Mossad seeks spontaneous optimist with sense of humor

Israel’s Mossad spy agency is advertising for a field agent who is optimistic and spontaneous and has a sense of humor.

No joke.

The agency’s website recently posted a notification it is seeking an operations person in an “intelligence-gathering unit” needed for “challenging and dynamic work at the cutting edge of operations.”

The list of required skills began with almost cliched abilities for someone working in the shadowy but exotic world of international espionage: Candidates should enjoy teamwork, be able to deal with stressful situations and uncertainty, have interpersonal skills, and be willing to travel abroad.

All fairly standard spy stuff.

But then the ad detailed the more specialized talents the agency is looking for.

Speaking foreign languages and being techno-savvy were listed as mere “advantages.” Optimism, a sense of humor and spontaneity, however, were deemed “a significant advantage.”

The notification provided no hint as to what tomfoolery the Mossad had in mind for candidates.

The Mossad Seal reads, “Without wise direction, a people falls; but in the multitudes of councillors, there is safety.” (Photo credit: Courtesy Wiki Commons)

Meanwhile another ad on the website, also for an operational position, seeks someone who has the ability to think out of the box, is open to learning, is open to working irregular hours, has foreign language skills, can design complex plans and, intriguingly, has “good emotional intelligence.”

According to the Hebrew-language Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, which reported the job offers on Wednesday, the Mossad has in the past placed other puzzling calls for new employees — including a leatherwork craftsman, an accountant for a position that included “unusual field work,” and a carpentry specialist.