From mentee to mentor: Beth’s EF journey

Beth is the perfect example of how one person can have multiple careers during their time at EF Education First. In her eight-plus years with the company, she’s gone from mentee to mentor, taking on a variety roles, first as a language coordinator and then pivoting to sales after her first year. Her competitive nature, positive attitude and willingness to take on new projects quickly grabbed the attention of senior leadership at EF.

“I had awesome mentors here in the first year,” says Beth. “[I trusted that if they saw me in sales], this is going to pan out.”

And pan out it did. Now, as a Director of Sales, she’s been managing a team for almost four years and a lot of her time is spent advising her team members.

“I’m very passionate about coaching, development and mentorship,” she says.

We sat down with Beth to learn more about her time at EF.

Describe your current role.

As a Director of Sales for EF Educational Tours, my role is to develop top sales talent within the organization, coach and mentor tour consultants to be the best versions of themselves and help as many students as possible experience the world. Our team works together to help middle and high school students gain new perspectives and develop critical skills for life through their own personal travel journeys.

What is the best part of your job?

Working with the most caring, competitive, energetic people to help students explore the world! I laugh every day and genuinely love what I do.

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

I knew EF was the right fit within my first two years working here. I was finding success in my role and earning new opportunities before that, but when I was about two years in I realized I worked with the absolute best people who became more than just co-workers–they were my best friends. The people and friendships are priceless and I recognize how incredibly unique and lucky I am to have found that in a work culture. We truly care about our customers and their experiences, which makes it easy to know EF is the right fit.

What is the most rewarding aspect of leading a team?

People are stoked to come high five me and tell me their stories. Sales is a combination of mindset, tone and how you make people feel, and I want to help my team have fun putting those skills to work every day. Our customers will hear that energy over the phone, and they’ll want to continue to work with us.

What does your ideal EF day look like?

I think my favorite days are the ones I get to spend with my team. I get to be a part of their wins every day.

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from working at EF?

EF has made me a far more adaptable and flexible person. At the end of the day what we’re really trying to do is inspire students and teachers to expand their knowledge of the world and themselves in that world. That’s a really fun thing to say that I do every day. Even when things get stressful and there are deadlines and targets that we need to be hitting, I’ve gotten a lot better over the years about taking a step back and remembering why we do what we do.

What is the key difference between EF and other places you’ve worked?

The culture and environment. I know I need flexibility. Luckily being in sales, you can get that. If you’re hitting your goals and you’re hitting your numbers no one is really micromanaging you. I thrive when I have complete autonomy over when I’m getting things done and knowing I’m not ever going to miss a deadline. The second thing is probably the development I’ve received. I’ve taken on a lot of responsibility. We’re a flat company without a lot of layers, which means all the jobs at EF are big jobs and they’re not one sided – they’re super dynamic. The third thing has to be the people. It’s what everyone says, but it’s true. It’s fun to come into work genuinely excited to see people. The energy here is contagious.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Travel. Classic answer. I’m also a runner. Working out is really important to me and my mental health. It’s also my outlet where I can be competitive.