Think twice before betting your career on Qualtrics. A good starting point, but not looking like a great long term choice.
Qualtrics does a good job of selling the idea of joining a rocket ship during meteoric rise. Problem is, not a lot of employees benefit from the rocket ship. Leadership is hired from everywhere else. So when a recruiter talks to you about internal opportunities of a rocket ship, don't buy into it. Revenue is rocketing, but the company is frugal and does what it can to not spend more on employees. I exclude benefits, which get better each year. Don't expect much pay or opportunity to advance from within. This is really true for experienced hires. Salary never increases.
Client Success is changing too. Management has made it clear that we have to prove our value to the company by expansion (aka selling more products). It feels more and more like we have a quota, just like sales. It is a bad place to be when you feel like you need to prove your worth to your own company all the time. This is a downer part of the culture.
Management in Client Success are managers not leaders in any definition. Managers are so focused on numbers (renewals and opportunities) and take no time to lead the team in any way. It's no surprise given the pressure of the company to prove our worth, but I've never seen any other division where there is zilch investment in the wellbeing, career development or coaching of the team they work for. It's utterly maddening. Career progression and development are an afterthought at best. It is like the opposite of LinkedIn or other employee first companies out there.
There is a sad ceiling to your career in Client Success at Qualtrics. Career path is a concern that is voiced by in this group, but nothing real has been done to address it. The concern is always brought up in town halls and in other glass door reviews, but management just doesn't get it. One or two slots for team lead positions does not settle the concern we all have, that there is hardly any chance of big career milestones in this group. One of the selling points of this group was that it would grow quickly and leadership positions would come along the way. Well we've only grown a tiny bit and hardly any new opportunities have been offered. A bad over sell of what this team was supposed to be.
I think to myself if Client Success managers realize the delicate situation they are in. We are a talented group of guys and girls with good education and experience. Opportunities are out there, and the status quo will not keep everyone around forever. We are so stretched thin now, if half has many people leave as are open to other jobs, our books are going to suffer. I believe management thinks it is tougher to exit than it really is. The Smiths and a few others will receive life changing $ in an IPO. The rest of us will get a scrap, but that's far less valuable than making the right career choices in the long run. Before joining remember that all stock units are gone if you leave before the IPO.
