AMA: VP of Customer Success, Jeff Cann on Customer Success Interviews

I'm a big fan of asking people about a professional area that they would like to improve in. For example, it could be; Presentation skills Improving their use of AI Learning a programming language The exact response doesn't actually matter. The key to this question is the follow-up: "What are you currently doing to improve that area." Great candidates have an immediate response and show action and a focus towards self-improvement. Weaker candidates have an appetite to improve, but can't tangibly ...Read More

Good questions - a few areas come to mind; Not understanding the company Surfacing generic questions A lack of intimacy with the JD Not getting into the details - metrics, outcomes, strategy, data I often get asked about cover letters. To be honest, I don't put a lot of weight into them. The resume should speak for itself, and if I think it's a good match, the interview becomes the cover letter. I'm also a big fan of the follow-up emails. If you don't have the persons email, it's not too hard to ...Read More

Q: What does your first 90 days look like > Demonstrates strategic thinking, awareness of renewals, risk, unique circumstances, what data sources they can leverage, how they stay organized. Q: Why company XYZ.  Why do you want to work here > Evidence they have done their homework and can show a connection to something related to the mission, vision, values etc. Q: What is a professional area you'd like to improve in and why? > The ability to show tangible and active examples of improvem ...Read More

This doesn't apply to an initial interview, but in processes with a presentation component, a candidate who comes back with round after round of questions is usually a red flag. Managing through ambiguity matters in any role. The ability to make decisions with the information you have, guided by a clear sense of what a good outcome looks like, is what counts. A good assignment intentionally leaves room for interpretation, creativity, and judgment. One too many questions is a good tell on how som ...Read More

Here are some suggestions that come to mind; Use a miro board or a white board and organize your story. Accomplishments, 'star stories', metrics, approaches etc. The act of writing it out will help your thinking. Practice with AI. Built a project, add your resume, share the JD and ask it for practice questions Know something about the interviewer and definitely do your homework on the company End the interview telling them how excited you are for the role, the opportunity and that you know you w ...Read More

First: I like to see candidates that have a command of control and intimacy with their book of business. The number of accounts, how they thought about health, how they prioritized their time, what the total value of their book was, who their largest accounts were, how did they quantify and discuss ROI, what ideas or approaches did they develop that were successful, what lessons did they learn from a lost customer. Second: candidates that have a thoughtful and strategic view into their first 90 ...Read More

Discovery, discovery, discovery. The more you can learn about their business, why they use the product the way they do, what's important to them or their boss right now, what does their annual reports say, how do they work with other departments. Great sales people are great discovery people. Hang out with sales and observe how adept they can be at opening up what feels like a dead end conversation. Five 'Whys' can often bring you into opportunities you never knew existed as can the 'magic wand' ...Read More