What are some of the most common red flags you've come across either on a candidate's resume or initial interview that you'd advise future customer success managers to avoid?

• Show that you're a team player! It's a huge red flag when a candidate demonstrates a lack of willingness to work as a team. The ability to work cross-functionally to drive customer results is critical. If a candidate conveys the message "that's not my job," they aren't a good fit for our team.
  

• Not understanding support vs success. There are a lot of definitions of Customer Success, but I need CSMs who work proactively to drive results. Using "support" and "success" interchangeably in a resume or interview discussion raises a concern.
  

• Lack of metrics. Customer Success is often more difficult to measure than, say, a sales role because our metrics are not all quantitative, but that doesn't mean we aren't focused on showing results. Demonstrating a combination of qualitative and quantitative results in your experience set is important.

A red flag that worries me is a lack of detail and variety in the stories about your work. If you are a great candidate, you will have detailed stories that show collaboration and have a beginning, middle and end... and more than one story! It doesn't mean that you have to have direct experience with relationship management but any experience you have should showcase the key traits necessary to be a great CSM:

1. collaboration with various colleagues

2. focus on understanding the challenge and how to orchestrate a solution

3. what you learned, how you would do it better/faster/stronger in the future

4. not lean on just one story across the whole interview panel which then makes it seem like you are a one-trick pony

Unlocking Success: Key Traits for a Stellar CSM!

1. Proactiveness: Anticipate needs and take initiative.

2. Adaptability: Navigate changes seamlessly in a dynamic landscape.

3. Zeal to Learn: Stay ahead with continuous learning.

4. Empathy: Understand and address customer pain points.

5. Stability: Showcase a consistent, reliable, professional journey.

6. Collaboration: Work seamlessly across functions for holistic success.

7. Client-focused: Prioritize customer needs for lasting satisfaction.

These essentials ensure a top-notch Customer Success Manager. Spot them in resumes and interviews for a winning team!