Joseph Alter is an American living and working in Shanghai, China. He came to China over a year ago and has loved it ever since. He works with Teaching Nomad helping new and experienced teachers find their next jobs overseas. He loves what he does by helping people gain incredible experiences that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
What is your favorite travel memory?
Family vacations to the mountains. I love the outdoors and hiking! Now living in China, I enjoy going on trips to the mountains all the time. Huangshan and Huashan are by far my favorite.
In China, you have the option of going to these places on your own or going with an organized group. I recommend both methods because there is nothing like having a little adventure to figure out your own path while exploring.
Also, going with a group can also be exciting because you get to met lots of people and can explore new opportunists that you would not have been able to find otherwise. I would say these types of stories and experience are my favorite.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I have met people from all over the world and it has broadened my understanding of how other cultures live and interact. I also got to learn a language and, although difficult, is incredibly gratifying.
Upon arriving in China, I did not know what to expect. I spent a lot of time fumbling my way around the city practicing poor Chinese and getting lost. But once I made a few friends and got a handle on basic words, my anxiety began to fade.
I realized from then on that it does not matter what type of new environment you are in, as long as you can tough out the hard parts, you can make a home anywhere.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
We are a close-knit group of recruiters who really enjoy helping teachers live out their dreams. We are incredibly thorough in helping individuals and we do our best to give people the best experience possible.
My team takes a lot of time talking about how best to help the individual rather than a broader less personalized approach. We combine all of our different skills together every day so that no problem or change is too difficult.
I love working with my team because they help me grow every day and motivate me to do what I can whenever I am able.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Making sure what you are doing is meaningful and your mission can be reflected in the services you provide to your candidates.
I believe Teaching Nomad is doing just that. I hope for the future that other companies can have this kind of mindset to improve the overseas recruiting business overall.
In addition, we do our best to work with schools that also share this mindset because education is important and meaningful for the future. At the end of the day, teachers prepare the future and we want to find the best ones.
