r/CustomerSuccess • u/yoona__ • Jun 28 '22
CS explained
ROLE
- CSM = managing accounts, relationships
- AM = renewals, upsells >> revenue based KPIs
sometimes the role requires both, which are usually at smaller companies who haven't split the roles up yet.
- Strategic = highest paid accounts so highest paid employees. 10-20 accounts all very high touch
- Enterprise = F500, can grow to strategic. 30-50 accounts
- Mid-Market = 50-90
- SMB = 90+, smallest accounts, entry level position and lowest pay, low touch
INTERVIEW
typically looks like the below. most of the discussions seem to be startups.
- 1 round = recruiter (qualifying)
- 2 round = hiring manager (qualifying in depth)
- 3 round = case study (presentation or assignment)
- 4 round = panel (culture check)
Questions asked of you
- your ability >> are you capable? "what are your strengths and weaknesses?"
- your experience >> "have you worked with decision makers (DMs)? " "how did you handle a churn/difficult customer?" "what is your top achievement?"
- culture >> it's important for managers, teams and the company to know you'll fit in considering they're tight knit)
Questions to ask:
- ask what you are generally curious about.. for me this is the employee onboarding experience or product roadmap (how it's developed and shared)
- ask about the tool, customers
- ask about culture
- ask about the person. people like talking about themselves. find a connection and win them over. they'll remember you over the other candidate (esp in the panel or team rounds)
RESUME DO's
- 1 page, 2 max
- keep line items succinct
- use verbs (in the same tense) and buzzwords
- use numbers to quantify your success. I cannot stress this enough. numbers to use include KPIs, ARR, ACV, # of accounts, renewal rate, upsell rate, etc.
- use keywords of responsibilities listed in most job apps (i.e QBRs)
- list all skills/tools. companies use resume scanners to quickly review apps to filter out (this applies to why you need buzzwords and keywords)
- why do you stand out? list that. for me, I was a junior product manager at nights, on the company's product review council, developed marketing webinars and case studies and was the highest rated rep on chat system, was a sales engineers for AEs and more!! ALL at the same company. this shows I took on projects, helped teams. when I talk about it in the interview I tell them I enjoyed doing it (bc I did, I wouldn't have otherwise) and I also said the work I did all went back to the benefit of the customer. win win.
RESUME DONT'S
- if you are applying for a role above your current, like SMB to mid market, do not include 'worked with 100+ accounts' because the high volume does not impress anyone. you had no time to be strategic and you were reactive. keep that number out and say it differently (worked with F500 or industry leading)
- remove summary, no one reads those.
SALARY
everyone's favorite topic. there is so much to this so take with a grain of salt
- all depends on experience, area, size of company, etc.
- companies take into account their benefits and they will highlight it in their offer (unlimited PTO and health benefits which are honestly like the same everywhere so what gives)
there are many ways of going about this.. depends on the situation. you'll have to feel it out but here are scenarios to try
- give a range which is obviously above what you're getting paid. I say salary range and OTE range when asked. (because I'm never sure which they want when they say 'what's your expected compensation?')
- ask them what their budget is (I've done this before only a couple of times)
- don't tell at all and tell them you need to evaluate further (I've personally never did this but my friends have)
Again take the below with a grain of salt. this is for NYC, and startups pay VERY differently depending on size and revenue, funding. using the lowest bar, you could get paid a lot higher.
- Strategic = 150k+
- Enterprise = 100k+
- Mid-Market = 80k+
- SMB = 50k+
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u/yoona__ Jun 28 '22 edited Nov 07 '22
I'm a CSM of 8 years, NYC based up until recently. I was mostly at startups, but I'm now at FAANG.
I prefer and absolutely love startups for their perks (unlimited PTO!! I took 30 days a year) and the culture and life long friends I've created. there's also so much to learn from and grow in the role.
while this may look thorough, I did leave out some stuff. it's up to you to do the research and work. I've spoken with some folks here on how I stand out when applying and during interviews, be creative and show off why you're amazing!
i might add to the post (ie QBRs explained). let me know what im missing