Software Engineer, Killian, on a Company Worth Creating In

I’ve always liked helping people; even if this includes helping my dad learn how to copy and paste something on the computer. I currently lead a team of six people where I spend a lot of time advocating quality of work and coaching solutions.

Also, I always need to be in the process of creating something. Whether it’s bad art, Photoshopping my friend’s heads onto pictures of birds, editing videos, writing code, or brewing beer, I’m happiest when building something.

How does Qualtrics connect with your 'why'?

As a software engineer at Qualtrics, I get to build solutions to real problems for customers around the world. It’s exciting to work with clients directly to create something that will be used by thousands of people. The nature of the work changes frequently here, so I’m always pushing the boundaries of my knowledge and moving me out of my comfort zone.

What does your day look like?

I try to get the quick and easy tasks out of the way before our brief daily team sync at 10 AM. After that, I have a block of time that is spent with my team to go through any issues or concerns that they’re facing.

After lunch, I have a second block of time for challenging work until the evening. I end the day picking off smaller tasks and jotting down what I need to get done the next day before going home. (Unless it’s Friday, in which case I go straight to the Prosecco tap in the Qualtrics bar.)

What is your favorite part of your role?

The variance of the work is great. I never feel like I know everything and am constantly upskilling to be effective in my role. Everyone on the team will be better than you at something so it’s a great environment to learn in.

Any tips for someone who is considering an opportunity at Qualtrics?

Come prepared! Across every role Qualtrics the interview process is difficult, but manageable if you spend some learning about what will be required of you beforehand. Figure out what you’d like to achieve in your time at Qualtrics and articulate that.

For engineering interviews, I would practice your fundamental software skills. I’d recommend checking out the HackerRank interview preparation kit.

What surprised you most about working at Qualtrics?

How friendly everyone is! It’s impossible to get to know everyone in the office but I’m always met with smiles when starting a conversation with someone I haven’t talked to before. An important part of the hiring process at Qualtrics is how easy someone is to work with and it really shows.

It’s also a company with a conscience. From cancer research fundraising initiatives to hosting LGBT events, it really seems like Qualtrics is trying to be a positive influence in the world.

What is your top #LifeHack?

You can squeeze two pieces of Toblerone together to break them off easily instead of trying to tear them apart like a barbarian.

Bonus: Describe Qualtrics to a candidate in 3 words!

Friendly, challenging, and fun.

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.

	Killian is an alumnus of Dublin City University and started his career at Asavie Software. He started coding when he was 17 and C++ was the first language he learnt. He likes to spend his time travelling and for one week of the year, trying his best to injure himself snowboarding.