How I Got A Job In Japan From Egypt As An Engineering Student

How A Series of Coincidences Landed Me A Job in Japan 

Do you believe that what’s meant to be will eventually find its way to you? If not, then maybe my story of how I got a job in Japan from Egypt as an engineering student will convince you.  

Building a career in Japan wasn’t on my mind growing up. Yet, through a mix of fortunate coincidences and hard work, I found myself exactly where I was supposed to be. It all began with a scholarship at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology. It’s an incredible opportunity that opened doors for me. That scholarship not only allowed me to study engineering but also opened other doors. It gave me the chance to take Japanese classes and participate in an exchange program in Hiroshima. These events would eventually lead to me getting a job offer in Japan. 

How I Learned JLPT N4 Level Japanese in 26 Days 

In my first year, we had a mandatory Japanese class that everyone had to take. That’s when I first started learning Japanese and got familiar with Hiragana. However, it was just an introductory course designed for every student at the university. It’s not for those who really want to pursue fluency in Japanese. At the time, I wasn’t particularly motivated to go beyond the basics. I finished the class and left it at that.  

But almost two years later, during a long, boring summer break, something clicked. Maybe it was boredom… or maybe it was destiny nudging me in the right direction, but I suddenly felt this urge to learn Japanese. And this time, I was serious. I dedicated the remaining 26 days of my summer break to it entirely.  

Egypt-Japan University has excellent resources for learning Japanese, so I took full advantage. I grabbed textbooks, mounted a schedule on my wall, and studied about seven hours a day, checking off each lesson as I went.  

At the start, I had a lot of momentum, and I picked up the language faster than I expected. The tricky part wasn’t learning Hiragana or Katakana; that was easy. The real challenge was keeping the routine going every day — pushing through finishing lessons and completing all the exercises in the textbook.  

By the end of those 26 days, I had worked through a textbook aimed at the N4 level! Little did I know that this random urge to study Japanese would one day be a big part of the story of how I got a job in Japan from Egypt. 

My Tips For Learning Japanese 

1. Start with a good textbook and follow the lessons in order. I found textbooks very helpful because it offers a step-by-step process and have exercises that will help you retain what you’ve learned. 
2. Practice Consistently. Try to use Japanese as much as possible, even in small ways. Speak out loud, write down words, or read sentences to yourself. The more you actively engage with the language, the faster it sticks.  
3. Immerse Yourself in the Language. Listening helps more than you think. Watch Japanese shows, anime, or online videos. It’s not necessarily to learn grammar, but to get used to the sounds and patterns of the language. When you encounter a word you’ve heard before but didn’t know, it’s exciting to finally understand it. Over time, your listening skills improve naturally. 

My Experience Being An Exchange Student In Hiroshima, Japan 

Getting the opportunity to be an exchange student in Japan happened by coincidence. I started learning Japanese in my second year, and the very next semester, I was surprisingly selected for an exchange program in Japan. Suddenly, I found myself living there for five months.

While I enjoyed the coding and tech lessons, the cultural classes ended up being some of the most memorable experiences. One of my favorites is the cooking class where I learned to make a lot of Japanese dishes, including my favorite — the tamagoyaki (rolled omelet). It was fascinating to learn not just the language, but also Japan’s way of life. This is when I started to become interested in working in Japan.  

How I Got A Job In Japan From Egypt With The Help Of FAST OFFER

One week in Tokyo changed my perspective 

Even though the exchange program in Japan got me interested in living and working in Japan, I didn’t have any concrete plan on how to go about it. That is, until FAST OFFER came to our university. They held an event showcasing how they help students secure job offers in Japan, and I decided to attend out of curiosity.  

During the session, FAST OFFER offered a Japanese course, and they mentioned that the top achievers from this course would get a chance to visit Japan for a one-week program to see how candidates go about their journey of landing a job in Japan.  

And, as it turns out, I was one of those achievers! FAST OFFER invited me to spend a week at their office in Japan. I arrived in Tokyo in August 2025 and witnessed firsthand how students interact with career advisors, how the company conducts interviews, and how it supports candidates. Every conversation and feedback session brimmed with tips on how to perform well, and I found it fascinating to watch advisors guide candidates through the process.

The rest of the week was a mix of work and exploration. We visited popular Tokyo destinations, including teamLabs and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Odaiba. Also, we went on a Tokyo bus tour and tried countless restaurants.  

That week changed my perspective. It was that week that made me seriously consider a future in Japan.  

My Journey Job Hunting While in Egypt: How I Prepared For The Interviews

When I came back to Egypt, I signed up for the FAST OFFER program. I was assigned a career advisor who guided me through the process. He first helped me explore my options. And then, he suggested companies that matched my interests and gave me the chance to weigh my choices carefully. 

Ideally, I wanted to work as a research and development engineer. This is because my major is mechatronics, and I love designing and creating machines. But because I had also studied computer science, I was drawn to coding and tech companies as well. Those were the types of companies I ended up interviewing with.  

After being informed of my interviews, I spent about two weeks preparing. The first week focused on content: preparing presentations, talking points, and explaining my graduation project. The second week was devoted to practicing interviews. 

My Job Interview Experience

I’ll never forget my first interview. It was with a coding company, and surprisingly, it was much more casual than I expected. It felt less like a formal interview and more like a relaxed conversation. I was nervous at the start, but the relaxed atmosphere the interviewer set quickly put me at ease. One of the highlights from the interview was discovering a shared interest with the interviewer. We both played the same video game: The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.  

The interviewer asked about my play style, favorite quests, and experiences in the game. We ended up having a genuinely fun conversation. It was surreal to think that this shared hobby coincidentally helped me connect with the interviewer. 

Of course, we also discussed my coding background, the languages I’m fluent in, and the projects I have completed. Since it was a fresh graduate position, they didn’t expect extensive experience. However, they did want to understand my skills and why I wanted the job. I got good vibes from the interview and was so happy when I got a job offer from them! 

What I’m Looking Forward To In My Life In Japan 

The main thing I’m excited about is the location. I’m going to be working in central Tokyo! It’s such a vibrant city with countless opportunities, both professionally and personally. 

I’ll be starting as a systems engineer, which is essentially a web developer role. I’m especially looking forward to working with coding. I haven’t started yet, so I don’t know all the details, but I’m excited to dive in and learn as I go.  

And, of course, I’m already looking forward to eating (and cooking!) more authentic Japanese food, especially spicy ramen. Mostly, I’m excited for the adventure ahead — the new culture, the work, and everything I’ll get to experience living in Japan. 

Looking back, it’s amazing to realize how many coincidences shaped this journey. From a summer of studying Japanese on a whim, an exchange program opportunity I didn’t expect, and chatting about a game I loved in high school with a job interviewer. None of it was planned, yet everything came together perfectly. I’m just happy to be where I am right now and confident that the future holds something even better!