When Bridget Reichenbach was finishing her psychology degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she figured grad school would be her next step, so she took a year off from school to figure out what she’d study post-college.
But as she was pondering what academic route to take, she got a message from a Qualtrics recruiter. The rest is history (and not the kind a liberal arts major would study in grad school), and she now works there as a Corporate Recruiter.
Recently valued at $2.5 billion, Qualtrics is one of the hottest companies in the world. Their software allows organizations to manage the four core experiences of business—customer, product, employee, and brand experiences—on one platform. They also happen to be hiring for their Product Specialist role, which starts with a deep-dive into Qualtrics’ software and ultimately gives new hires the chance to work with enterprise-level clients. After 10-18 months, you get to join a brand-new Qualtrics team and get crackin’ on solving big problems.
Are you thinking, “I want in! How do I get this gig?” (We know you are.) Well, Bridget was kind enough to give us the scoop on the “Do’s and “Don’ts of how to land this job. Here are four of her most helpful insider tips.
1. DON’T think you can coast through your phone screening.
That initial phone screen with a recruiter might not be the most intense phase of your interview, but don’t underestimate the value of this initial conversation. “The recruiter is going to be your champion throughout the interview process,” Bridget says. Her advice? Show that you’re genuinely invested in landing the job, and the recruiter will be invested in helping you land it.
2. DO make it clear you’ve done your research.
“It’s not enough to memorize the Product Specialist job listing,” Bridget says. “Before you come in for an interview, make sure you know the Qualtrics story—things like our products and our achievements as a company so far. Most entry-level candidates don’t do that research, so this is your chance to stand out.”
In other words, don’t waste valuable interview time asking about the company’s story. Instead, use it to show why you’re qualified for the job.
3. DO play to your strengths.
Qualtrics does hire a lot of STEM majors as Product Specialists. But Bridget says the company values a balance of both super-technical hires and less-technical team members who are great problem solvers and work well with clients.
Translation: if you’re a liberal arts major and aren’t too technically savvy, that’s okay! Focus instead on sharing real examples of how you never back down from a challenge and talk about the amazing job or internship experience you got in college.
4. DON’T ask generic questions at the end.
It might be tempting to recycle your interview questions, especially if you’re interviewing for a few different roles at the same time. But according to Bridget, simply having something to ask isn’t enough. She recommends preparing at least three questions that are specific to Qualtrics. One of her dream candidate questions? “Ask me how growing 50 percent year-over-year for the past three years has affected the culture at our company,” she says. THAT will leave a lasting impression.
Ready to join the Qualtrics team? They’re hiring now!
Qualtrics is a single system of record for all experience data, allowing organizations to manage the four core experiences of business—customer, product, employee, and brand experiences—on one platform. Over 8,500 enterprises worldwide, including more than 75 percent of the Fortune 100 and 99 of the top 100 U.S. business schools, rely on Qualtrics.
