The job search

Finding a job in Egypt

The job search

In some ways, you may find searching for a job in Egypt easier than in your home country (particularly if you are a talented worker who lacks job experience). It can still be a gruelling process, however, especially without personal connections.

Searching for employment from your home country is possible, but difficult. Web portals such as IM2Work Egypt  are possible resources. Jobs in Egypt.com also has a number of listings, though in order to register for the site you must provide an Egyptian address and phone number.

The main advantage to internet searches is convenience – and the disadvantages are many. Many Egyptian employers are swamped with applications inside the country, and only contact overseas applicants after a long delay or if they are exceptionally attractive. Others do not want to deal with bringing someone to Egypt to work (but would be more than happy to hire a qualified foreign applicant that is already there). Still, the job search is all about persistence, so don’t dismiss any resources out of hand.

Finding work after arriving in Egypt

This is undeniably the most effective way for a foreigner to find work Egypt, though it flies in the face of visa requirements and most consular information (the U.S. State Department, for example, insists that it is not possible to work in Egypt unless you arrive with a work visa, which is not true – at least in practical terms).

After arriving in Egypt, you’ll want to take your job search directly to employers. Don’t just settle for sending emails or making phone calls (after all, you could do that from home). It’s often best to trek out to offices in person. You will not get an interview in the vast majority of cases, but at least you will not be left sitting behind a computer hoping your job query wasn’t deleted by a spam filter. Don’t limit yourself to companies or organizations you know are hiring, either. Make sure to check all across the board. Again, persistence is key.

Personal connections

It is impossible to overstate the importance of personal connections to any job search. Making use of your social network (or branching out from it) is no less crucial when looking for work in Egypt.

Cairo has far and away the largest expat community of any Egyptian city, and even that can seem small. Someone you meet in a restaurant might play football with a managing editor at a magazine, or might be managing editor of a magazine himself! Talk about your interests, ask people what they do in Egypt and how they got their jobs. Most expats are overflowing with advice and encouragement – they experienced the same learning curve themselves.

Further reading

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