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

If you have ever walked out of an interview thinking I nailed that and still did not move forward, this episode is your wake up call. Today, I’m breaking down one of the most common reasons qualified CSMs struggle to land offers even when they prepare and practice. Most candidates prep for every interview the exact same way, and it quietly works against them. Recruiters, hiring managers, and cross-functional partners may ask similar questions, but they are listening for very different signals.In this episode, I walk you through a smarter, more strategic way to prepare based on who you are interviewing with so you can tailor your answers without sounding scripted or inauthentic. By the end, you will know exactly how to shift your messaging so you come across confident, credible, and intentional in every round. If you are tired of guessing what interviewers want and ready to finally control the outcome, hit play and let’s dive in. And if you want to discover the easiest and most effective way to prepare for your Customer Success interviews, watch my Free Training on how to Nail Your CS Interviews: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/nailinterviews02:37 – Why Memorizing Interview Answers Backfires (and What to Do Instead)8:13 – How to Prep Differently for Recruiters vs. Hiring Managers vs. Cross-Functional Teams14:42 – The "Checklist" Approach Recruiters Really Use And How to Make It Work for You21:23 – How to Show Hiring Managers You're the One Who’ll Help Them Hit Their Goals 27:00 – Ways to Stand Out in Cross-Functional Interviews by Addressing What Each Team Actually Cares About10:44 – The Fastest Way to Level Up Your Interview Prep (Hint: It’s All About the Interviewer’s Perspective)Other Episodes You’ll Love:Episode 3: Falling short in interviews? ACE your next Customer Success job interview with these simple tips!🛎️ 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/episode101🌟...

What if the reason you feel stuck in your Customer Success career has nothing to do with your performance and everything to do with the path you’re blindly following? On today’s episode, I’m unpacking the uncomfortable truth about traditional CS career paths and why doing “the next logical step” can quietly derail your growth, happiness, and earning potential. We’ll talk about why promotions that look good on paper can feel miserable in real life, how following the crowd leads to boring roles and regret, and the simple mindset shift that changes how you make career decisions inside Customer Success.By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a completely new way to think about success in your Customer Success career, one that’s built around what you’re actually good at, what you enjoy, and where you want to end up, not what everyone else is doing. If you’ve ever felt pressure to go enterprise, become a CSM, or say yes just because it’s “the path,” this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and permission to choose differently.3:05 – Why Blindly Following a Career Path Can Lead to Burnout and Missed Potential5:41 – How Peer Pressure (and ‘Default’ Decisions) Steer You Off-Course8:33 – Why Enterprise CSM Isn't Automatically the Next Best Step15:56 – The Power of Defining Your Own Success in Customer Success (and Knowing You Have Choices)22:00 – How Tech Touch Customer Success Offers Rapid Growth and Thought Leadership Potential28:12 – The One Interview Question That Reveals If a Future Manager Is There by Choice🛎️ 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/episode100🌟 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!...

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...