Why Qualtrics – Pia Kottwitz – German Sales Development Representative – Dublin, Ireland

I always wanted to work in an environment that challenges the status quo. At Qualtrics, we do that every day. We don’t accept what used to be “normal” as our standard and are building a completely new market category.

I joined Qualtrics because I wanted to be part of this disruptive movement, changing how businesses are run by giving a voice to their customers and employees.

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

Delia, from our recruiting team, reached out to me via Linkedin when I finished university. At that point, I had never heard about Qualtrics but I was considering starting a career in the tech industry.

During the recruitment process, I got to speak to various employees in different departments who told me about their “Why” and I was very impressed with every single one. I knew I “had to have the job” when I understood the culture that I would be working in. At Qualtrics, you’reexpected to be a high performer, but there is the space and freedom to be creative and try out new ways to get there. Plus, there is lots of fun involved! Since I’ve started, my team has actually started a few processes that will be rolled out company-wide.

We understand that you moved to Dublin. Can you tell us your story of moving here?

When Delia reached out to me about the position in Dublin, I had never been to Ireland. I had just finished my studies in Germany, and I thought it would be a great adventure to move to a different country for my first job. I have lived in the US and in Hong Kong and enjoy being in a multicultural environment, so a potential move to Ireland sounded like a very exciting opportunity.

I was invited to Dublin for the first time after a few phone interviews. When I felt the energy in the office and met my future team, I was sure that this was the right next step for me.

Qualtrics supported my relocation and I moved to Dublin three weeks later. I felt very welcomed from the beginning, especially because many of my teammates came from different countries as well and we started to explore Ireland together.

What is your favorite part of your role?

I am on the Business Development Team for DACH, which means that I am the first person to get in touch with potential customers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

What I enjoy most about this role is to see the excitement when people realize the impact we can have for their business.

Since I’ve started at Qualtrics, we opened three new offices in Europe, including one in Munich. It’s very exciting to be part of this growth and all the opportunities that come with it.

What surprised you most about working at Qualtrics?

I knew that the company is very value-driven when I started, but I was amazed by how much that shows in everyday life. One of our values is “One Team,” and everyone I’ve met will really go above and beyond to help their colleagues out.

I also love how important our cancer research charity, 5 For The Fight, is to the company. The charity naturally has a spot at every major event, like our conference or our sales kick-off, because employees are so passionate about it. It goes so far that Qualtrics sponsors the NBA Team Utah Jazz and put the 5FTF logo on the jersey instead of the company logo. I don’t know what would be a cooler surprise than that!

How do you get involved in community at Qualtrics?

I am a member of the Qualtrics Green Team, a group that formed because employees wanted to make Qualtrics a more sustainable company (read more about the Dublin Green Team here). I have volunteered for environmental causes in my free time and was really happy to find like-minded people in the company. The Green Team is an initiative that comes from employees who care a lot about this topic, so it’s a very motivated group with amazing drive and it’s great to see that we get backing from the company leadership. So far, we’ve freed the Dublin Office from single-use crockery and cutlery and brought in sustainable alternatives. We have many more plans and are always looking for new members! :-)

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.

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	Pia is an alumnus of Deggendorf Institute of Technology and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and started her career here at Qualtrics! She once spent a day giving out water at mile 18 of the New York Marathon.