This qualitative study aims to explore the motivations and challenges faced by 30 pre-service EFL teachers in pursuing a career in teaching. Using open-ended questionnaires to gather in-depth insight into their experiences. The conceptual framework of this study identifies two main factors that shape the experiences of pre-service EFL teachers, namely motivation and challenges. Motivation, which can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic, plays an important role in encouraging individuals to choose and stay in the teaching profession. On the other hand, pre-service EFL teachers also face various challenges, including pedagogical, financial, and academic challenges that can hinder their career development. This study focuses on understanding the interaction between motivation and challenges and how they affect the career journeys of pre-service EFL teachers. The results of this study are expected to provide greater insight into the factors that influence their career decisions and assist educational institutions in designing more effective support for EFL teacher candidates, by improving the quality of teaching in the future.