THC - Natalia Machdoem
🍵 The Human CV: Natalia Machdoem - Calm tutor, Cultural hot pot, Resilient Educator, SGDs 3 & 4
Do you know a person who’s life spans multiple cultures, multiple careers, and who holds those transitions with quiet courage?
Meet Natalia Machdoem. She’s been a tutor, a careers advisor, and a learning designer over a 15-year chapter within the same education provider. Loyalty, persistence, and most importantly - evolution.
🪴 “I realized I’ve been a careers advisor for others for years… and now it was time to become one for myself.”
When the company began restructuring, it wasn’t a simple job shift - it was an identity shake-up. But Natalia chose reflection over reaction. She met the moment with humility, curiosity, and a quiet invitation back to self.
What we spoke about
INFJ feels, ambivert realities, and when the test still hits true - even if you try to fight it
The long arc of staying with one company, and the many lives lived inside that choice
Supporting her father through a near-death stroke - and how that recalibrated everything
Learning design as curation - not just content dumps but layered, intentional experiences
Working across cultures and countries: Jakarta, Singapore, Christchurch
When crying is the most emotionally intelligent choice
The sacred act of holding someone’s hand, and having them hold yours back
Things that stayed with me
🧭 “When I was no longer a learning designer for a particular company, I felt a little bit lost. I had to remind myself I’m more than a job title.”
🧠 “Just being able to hold someone’s hand - and for them to hold yours back - that’s a big thing.”
🌏 “Even within the nucleus of my family, we had opposing cultures. So many countries, so many ways of being. I think that made me rich. Rich in experience. In empathy. In understanding.”
🫱 “Sometimes, I don’t need to be right. I’d rather be happy.”
📚 “I used to be an avid reader. Then came the phones, and the short content. I think I forgot how valuable it is to finish a book.”
💼 “Not everyone needs to follow their passion. That advice can be dangerous. It’s okay to choose financial stability, to care for your family, and still love what you do.”
If you’re an employer reading this
You won’t find many like Natalia.
She brings cultural fluency, deep care, and a sense of emotional steadiness that’s rare in any room. Whether she’s curating online learning, holding space for students unsure of their next steps, or designing programs that make sense inside our outside of the classroom - Natalia shows up. And she stays.
Her top strengths? Self-regulation. Social intelligence. Humility. Gratitude. Kindness. And they’re not just words on a report - they’ve been lived.
Right now, she’s open to new opportunities in learning design, careers development, or education-focused roles. Remote or Christchurch-based. Blended learning? Cultural competency? Supporting young people or adult learners? She’s been there. She’s built that.
📍Christchurch, New Zealand
🌐 Comfortable working remotely
💻 Find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamachdoem/
📍 See more Human CVs at thehumancv.com