Abstract

This study aims to explore the employment motivations and challenges faced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who have made a career transition and work in private universities in China. Using a qualitative case study method, a semi-structured interview was conducted with an EFL teacher who holds an overseas master's degree and has industry work experience. Through thematic analysis, the study found that the employment motivations mainly include practical compromise (such as academic qualification restrictions and job-hunting setbacks), pursuit of work-life balance (avoiding the 996 overtime culture), and career vulnerability (worrying about the risk of Artificial Intelligence (AI) replacing the language industry). The challenges after entry into the job include cognitive labour (transition from an enterprise executor to a curriculum designer), emotional labour (managing student relationships), time fragmentation (administrative burden), and recognition mismatch (the conflict between international teaching concepts and the local exam-oriented evaluation system). The conclusion indicates that career transition is a defensive rational choice, reflecting the shift from achievement-oriented values to pragmatic and stable values in the contemporary labour market. The study also provides insights for the management policies of private universities and individual career planning.