I am a Software Engineer at Qualtrics, LLC

I started my job as a software engineer for a local company in Provo, named Qualtrics, the 6th of January 2014. If you are very familiar with online surveys, you have most-likely heard of it before! Some of our competitors are SurveyMonkey or FluidSurvey, who we shall conquer! Muhahaha! Okay, we’ll do our best at least.

Anyhow, what is it you think of when you hear that someone is a software engineer? The stereotype may be similar to what you just imagined — an overweight, single man who lives in his parents’ basement, rarely showers, rarely comes out of his hole, and sits at a computer screen in the dark with headphones on, night and day.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but that’s true. Just kidding! Okay, really, my comrades at work are some of the most brilliant people I have ever met. Ironically, many of them never even studied computer science in college, but got a degree in mathematics or physics. They are problem solvers, technical communicators, and have surprisingly many varying hobbies than that related to computer science. Many love to bike. Others love to hunt and fish. Basically, most software engineers are just like you and I, except that I lack the brilliant factor.

Okay, to get on with what I do at work! I currently work on the two-man email deliverability team. That’s right, just one other guy and I are dedicated to overseeing the workings of millions of emails that get sent out from our servers each day.

Now, just to give you a quick sense of what surveys are like with Qualtrics, I put one together for you! If you were at all involved in wedding planning for our reception, the questions in this survey should strike a chord with you. Alrighty, now click the link below and take the survey!

https://wesleyportertest.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cGB9eZE8nCWRVdz

So, Qualtrics really likes to spoil us. The phenomenon of “work hard, play hard” has been very well incorporated into our work environment. Every Thursday morning, they feed us breakfast at our company meeting. Every Tuesday we get lunch for $2.00 and every Friday they feed us lunch for free! There is always food up for grabs in the refrigerators on every floor, from yogurt to cereal to ice cream and chips. There are plenty of board games, along with Foosball, table tennis, pool, and arcade basketball hoops! There is an exercise room, so we can beef up those calves. There are massage chairs to calm ‘em down. And we have giant headphones that cover the sides of our ears!

Oh, and here’s a picture of Barnaby, the company dog. He’s always wandering around making sure we’re working hard.

And I am totally allowed to give you tours of the place and let you spend some time in the massage chairs!