Why Qualtrics? – Will Adams – Senior People Operations Specialist – Provo, UT

My senior year of college (Indiana University 2018) I had a "what" but I didn't have a "why." My "what" was simple: I had a knack for analyzing data, I wanted an outlet to create and build things, and more than anything I loved working with people. But I was struggling to find a career path that would satisfy each of those. Then I found my "why" after meeting with a recruiter from Qualtrics.

There were two things that I absolutely could not ignore about Qualtrics: the company trajectory and the quality of the product. As a SAAS company with a cutting-edge platform that deals specifically with data collection and analysis, Qualtrics aligned perfectly with my "what," and the growth that the company was experiencing was outlandish (both in terms of headcount and revenue). But what ultimately sold me on Qualtrics was the people. The people at Qualtrics are honest, driven, wildly brilliant, and above all else they care about the success of the team.

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

My interview with my hiring manager. He asked a lot of questions about my career and what I wanted— what I would contribute if given the freedom to do so. It became very apparent that this was not a hypothetical question, but that my manager actually intended to give me a great deal of freedom to deliver impact in ways that align with my own interests and produce value for the company.

What surprised you most about working at Qualtrics?

I have more exposure and visibility in my role than I ever dreamed I would have just a year out of school. I have been given an incredible amount of ownership and autonomy for my work, and when I meet with senior leaders at the company (which happens way more often than I ever would have expected this early in my career), they seek out my input and value my opinions.

What made you want to get into People Operations?

I listened to a talk years ago by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, called "Let My People Go Surfing." The talk describes the philosophical principles of Chouinard's management manifesto (by the same title) and can be roughly summarized like this: great companies don't get in the way of their people being human. I wanted to be a part of the team that ensured the best possible employee experience for the humans that work at Qualtrics. While that's a mission with no true end, I come to work each day excited that I have an opportunity to make this place even better.

How have you become involved in community at Qualtrics?

Although I have always considered myself an ally, it wasn't until joining Qualtrics that I felt like I actually had a role to play in increasing inclusion and equity for underrepresented groups. That's largely because Qualtrics has very active social groups for women, minorities, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community and getting involved is a part of the norm here.

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.

	Will is an alumnus of Indiana University and started his career here at Qualtrics. Will loves mountaineering! He spent several months living and climbing in the Andes Mountains of Chilean Patagonia