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

Everyone’s talking about how the CSM role is changing, but what are companies actually looking for in 2026?I analyzed 25 CSM job descriptions from 2025 and 2026, and there were some really interesting patterns that I don’t hear enough people talking about. I’m breaking down what’s changing around AI, commercial experience, scaled CS and customer value, plus two things I hear CSMs lead with all the time that might actually make you sound a little outdated.You’ll walk away knowing which skills are becoming more valuable and how to position your experience for where CS is headed next. If you want to stay competitive and make smarter moves in your customer success career, hit play and let’s dive in.And if you feel like you have the right experience but aren’t sure how to position it for what companies want today, apply for coaching HERE and let’s repackage your experience together.0:01 – Why the CSM Job Description Has Changed So Dramatically2:55 – How AI Went From Nice-to-Have to Non-Negotiable5:09 – Why Commercial Independence Is the Make-or-Break Skill8:31 – The Fastest Way to Prove Revenue Impact on Your Resume10:31 – What Happens When Scaled Motions Move Upmarket11:44 – Why Customer Value Now Means Real Financial ROI14:04 – The Biggest Skills That Just Disappeared From Job Descriptions16:22 – What You Should Really Lead With in CS Interviews17:17 – Stop Panicking: Why You Already Have More Skills Than You ThinkOTHER EPISODES YOU’LL LOVE:🎙️Episode 134: What to (And Not To) Say About AI in Your CS InterviewsFREEBIES & RESOURCES:🛎️ Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me HERE🛎️ Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resume🛎️ Learn 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/sellyourself🛎️ Learn how to Master Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioralCONNECT WITH ME:❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected] TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode136FOLLOW & 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 drop👉🏻 And 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 tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week.New episodes drop every Wednesday!

If you think telling a hiring manager you use AI to write emails faster is proving your AI fluency, you might be setting the bar way too low.In this episode, I’m breaking down what hiring managers actually want to hear about AI in your CS interviews, why efficiency alone is no longer enough, and four specific ways to show that you’re using AI to make a bigger impact with your customers. I’ll also share the AI terminology worth knowing so you can walk into interviews feeling prepared without becoming an AI expert.If you want to prove you’re keeping up with AI and stand out for the right reasons in your next CS interview, hit play and let’s dive in.And if all the changes happening in CS have you wondering what it actually takes to land your next role, apply for coaching HERE and let’s get you on the right track.00:45 – What AI fluency actually means in CS hiring right now02:19 – Why using AI for efficiency is no longer enough to stand out05:04 – What hiring managers want to see from your AI usage07:19 – How AI can help you have smarter customer conversations09:06 – Using AI to uncover deeper insights about account health12:08 – How AI can help you become a more strategic customer partner17:26 – The terminology worth knowing before your next CS interviewOTHER EPISODES YOU’LL LOVE:🎙️Episode 132: A CS Hiring Manager Who Interviewed 3,000 CSMs Tells You What Gets You Hired (with Michael Boyd)🎙️Episode 128: How To Impress a CS Hiring Manager (from a CS Hiring Manager) - with Eric Clouse!🎙️Episode 127: AI Won't Replace You as a CSM (But It Does Raise the Bar) - with Dan Ennis!FREEBIES & RESOURCES:🛎️ Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me HERE🛎️ Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resume🛎️ Learn 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/sellyourself🛎️ Learn how to Master Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioralCONNECT WITH ME:❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected] TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode134FOLLOW & 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 drop👉🏻 And 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 tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week.New episodes drop every Wednesday!

When you've interviewed more than 3,000 CSMs, you start to see exactly what separates the candidates who get hired from the ones who don't.In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Michael Boyd, a three time VP of Customer Success who has hired more than 100 CSMs, to unpack what hiring managers are really looking for in today's market. We talk about how to stand out in technical interviews even if you're not highly technical, the two out of three rule he uses when evaluating candidates, and what AI fluency actually looks like now that it has become an expectation instead of a bonus.By the end of this conversation, you'll know what hiring managers are actually paying attention to, where candidates often miss the mark, and how to position yourself as the kind of CSM companies want to hire. If you are ready to stop guessing what hiring managers want and start interviewing with more confidence, hit play and let's dive in.And if you're tired of knowing you're qualified but not getting the offer, apply for coaching HERE and let's help you land your next Customer Success job.02:30 – What hiring managers actually want before they hire06:40 – The interview red flags that should make you think twice11:15 – What technical interviews are really testing17:15 – The two out of three rule for landing stretch roles21:20 – Why the best CSMs are becoming more consultative in the age of AI32:31 – What AI fluency really looks like in an interviewFREEBIES & RESOURCES:🛎️ Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me HERE🛎️ Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resume🛎️ Learn 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/sellyourself🛎️ Learn how to Master Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioralCONNECT WITH ME:❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected] TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode132FOLLOW & 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 drop👉🏻 And 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 tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week.New episodes drop every Wednesday!

What if your career gap is not the problem at all, but the way you're talking about it is?If you've ever frozen when an interviewer asked about time away from work, this episode will show you exactly how to answer with confidence instead of second guessing yourself.I'll walk you through the five biggest mistakes I see Customer Success professionals make when explaining a career gap, plus what to say instead so hiring managers focus on your value instead of your time away. You'll walk away with a simple framework to own your story, avoid common interview mistakes, and leave a stronger impression. If you want to stop letting your career gap hold you back, hit play and let’s dive in.And if you're not sure how to talk about your career gap in interviews, apply for coaching HERE and let's build your answers together.00:44 – The one interview question that trips up even the most experienced CS professionals02:39 – Why career gaps are not the problem and what hiring managers actually care about04:29 – The mistake that makes interviewers question your career gap before you even finish answering06:20 – Why talking about what you're leaving behind can hurt your chances07:23 – The overlooked advantage hiding inside your career gap11:03 – The interview habit that makes you sound less confident without realizing itFREEBIES & RESOURCES:🛎️ Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me HERE🛎️ Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resume🛎️ Learn 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/sellyourself🛎️ Learn how to Master Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioralCONNECT WITH ME:❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at [email protected] TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode130FOLLOW & 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 drop👉🏻 And 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 tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week.New episodes drop every Wednesday!