pharaoh-the "invincible" leader of Egypt. He was rushed out of jail, taken speedily to the barber, straight down to the bath house, and towards the branded clothing store of the Royal Palace, and before he even has a chance to digest what's happening, he is standing before Pharaoh. We can determine that Yosef could not have been prepared for such an encounter for a simple reason: even in his dreams, Yosef could not have thought of such an imaginable occurrence. Therefore, his behavior in this encounter would most likely be natural, and with no professional tips.

Yosef looks around and sees the Egyptian magicians. He notices the dream interpreters, and slowly the realization penetrates since he understands that out of all the expert dream interpreters which fill most of Egypt, Pharaoh chose to specifically use his service. There is no doubt that an interview that starts at such a point is the ideal for any interviewee. In order to succeed in such an interview, all that's left is for the interviewee is not to stumble.

And this is how the interview is described (Beraishis 41; 15): "And Pharaoh said to Yosef, I have dreamed a dream and there is none that can interpret it, but I have heard it said of you [that] you understand a dream, to interpret it." All that is left for Yosef is to interpret Pharaoh's dream and win world glory. But Yosef, who did not learn the "top tips" for success does not hold a lap top in order to look important, he also doesn't try to explain to Pharaoh- how right he is for choosing him. At first sight, it seems that he made a mistake, and replies: "It is not me; G-d will give an answer of peace to Pharaoh." Explains Rabbeinu B'chayei: "Yosef replied, 'It is not me'- the power of wisdom and intelligence is not from me, but without me. That is why he said 'it is not me', meaning it is not from me, "G-d will give an answer of peace to Pharaoh"-everything comes from the power of G-d, who is the Almighty, and he will help you from the trouble of the dream and its meaning".  

Instead of taking advantage of the position and promote himself, instead of seizing the great turnaround, and be freed from the Egyptian jail, Yosef chose to disregard the sudden glamor. He tells Pharaoh that his appraisal towards him is mistaken, and that he does not know how to interpret dreams. If G-d wants- I will know, and if not- I will not know. Let's not forget, that the interviewer was a King, and not only that, he was a disbeliever.

It looks like Yosef succeeded to implement all the possible mistakes in the shortest time. Interested to know if he got hired? He did, but not as a minor dream interpreter, he was appointed as Viceroy. Moreover, Pharaoh the disbeliever stated -opposing his Egyptian belief: (Beraishis 41; 38) "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom there is the spirit of G-d?"

Would we also act as Yosef in an interview like so? Would we too let such a job slip through our hands?

Upon such encounters King David said (Divrei Hayamim 1- 29; 12): "And wealth and honor are from before You, and You rule over all".

Before we head out to an interview, it is recommended to read this dramatic description of Yosef's first encounter with Pharaoh. It will bestow much faith of G-d upon us, from the initiator of all interviews.

Translated By: Tzipora Niazov