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EF (Education First)

Engaged employer

It's a low-paying cult - Financial Analyst EF (Education First) Employee Review

1.0
10 Jan 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Honestly, not many. Very nice office. Great location.

Cons

-you are expected to drink the EF kool-aid. there are culture books they make you read. they expect you to stay in line and not complain and extol the virtues of the company at all costs. the company town halls and meetings are like indoctrination sessions. -managers and HR will tell you to your face that EF offers "culture" instead of "money" -company claims it has good perks, and substitutes a competitive salary for a once-per-year solo trip with no family. -everything centers on booze. there is a bar on the first floor which people frequent. all EF parties turn into a sloppy drunk mess. -salaries are laughably low. i don't know how anyone over age 30 could make a living here. -work/life balance is non-existent. management doesn't care about you, the person, they care about making themselves look good at any cost. there are no time or day boundaries to communication. you are expected to answer at 8PM, at midnight, on Sunday, whatever. most people are working 50+ hours per week at their pathetic salary. if you have a family, good luck to you and them. -the company praises things like equality and DEIB yet I'd say the staff is 99.5% white. i have worked here for almost three years and i have encountered two Black employees, one person of Indian descent, and two people of Asian descent. Over 1,000 people work in the Cambridge office, a city that is 12% Black and 19% Asian. -there is nowhere to park, a two-year waiting list for the parking garage at the building (which somehow still costs $180 per month), and no subsidy for commuters. -the benefits aren't great. the health insurance is decent, although heading into 2025 they offered worse policies that cost more. trending in the wrong direction. they also only match 25% of your 401k contribution, which is poor. Most companies will match 100% for the first few percentage points, but not this greedy company. -they are cheap misers. the most recent company kickoff in Montreal came with ridiculous rules around expenses, barely offering to cover the cost of fast food, never mind actual meals. There was no reimbursement if you made the trip yourself - it was their cramped bus or your wallet. Everyone had to double up on hotel rooms (except Directors and above, of course). This is a trend. They are cheap penny pinchers in every possible way. -there is no clear path to move up. people just jump around this company. there are so many people in positions they are totally unqualified for because vertical movement is a foreign concept here.

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EF (Education First) Response
1y
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience. At EF, we strive to create supportive and inclusive work environments for all team members. We treat these allegations with the utmost seriousness and encourage you to reach out to HR@EF.com so that we may investigate and get a full picture of this. Thank you again for your review.

Explore other reviews about EF (Education First)

5.0
22 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good training, good communication especially for a remote position, flexible, great management

Cons

Scheduling and staffing effectively could be challenging due to unpredictable nature of emergency response, which caused both understaffed shifts and overstaffed shifts. In addition, phone-based customer service can be emotionally challenging - customers in stressful situations can often be difficult to deal with.

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EF (Education First) Response
2mo
Hearing that the training, communication, and management stood out, especially in a remote setting, is really meaningful. Thank you for sharing! As you mentioned, the nature of emergency response is inherently unpredictable. Our phone-based support in high stress situations can be central to defining the experience for travelers, and the people who handle it are a big part of that. We’re proud of the team you were part of and hope the skills you built here continue to serve you well.
4.0
2 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get to choose your tour and recruit the students you want to bring. The paid chaperone ratio is 6:1, so it is very manageable. The tours are great and the local experts are wonderful.

Cons

Company support is variable. There is high turnover and new consultants are very sales motivated and don't always get the nuances of your school or community group. I have had some WONDERFUL concusltants, but they have always been promoted before I get to work with them again.

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