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

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 now
02:19 – Why using AI for efficiency is no longer enough to stand out
05:04 – What hiring managers want to see from your AI usage
07:19 – How AI can help you have smarter customer conversations
09:06 – Using AI to uncover deeper insights about account health
12:08 – How AI can help you become a more strategic customer partner
17:26 – The terminology worth knowing before your next CS interview
OTHER 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/behavioral
CONNECT WITH ME:
❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com
HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode134
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 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!

Your resume might be the reason you're not getting interviews and it has nothing to do with your experience.
In this episode, I'm sharing three resume edits you can make in 10 minutes or less that help recruiters instantly understand your value. We'll talk about why numbers can actually hurt you without the right context, what hiring managers need to see before they care about your results, and the simple change that makes you stand out from hundreds of other CSMs with similar experience.
If you want your resume to tell a stronger story and give yourself a better chance of landing more interviews, hit play and let’s dive in.
And if you want expert help to uncover what makes you uniquely hireable, apply for coaching HERE and let's build a resume that stands out.
01:51 – Why the numbers on your resume might be sending the wrong message to recruiters
03:35 – The simple change that gives your achievements the context they need to stand out
06:32 – The resume details hiring managers need before they care about your results
10:18 – Why your resume should explain more than just what you accomplished
12:09 – How to showcase what makes you different from every other CSM applying
14:55 – The simple resume review to help you stand out in just a few minutes
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/behavioral
CONNECT WITH ME:
❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com
HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode133
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 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 hire
06:40 – The interview red flags that should make you think twice
11:15 – What technical interviews are really testing
17:15 – The two out of three rule for landing stretch roles
21:20 – Why the best CSMs are becoming more consultative in the age of AI
32:31 – What AI fluency really looks like in an interview
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/behavioral
CONNECT WITH ME:
❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com
HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode132
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 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!

Why are customer success professionals with great experience still getting rejected for interviews?
In this episode, I'm sharing the three biggest shifts happening in today's hiring market that most job seekers are completely missing. I'll explain why experience alone is no longer enough, the common job search strategies that are quietly holding you back, and what hiring managers are actually looking for when they review your resume.
You'll walk away with a completely different perspective on why your applications are being overlooked and what needs to change to start getting interviews again. If you are ready to stop blending in and position yourself as the candidate companies are actually searching for, hit play and let’s dive in.
And if you're ready to stop relying on outdated job search advice, apply for coaching HERE and let's build a strategy that works in today's market.
00:52 – Why having more experience isn't what lands CS interviews anymore
04:03 – The hiring shifts that quietly changed what companies expect from CSMs
07:42 – Why being a great CSM is no longer enough to get hired
10:10 – Why referrals aren't as reliable as they used to be in today's job market
11:09 – The resume mistake that makes you look like every other candidate
14:04 – Why sending more applications could actually be hurting your job search
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/behavioral
CONNECT WITH ME:
❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com
HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode131
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 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 professionals
02:39 – Why career gaps are not the problem and what hiring managers actually care about
04:29 – The mistake that makes interviewers question your career gap before you even finish answering
06:20 – Why talking about what you're leaving behind can hurt your chances
07:23 – The overlooked advantage hiding inside your career gap
11:03 – The interview habit that makes you sound less confident without realizing it
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/behavioral
CONNECT WITH ME:
❤️ Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
💭 Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com
HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode130
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 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!