Program Reviews

Enjoy working for EF. Worked for the company back in the UK and now in China. Strong organisational structure, very effective management. Benefits are great.

You get to interact with people from so many different backgrounds, having a strong community of employees and staff makes it really exciting when visiting new places, and interacting with colleagues.

During my time working here I have interacted with management who have looked at collaboration, allowed me to run with my own ideas and become more creative in my role. Extra activities have been really interesting to be a part of, and much is very forward thinking and at the forefront of the industry.

The role has been challenging to allow me to develop my skills and grow, and the team has been fantastic at helping me settle into a new life, and new country!

I wanted a career I could really put my personality into. From the moment the plane touched down, EF helped me every step of the way. EF has made me into a better teacher and encouraged me to put my own stamp on each class. Everyone here has been incredible. You really feel like you’re learning something new all the time.
During my time in Indonesia with EF, I was also able to travel to the beach and enjoy the relaxing life style here. I would really recommend the program to anyone who wants to have an unforgetable working experience in Asia.

I think compared to other programs EF does a good job at helping teachers adapt to their new location. Visa and flights reimbursed etc. is really helpful and staff are easy to get along with. Events are usually organised by teachers/expat groups but EF Indonesia are trying to organise more frequent social events which is cool. In terms of salary what I learnt having worked as an expat before was not to compare my salary to the average salary at home but rather compare it to the average local salary (if I compared to US salary I'm earning about half......). BUT I find that I make significantly more than locals whislt having the same living expenses as them so that's alright. If you're interested for the ESL industry experience, the feeling of working and holidaying at the same time and immersing yourself in a really unique culture/learning the language that is Indonesian then I would definitely recommend it. I was able to go out and travel frequently and save a little as well with a bit of management. However if you are in the saving stage of your life or have a home loan to pay off you might be better off looking for ESL jobs in Dubai etc. But that would be a totally different experience to Indonesia in itself. One last thing is having worked at EF you might be interested in working in a different country where EF is located and having so many business units in countries all around the world that could be something that might attract you. Lots of people have moved up and sideways in EF after a bit of time and I find EF good at allowing its employees to develop. Overall, the expereince has opened up my eyes to international education/language learning and it's something that I'm still considering whether or not it is for me. Finally, I also was able to gain fluency in Indonesian language in a short time (pretty easy language), meet people I will remain in contact with for a long time (it took some time to develop a social circle but after I did I really felt like I was at home), and learn about myself and that I can overcome significant challenges on my own. A great experience overall and one that I will never forget!

Working with EF English First Indonesia has been a fantastic experience. I've found that the biggest benefit of working for EF Indonesia, apart from shaping the minds of young students, are the travel opportunities. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago, with thousands of islands to explore. Since I arrived, I've been able to snorkel and dive among some of the most vibrant and prolific coral reefs in the world. I've also walked on white sand beaches, trekked through jungles and up mountains, explored historical sites and sampled various cuisines on islands throughout this nation. With plenty of public holidays and a generous vacation allowance, I've found no shortage of opportunities to get out of my comfort zone.

Even before my first interview, I knew that EF was a company with myriad opportunities. With 40,000+ employees working in 100+ countries around the world, EF is the largest private education company. It's massive corporate presence can be a little intimidating at first. However, the management structure is such that I have always found a willing ear for any and all innovative ideas during my time here. If you are ambitious and believe in EF's core mission of "opening the world, through education", you will find a plenty of chances to put it into practice and make a real difference. EF's scope is such that after you finish your contract, you will find opportunities to transfer to a new center, a new city, or even a new country!

EF provides its employees the opportunity to grow and develop within the company. I started with the company as a teacher and have now moved on to be a part of the Teacher Recruitment and Training team. Before arriving in China I had never taught before, everything I know about teaching I learned through EF’s training and development opportunities. EF provides a lot of development opportunities but it takes good performance, as well as personal motivation and determination to achieve these milestones.

I believe that traveling is one of the best ways to grow, while learning about yourself and the people around you. I’ve learned more about myself and what I’m passionate about through my experiences of living and working in China. My transition to China wouldn’t have been the same without EF’s assistance with the Visa process and my first weeks in Beijing!

When I arrived in China, I came in with a group of teachers that were experiencing the same things as me. Mostly excitement, but of course some fear, as most of us were moving abroad on our own for the first time. These people not only became colleagues, they ended up becoming, roommates, gym partners, travel buddies, and friends. The support system that EF initially facilitates by putting a group of people in the same training room, organically grew to become much more.

Wouldn’t necessarily think of this as a con and more of an adjustment. I was used to a regular work week (8am – 5pm, Monday – Friday) so I had to adjust myself to working on the weekends and having my days off during the week. This actually ended up being better than expected because I was able to enjoy the city and tourist cites without all the tourists! It definitely gave you the feel of exploring the city as a local.

I have worked predominately in EF's adult schools, and over the past two years I have met some of the best people in my life. From the students to my colleagues I have been beyond lucky with the people I have encountered.

When I first came to China, I only expected to be here for 1 or 2 years, but after I saw unlimited opportunities both inside and outside the company I decided to stay longer to develop myself professionally. At the end of 2 years of teaching I decided that maybe it was time to utilize my MBA. There were many opportunities across China, but I chose to stay with EF because this company has always been upfront and honest with me; I value that. This is a very large company (200+ schools in 50+ cities), but it still operates under a "small business" mentality. There are some aspects that make you know you are working for a large company (unavoidable), but the people you work with/report to give a very "small business" feeling.

Also, at EF, they are willing to take new and experienced people and give them opportunities to achieve what they desire. If you want to move up in the company, those opportunities are available. If you want to change cities for a new experience, please do! If you want to stay where you are and just enjoy life, you are welcome to. As long as you give EF your best, EF will return the favor.

I hope this helps. In full disclosure, I still work for the company, but the same review would be written if I didn't.

My time as an EF Kids and Teens Teacher was mostly good. My co-workers and students were great, which made the work day go very quickly. I had Thursdays and Saturdays off, which I preferred, as I had time during the weekend to be with friends outside of EF. However, this did mean I would miss out on some social events on Tuesdays (as this is the day most teachers have off in most ESL schools). My work load was reasonable and the pay is pretty good (more than enough to live off of in China).

The biggest positive to EF is the size of the company. As it's so large and has been in China for years, you have the security and the help when you first move e.g. Visas, apartment hunting and training. Without this support it can be very stressful and overwhelming if you have to do it yourself. It also means there's a lot of other career opportunities in and outside of teaching.

My time with EF English First has been a positive two years. From the beginning, I was at ease with the communication with my recruiter and the application process. Once I arrived in Shanghai, I was given many resources and training sessions to help make me a confident teacher.

My first year was focused on learning the job and learning about my new home-away-from-home. In my second year, I focused on involving myself more with the company and was given opportunities to not be "just a teacher".

From experiences in the classroom and travel experiences out of the classroom...to the new friends I've made, I've enjoyed my time with EF.

EF is probably a good way to get a foot in the proverbial door, if you're someone who has no teaching experience or qualifications. But if you are experienced, want to teach and not work in sales, want a sane, supportive environment conducive to personal and professional growth, do NOT go with EF.

Too many classes and students, too much pressure to make sales and keep customers, high stress environment not conducive to good education. They're operating on something of the Google or Facebook business model right now- cool, hip work environment with a flimsy management structure where everyone can be free to contribute THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. This may work in other organizations, but EF just left me wondering what I was working so hard for.

The pay isn't great, the "mission" is not reflected in the curriculum or behavior of management, you will likely not be appreciated for your contributions. You could easily ascend the ranks, but that's likely because everyone with any sense has gotten the heck out of there long before becoming a manager and you're the only one left!

I would agree that different schools can give one a vastly different experience- if you have a strong DOS with a good head on their shoulders (who can keep the CD under control and from setting a purely money-focused tone), you may have a decent time.

But it's not worth the risk. I would suggest you look elsewhere, unless you have no experience and just need to get started.

When I first found EF, I thought it was too good to be true.

I found a nice website, it looked modern and had lots of information, so I applied. I heard back within two weeks and then I had an interview. The interview went really well and within a few days,I was offered the job. Too easy I thought. I read some old reviews online from around 4 or 5 years ago and began to feel like it wasn't what I thought.

However, my recruiter gave me a link to a site where I could find other teachers. I was able to get in contact with someone and they put me at ease. They said that the schools were clean and modern. The visa process is supported and made easy, and they pay on time which I've heard is an issue for lots of other companies. On the whole, the managers and the people at EF are friendly and welcoming, but from what I heard the kids schools tend to be busy.

I took a gamble after this, a leap of faith, and everything was as described. I got the support. I settled in, I moved cities and we had free events to attend and an annual ball which I wasn't expecting.

I must say though, EF does encourage you to take part and work. Along with the qualifications that you can receive, you're expected to teach 25 classes a week, and have office hours. It's not a holiday and is a job. But over the course of a year, there are national holidays and days earned in lieu. The salary does go a long way as long as you don't live off international cuisine which is more expensive. With the money and these days, you can travel across China. Just work wisely.