Customer Success Career Coach, Career Tips and Proven Job Interview Strategies For Every Customer Success Manager

If your customer calls feel stiff, boring, or like both of you are counting down the minutes until it’s over, you’re not imagining it, and it’s costing you more than you think. That’s why in this episode, I’m breaking down the simple shifts that turn awkward, check-the-box customer calls into conversations your customers actually want to show up to. You’ll learn why leading with the wrong metrics kills trust instantly, how to frame topics in a way that gets customers leaning in instead of zoning out, and the exact conversational tactics top-performing CSMs use to sound confident, human, and in control (without following a rigid script).By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to run customer calls that feel natural, valuable, and genuinely strategic — the kind that deepen trust, uncover expansion signals, and make your job a whole lot easier. If you’re ready to stop filling airtime and start leading calls that actually move the needle, hit play and let’s dive in.0:44 – Why “Check-the-Box” Customer Calls Are Sabotaging Engagement3:01 – Why Starting with Product Metrics Makes Customers Zone Out (And How to Fix It)6:46 – How to Introduce Topics So Your Customer Actually Wants to Participate10:35 – Three Easy Tactics to Make Every Call Feel More Human and Less Scripted14:44 – How “Tell Me More About That” Instantly Changes the Whole Conversation16:45 – How Just One Small Change Per Month Can Make You the CSM Everyone Loves to Talk To🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coaching♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode99🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment over on Spotify! This helps me reach more customer success pros who need these insights....

What if landing your next big career move comes down to one simple shift in how you approach your job search? Most people treat job hunting like a chaotic scramble — hopping between LinkedIn and job boards whenever they feel like it, but never actually gaining momentum. That’s why in this episode, I’m breaking down the exact four time blocks you need to turn your job search from overwhelming to unstoppable. I’ll reveal the intentional schedule top job seekers use, why strategic time blocking works (even if you’re exhausted or strapped for time), and how to avoid burnout while doubling your chances of landing interviews.You’ll get the play-by-play of what a realistic, high-impact job search week looks like with actionable tips for getting ahead of the competition before January hiring heats up. Imagine having a repeatable system that eliminates guesswork, anxiety, and guilt, so you always know you’re making real progress (and still have energy left over for a life outside the job search). If you want to take control of your job search and outrun the new year hiring rush, hit play and let’s dive in.1:02 – Why Time Blocking (Not Just “Trying Harder”) Is the Real Job Search Game-Changer3:16 – The 4 Strategic Job Search Blocks Every Candidate Needs and How to Use Them4:08 – How to Break Up Your Job Search Blocks for Maximum Energy (and Less Chaos)7:41 – Networking Consistency: The Small Habit That Doubles Your Interview Chances8:17 – Why Weekly Interview Prep Matters (Even When You Don’t Have Interviews Yet)11:41 – How Structure Boosts Your Confidence So You Can Enjoy Your Evenings, Guilt-Free13:03 – The December Advantage: How to Get Ahead Before Other Job Seekers Even Start 🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coaching♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode98🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your...

What if the only thing standing between you and a job offer you actually want is a strategy you haven’t heard yet? In this episode, I’m breaking down the real story behind how Amy went from a brutal late-stage rejection at MongoDB to signing a $150K base offer, PLUS negotiating an extra 10K just weeks later.You’ll hear the exact steps she took to rebuild momentum fast, the cold-outreach strategy that had hiring managers responding within 24 hours, the interview storytelling shift that instantly made her stand out from “qualified” candidates, and the pipeline and negotiation moves that turned one solid offer into a life-changing one. By the end, you’ll walk away knowing exactly how to regain control of your job search, rebuild confidence after rejection, and create the kind of momentum that makes opportunities come to YOU. If you want a job search process that actually moves you forward without burning yourself out, hit play and let’s dive in.0:44 – Why Late-Stage Interview Rejection Doesn’t Mean Starting Over4:21 – How Strategic Cold Outreach Can Unlock Interviews at Top Companies8:25 – Why Your Interview Stories Need More “How” (Not Just Results) to Stand Out12:15 – The Secret to Keeping Momentum: Juggling Multiple Opportunities, Even in Final Rounds 13:40 – Why You Should Always Negotiate Your Offer, Even If It Looks Great15:44 – The Four Steps to Rebuild Job Search Momentum After Rejection 🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES: Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coachingOptimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode97🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment over on Spotify! This helps me reach more customer success pros who need these insights. Thanks for...

What if the fastest way to rebuild your career confidence isn’t another resume update or headline hack, but a game you play at the holiday dinner table? In this quick, punchy episode, I share the deceptively simple activity I first tried with my own family and how it genuinely changed how I see myself and my career.Instead of diving into another round of job searching advice, I break down the power of this crowdsourced strengths game and why hearing the real, non-sarcastic things your loved ones admire about you hits differently (especially when you’re feeling stuck or rejected). I’ll show you exactly how to play so it’s not awkward and how to use what you hear to interrupt those negative self-talk spirals.If you’re feeling discouraged, wrestling with imposter syndrome, or just want to remind yourself what you actually bring to the table (career-wise, not just the mashed potatoes), this episode is your permission slip to get radically honest feedback from the people who know you best. Try this game, and you’ll realize you’re more resilient and capable than your circumstances would have you believe. So go ahead, hit play and let’s dive in.1:49 – How to Use Crowdsourced Feedback From Loved Ones to Interrupt Negative Self-Talk02:03 – The Real Reason Career Setbacks Feel Personal and How to Break Free from That Spiral 03:06 – How to Make Sharing Strengths Fun (Even with Sarcastic Families!)05:10 – The Surprising Power of Hearing What Others Admire About You (Especially When You Can't See It Yourself) and Why Your Current Circumstances Aren’t Your Identity07:06 – How to Store and Use Positivity for Your Next Spiral 🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coaching♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode96🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment over on

AI isn’t here to replace you—unless you let it. What if you could flip the script and use AI to become the most valuable Customer Success Manager in the room, no matter what your company throws at you (or doesn’t)?In this episode, I reveal the two high-impact ways CSMs are actually leveraging AI to stand out—one that repositions you as a trusted consultant to your customers and another that instantly fills the coaching and feedback void you’ve been frustrated about for years. Forget about asking ChatGPT to write your follow-up emails. This goes way deeper, and I’ll walk you through the strategies no one’s sharing.I’ll show you exactly how to use AI to create thought leadership content that your customers crave (and remember you for), plus the step-by-step system I use with my private one-to-one clients to self-coach, level up core skills, and get actionable feedback faster than any manager ever could. You’ll learn how to build a bulletproof feedback loop and shift from vendor to trusted expert without needing anyone’s permission.If you want to move from being replaceable to irreplaceable and get immediate, data-backed ways to make your customers care, get noticed by leadership, and truly accelerate your growth before the New Year, hit play and let’s dive in.1:01 – Why Using AI to Summarize Emails Won’t Set You Apart 1:16 – How to Use AI to Become a Valued Expert, Not Just a Vendor2:24 – The Fastest Way to Generate Thought Leadership Content That Customers Care About4:04 – How to Add “Real Value” with Non-Product-Centric Insights9:53 – Step-By-Step Guide: Coaching Yourself with AI When No One Else Does14:13 – How to Build a Feedback Loop So You Level Up Faster Than Your Peers 🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resumeLearn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourselfLearn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/coaching♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected]➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode95🌟 FOLLOW & REVIEW:Are you loving the podcast? I'd appreciate it if you could take a few seconds to do these two things:hit the FOLLOW button so you don't miss out on any new episodes when they dropand either leave a review on Apple Podcasts or let me know your...