Building the team in Japan: Astha, Recruiter

Since my college days, I have always been a person who loves people. Getting to know people with different values, cultures, religions, and so on gave me happiness. So I always knew that I have to be in a job that allows me to meet different kinds of people every day, knowing if I could make an impact in their life that would be the cherry on the cake.

My role at Qualtrics resonates with my Why so much. I am working as a Recruiter in Japan and the Japanese market is very different from other job markets. People in Japan do not change their careers very often and making a career change is one of the most important things for candidates here. So, I feel with my role I am making an impact on making people decide on and choose a company where they will be happy and successful.

What attracted you to Qualtrics in the first place?

People, people, people!

So why is it still Qualtrics for you? How has Qualtrics lived up to your expectations? How has it been different?

My story is a bit different: I was introduced to Q as a recruiting agent back in 2018 when the Japan office had just 2 people. So, indirectly, I have been working with Qualtrics for 3 years now. I helped them grow at that time from 2 to 5 people and now we are almost 60 in just 3 years - it’s been amazing. I am amazed every day at how scrappy every day is for me. It has been quite different because although we have grown from a small to a medium-sized company here in Japan, the vibe of the place still remains the same. I love the crazy crazy colleagues I have.

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

Well I was only working as an agent for Qualtrics but I always loved working with Satoru and Matt directly; they were just so easy to work with and super honest about their requirements and giving timely feedback which helped me become a better recruiter. So 2 years down the line when they asked me to come in-house I just couldn’t say “no” because I knew I would be working with amazing team members.

What does your day look like?

Every day looks different, there’s so much to do. It’s always busy but good busy! I generally start my day by checking new applicants for the jobs that I am working on and reaching out to them, followed by posting on social media, speaking to stakeholders, etc. The list is long and it’s getting more exciting day by day.

What is your favorite part of your role?

I have had this a lot where people didn’t know about Qualtrics until I reached out. So when those people go through the process and join the company and come back to me to say “thank you for introducing Qualtrics” to us, I think that’s what I call real happiness, and that’s where job satisfaction comes from.

Any tips for someone who is considering a role at Qualtrics? Or advice for someone looking to get into a career like yours? Tips for someone in general?

If someone is looking for a role at Qualtrics the best advice that I can give is to be open-minded as there are so many smart people around you that you can learn and grow so much and excel in your career. Also, you should know how to have fun - that’s very important here.

What has surprised you most about working at Qualtrics?

The growth of the company, super-smart colleagues, and the fact everyone actually loves their job at Qualtrics.

What made you want to get into recruiting?

I work in People Operations as a Talent Acquisition Partner, so my role is all about meeting new people, learning from them, and providing them a great candidate experience. I really love doing what I do every day.

What are your aspirations in career/life?

Aspirations in life would be to have my own cafe someday where dogs are allowed (I’m a big, big dog lover). Career-wise I think I would like to train and mentor people to be the best version of themselves.

What is your top #LifeHack?

Always make time for the people you love and value.

What's a favorite moment/memory of your time at Qualtrics so far? Or an impactful moment?

I have so many it’s difficult to pick one, but I would say I live alone in Japan and away from my family back in India so my colleagues are my family in Tokyo.

How have you become involved in community at Qualtrics? What has that meant to you?

The funny thing is I am the only non-Japanese person working in the Tokyo office, and before joining I had my preconceived notions about how I would be treated. But everyone is just so nice and helpful not only supportive in the work-life but also when I am stuck with something in my personal life due to a language barrier, I know I can go to these people without thinking twice.

What 3 words would you use to describe Qualtrics to someone?

Smart, Engaging, Scrappy!

How do you feel you've been able to apply what you studied at school to your career?

I have an MBA in Sales and Marketing and although my role is in Recruiting I always feel that it’s very similar to Sales. It’s just that I am selling Qualtrics to candidates and not customers.

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 or by joining our talent community.

	Astha is an alumnus of Pune University, India, and started her career at Robert Walters Japan. Ashta loves spending time in the kitchen and cooking for her friends for picnics and house parties. Pretty much any cuisine.

See more of the Qualtrics Life on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.