Chief Industry Advisor, Jesse, on Why He Chose Qualtrics

My WHY is

To help
People to learn and grow;
Teams to do and deliver incredible work;
Organizations to create remarkable impact;
Everyone to enjoy the ride.

Qualtrics connects with my why because of its commitment to discovering, hiring, and developing best-in-class talent; its TACOS values on display every day; its legacy as a company that put its money where its mouth was (10 years with no outside funding in tech); its focus on developing a product that truly captures human sentiment and opinion in a time when so much of tech is running the other way; and its purpose of ridding the world of bad experiences and creating breakthroughs.

What attracted you to Qualtrics in the first place?

As a Partner at the brand strategy consulting firm Prophet, I had done work on the Qualtrics brand back in 2018 in preparation for the then-planned IPO with Kylan, John J and others in marketing - along with Julie, Zig, Jay Choi, Aaron Robison, Bryce Winkleman, and a few others - and had come away so impressed with the company's people, culture, product, and opportunity to grow. I always had it in the back of my head that Qualtrics was a place that I could see myself working.

What was the turning point where you 'had to have the job'?

When Ali Rohani came back to me after an intense and emotional series of back-and-forth conversations with a role and opportunity that I knew would challenge me, make use of my skills and expertise, give me an outstanding platform for impact in the market, and expose me to a development and learning opportunity I could not get anywhere else in tech.

Ali, Jeremy, and Zig were incredibly empathetic in understanding how challenging it can be to leave a company after 12+ years (the length of time I was with Prophet), and were amazingly compelling in laying out a vision for how a leadership role on the Industries Team could help me continue to grow and to achieve my career goals.

Any tips for someone who is considering a role at Qualtrics?

Take stock of your gut feel and make sure that you resonate with the company’s values and priorities. Spend the time it takes to get to know people in the company before you start an interview loop. It will make sure that you show up in a way that's well-prepared, but will also give you enough perspective to know what your questions and need-to-knows are before you go into the interviews.

What are your aspirations in career/life?

To be the best dad on the planet, to be able to ride my bike until I'm at least 90, to read 10 books a year for the rest of my life, to influence at least one person every day, and to enjoy the ride.

What is your top #LifeHack?

Be Present. When I am working, it is time to work. My job is so important to me because of the incredible people I get to work with on creating incredible experiences. When I'm with my family, it's time to be a dad and husband. Though mastering the seamless in/out of work/life blend is important in this job, it’s important to commit to doing one thing at a time, at all times, with my full attention, thinking, and emotion.

Qualtrics is growing, and if you're ready to find your "why" at a place like this, you can
explore our open opportunities at any time by visiting our career page. Looking to discover more reasons "Why Qualtrics"? You can find the whole series here.

Want to chat? You can get in touch by checking out Qualtrics Life on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Jesse is an alumnus of Northwestern University and the University of California, Berkeley - Walter A. Haas School of Business. He is the proud dad of identical twin girls Rebecca and Ilana, the proud teammate of Michigan high school hockey state champs who got to play and win the final game of their sophomore season at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, and a proud passenger (at age 7) of the British Airways Concorde, where from 50,000 feet he first had confirmation that, indeed, the world is round.