Here’s How I’ve Maintained a Successful Career at a Fast-Growing Company

Sponsored by Qualtrics

Photo Courtesy of Qualtrics.

Photo Courtesy of Qualtrics.

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Fast-paced work environments can be flustering. When you’re not hustling to meet a tight deadline — or multiple, you’re probably running in and out of meetings all day long, just to find yourself with a long list of To-Dos that haven’t been done yet.

It’s under this kind of pressure, however, that Rebecca Wiseman, a technical recruiter at Qualtrics, prevails. Since joining the company over four years ago, she says it’s “grown four times in size,” so success in her role means “[adjusting] the solution to best meet [her] team’s needs quickly.” 


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Sounds too good to be true, right? Not quite, thanks to a combination of her one-day-at-a-time attitude, career advancement opportunities and company-wide support and mentorship. And based on her four promotions since starting there, these qualities must be her keys to success.

We spoke to Wiseman about how she reasonably juggles the demands of her job, and she shared some honest nuggets of wisdom with us — one of which included playing Dungeons and Dragons. Please do tell!

How long have you been with your company? What about it made you first want to join?

I’ve been at Qualtrics for four and a half years. I was immediately drawn to the energy of the company. Everyone I met during the interview process was so excited about the future of Qualtrics and so focused on growing the company, I couldn’t help but walk away from my interview excited about Qualtrics' future as well. Turns out, that growth was something to be excited about! Since joining the team, we’ve grown four times in size and aren’t slowing down anytime soon!

Tell me about the roles that you’ve held at your company, as well as your current one. What about this role most excites you?

I’m currently a Technical Recruiter at Qualtrics. I started as a Recruiting Specialist, moved to a University Recruiter Role, then moved into a Technical Sourcing role followed by a Technical Recruiter role shortly after. I’m most excited about my future as a manager of recruiters in this role at Qualtrics. I’ve gained so much insight from my manager and mentors at Qualtrics that I can’t wait to keep sharing that wisdom and support with others on my team.  

What’s something you’re especially good at at work?

I’ve always been drawn to the unsolvable problem. I’m motivated by working on the thing others usually don’t want to tackle. I’m good at rooting out a process that’s slowing our team down and re-working it to make the process more efficient. Not every solution I propose is the right fit for the team, but Qualtrics moves so fast that I have the ability to adjust the solution to best meet my team’s needs quickly. 

What’s the first (and/or last) thing you do at work every day?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! I focus on three things I need to accomplish that day, then review at the end of the day how well I accomplished those goals. Qualtrics uses the OKR system which helps me direct the focus of my work each quarter, week and every day. For me, large successes are accomplished by setting small goals each and every day.

A lot of people believe that developing your career means changing companies, and not infrequently. What has enabled you to develop/advance your career without job-hopping?

When I started at Qualtrics there was so much I wanted to learn and so much I wanted to be a part of, I wasn’t sure where to start. As I worked with my manager to focus my time, she prioritized my career aspirations. However, I had to be transparent about my strengths and weaknesses and my career path so she could help most efficiently. 

If there’s one thing that’s enabled me to advance at Qualtrics, it’s been the mentorship I’ve received as well as the support to share my career aspirations with my team. As a result, I’ve been given a variety of roles and responsibilities I may never have been a part of had I not shared my goals with my mentors. 

What’s something you think most people (perhaps even current employees) don’t know about your company that you think they should? 

There’s a place for everyone at Qualtrics. We have employee resource groups focused on creating a more inclusive workplace any employee can join. I’ve been a part of our Women in Leadership group at Qualtrics. It’s been a great experience to connect with men and women in all different offices at Qualtrics about their leadership experience, discuss topics like unconscious bias, and get to know other practices outside of my own. 

In addition to employee resource groups, employees invest in the community together, play city league sports together, even play board games and Dungeons & Dragons together after hours. I feel Qualtrics employees are so talented and eager to share their talents and hobbies with others. I’ve learned how to decorate cakes and play ultimate Frisbee, in addition to learning how to be a better leader, mentor and recruiter during my time at Qualtrics. 

What’s the most memorable piece of career advice you’ve received?

“You are where you are.” It’s a powerful reminder that there’s always more to be done and while setting Big Hairy Audacious Goals are a great way to stretch, I can’t be expected to do more than my best. Working at Qualtrics during this time of extreme growth, it can be a challenge to keep up with the pace of a quickly scaling company. I’ve learned to focus less on what’s left to be done and to celebrate the wins during this time of hyper-growth. The more I prioritize and focus on the wins, the more successful and motivated me and my team are at achieving our lofty goals.

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