JULIET'S EF JOURNEY

Juliet Wells started her career in EF as a Kids & Teens teacher and, now working as a corporate trainer, she shares her story of professional and personal growth.

1. Tell us about your current role.

I am currently an International Corporate Trainer with the Corporate Solutions department. I provide face to face, B2B business English solutions for our clients and students. I am still quite new in this role, as I only joined about 1 month ago. I was formally a recruiter for 3 years and loved helping new teachers come to China. My first job with EF was a Kids & Teens teacher in Shanghai.

2. What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my previous job was answering all the questions during the interview. It's one thing to get to know someone via professional questions about their work experience, but it's another the learn more about people's fears, concerns, general inquiries, or to hear about the research they've done so far. I always liked helping alleviate some of the stresses people have, and simply verifying the details of the job. It helps when sharing my experiences as well, because this was my first job in China.

3. How did you know EF was the right fit for you?

I had a background in sales and marketing, along with a business degree. But I knew I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone. I am also the eldest of 3, and remembered babysitting, and generally playing with school-aged children. I knew it would be fun, but I wanted a company that was safe, secure, and verifiable online. After researching many schools, I found that what my recruiter said also matched 1) the EF website, 2) the Chinese consulate website, and 3) Google in general. It also helped that EF provided a TEFL certification. That was a big relief!

4. What's the importance of having international experience in today's working world?

Cross-cultural communication and interpersonal awareness. These are factors that future employers are looking for when they review your resume. Have you stepped out of your conform zone? Have you stepped outside the box, and for how long? I could have taught in California, but I thought China would be an invaluable experience. Nothing could have prepared my professional career better than this opportunity abroad in China. The language, culture, customs, and general growth allowed me to develop very transferable skills, which helped shape me into a flexible and international team-player. This is what employers seek. And it opens up opportunities to come back.