What are the best ways to break into a Customer Success career with no experience?

Join Customer Success communities to network and learn. Lean into your network and reach out to CSMs to learn more about their day-to-day activities and how your current experience may be relevant and which skills are transferrable now.

I successfully changed careers into Customer Success 12 years ago. Here’s how I went from an Associate Customer Success Manager to a Customer Success Executive. ? Network, Network, Network ? Follow CS thought leaders like Nick Mehta ? Coffee chats with CS professionals ? LinkedIn - join CS groups or follow #CustomerSuccess ? Ride alongs - Ask to join a CS meeting as an observer In Ken Coleman’s book, “The Proximity Principle” he recommends hanging around folks within the industry with which you’re considering. The principle is industry agnostic. If you’re considering being a firefighter, sign up to be a volunteer firefighter. You think you would like Customer Success, meet CS folks and ask day-in-the-life questions.

Customer success has similarities with many other client facing roles out there. When hiring I do not specifically look for customer success experience but primarily what I do want to see is strong client and stakeholder management experience. Within this I want to see strong discovery skills, ability to tell stories with data, manage expectations, build solid relationships, and translate customer requirements into solid plans. Also, I need to see confidence in how you position yourself and our solution when things get tough. All these skills can be developed in multiple different positions and industries, so don't worry if you don't have customer success experience but do know what customer success is and align your skills accordingly.

Customer success roles will vary based on a company's size, industry, and customer engagement model. Some roles require skills in renewals, sales, and negotiation, while others may require technical expertise. Here's what I suggest for those interested in pursuing a career in Customer Success: 1. Research is key! Learn about the different responsibilities, skills, and career paths in CS. 2. Read job postings to understand role expectations. 3. Conduct your own skills audit to identify your strengths and areas for development. 4. Network actively: Often, who you know is just as important, if not more important, than what you know! Attend CS meetups, webinars, and conferences. Connect with CS professionals and seek informational interviews.

Curate your own path: ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????????: Apply transferable skills like problem-solving and communication. Every experience has valuable lessons! ?? ?????????? ?????? ??????????: Engage with industry pros and attend meetups. Building connections opens doors. ?? ?????? ??????????-????: Seek internships or volunteer roles. Real-world experience, even indirectly related, counts! ?? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ??????: Be open to junior positions and grow from there. Great careers often have humble beginnings. ?? ???????????????? ???? ??????: Your passion for learning can be your ticket in. Be vocal about your commitment it. Dive in with these tips, and you're not just starting a job – you're building a career! ????

If you already have experience in other customer-facing roles, identify how you need to shift your your view. Coming from Customer Support or a TAM role, shift the focus from feature knowledge to understanding the customer's industry and how your product brings business outcomes to them. If you currently work in Sales, to move to Customer Success you need to demonstrate readiness to think strategically, set the right expectations with the customer, and plan for long-term success. As a PS consultant, be ready to expand your ownership to the entire customer journey and work with vaguely defined targets and shifting customer priorities.

Skills for the role can be learned when you are starting as a junior. What are not: Active Listening, empathy, clear communication skill as you will constantly need to communicate value, but also communicate back customer's desired outcomes and needs. Again, some books can really help as well. Customer Success is highly reliant on interpersonal skills. Hone your communication abilities, ensuring clarity and empathy in your interactions.

Learn to communicate well, both in writing and speaking. Practice understanding and building empathy about what customers need. Get great at understanding customers' needs. Learn how to ask questions to uncover customer pain points.

Achieving excellence in Customer Success hinges on establishing robust communication with users or clients. Key to this is adopting the role of an attentive listener, understanding their challenges, expectations, and organizational and individual goals. Active listening lays the foundation for effective Customer Success by uncovering the true intentions of the other party. Equally critical is the ability to categorize gathered information into classifications such as cost reduction, business process optimization, market expansion, etc. Formulating draft proposals on how products or services can meet these needs becomes essential, making the skill of proposing solutions crucial in this stage.

The number one key demand when it comes to expanding the Customer Lifetime value is Clear Communication and problem solving skill.

To gain deeper insights into Customer Success, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, actively participate in relevant discussions, and don't hesitate to ask questions. People in the field are generally helpful and eager to share their experiences. Explore groups, forums, and webinars for firsthand insights from experts in Customer Success. Additionally, consider enrolling in courses to further benefit from structured learning opportunities.

Prior to starting my role as an account manager, I spent a lot of time connecting with other professionals in the area. TONS of zoom calls and coffee meetings, where I would ask questions regarding how these individuals broke into the industry. Experience is hard to attain if you're just getting started - I'd strongly encourage you to think outside the box. Examples: 1. Reach out to a local business and ask if you can freelance account management work. 2. Look for internships! 3. Find a mentor.

To gain valuable experience in Customer Success, immerse yourself in the expertise of others. Actively participate in podcasts and webinars dedicated to customer success practices, where industry professionals share insights, strategies, and success stories. Engaging with these resources not only broadens your knowledge base but also allows you to learn from real-world scenarios and best practices. Additionally, consider networking with experienced professionals in the field, seeking mentorship, and actively participating in relevant online communities. This proactive approach will help you build a foundation of practical knowledge and establish connections within the customer success community.

Even if you haven't worked as a Customer Success Manager before, your experience can still be incredibly valuable to a Customer Success Team. Consider looking for roles in software and services that align with your industry or software expertise. For example, one of my favorite Customer Success Managers at a company specializing in apartment access systems was previously a leasing manager at a property that used our solution and had never worked in tech. Despite not having a tech background, their deep understanding of the ideal client profile, pain points, and end-user experience was invaluable. That kind of insight is truly priceless to an organization.

If you have proper experience in Customer Experience or Knowledge then it’s easy for you to become successful as a customer experience. Customer Experience is an important aspect for every business because Positive customer experience is a way of standing out from competitors.

Become an AI expert and join a team needing that. Certifications are an excellent way to show you are adding to your skill base and again becoming specialized in a CX software like Gainsight. Find existing transferable experience that you can showcase. Seek out books you should read from other Customer Success professionals. Get curious, ask how others entered into the field. One of my favorite account management books that helped me early in my career was “Getting Partnering Right” .

Keep a kudos tracker! Managed to retain a customer? Write down the % of retention you've achieved in X timeframe valued at Y MRR. Someone thanked you for helping them achieve a business outcome? Track the before/after data, and put that down on your resume as a % of improvement. It's so much easier to build your CS resume when you already have the data tracked to back it up!

Think about showcasing value as your marketing campaigns. 1. Think of key messages (achievements) you wish to convey. 2. Be ready to articulate in writing/verbally your achievements and the impact you made while gaining experience. 3. Leverage all available channels: * CV should highlight your unique contribution with keywords targeting the market/companies you wish to approach. * Your LinkedIn should reflect your activities and experience. Recommendations from colleagues will provide a more personal view of your value. * Community - People in your network should know about your plans and inform you about opportunities matching your profile. * References - one or more colleagues/managers who can confirm your value during a reference check

Consider how your previous work has delivered significant business value. Consider any qualitative feedback as a lead to bigger quantities outcomes. Ask questions or review dats that shows how your work has “moved the needle” on a particular metric. Has it delivered a time or monetary saving? Did it increase sales or lead generation? Did CSAT or UX improve? How did it affect the competition? The sooner you can realise, real-world data to support your outcomes the better. Any previous experience shows how you can convert the end result into tangible outcomes.

When it comes to Customer Success, it's all about mastering those soft skills. You might not have direct experience yet, but Customer Success demands top-notch soft skills: communication, empathy, problem-solving, adaptability, time management, resilience, collaboration, positivity, attention to detail, and a thirst for learning. These traits empower you to excel, even without experience. Master them, and you'll dominate the game.

Customize your resume to highlight relevant skills based on the job description even if you acquired them outside traditional job settings. Focus on customer-facing experiences or projects. Look for junior or associate-level Customer Success positions to start. Communicate your passion for helping customers succeed, and give examples of how you made the difference along with its impact on the company's business.

If you lack prior experience in customer success, it implies that no one can assess your skillset based on past experiences. However, in today's interview processes, recruiters seek individuals with the appropriate attitude for the role, something that cannot be taught easily but is gradually developed through personal growth. Therefore, prior to embarking on a career in customer success, it is important to determine whether we genuinely desire to pursue this path or not.

To stand out as an ideal candidate, grasp the role and the company's core offerings. Understand the industry and the problem their product solves, showcasing this knowledge to emphasize your commitment. If you have a success background, highlight achievements, specifically instances where you addressed team needs proactively. Emphasize your approach to building strong customer relationships beyond basic interactions. Stay authentic and ask insightful questions during the interview. It's a mutual evaluation – not just them assessing you, but you evaluating if it aligns with your goals.

Online Courses and Certifications: Enroll in relevant online courses or certifications to gain foundational knowledge in customer success. This demonstrates commitment and enhances your resume.

Para la entrevista muestra que tienes empatía, que entiendes el viaje del cliente en esa empresa. Que sabes qué parámetros tienes que medir y cómo corregir e implementar tu estrategia. Las herramientas se aprenden y los negocios se van conociendo, lo que tienes que tener claro es aquellos puntos de contacto con el cliente, como medirlos, como tratarlos y cómo corregirlos en el caso de tener que hacerlo. Y saber medir la salud de la empresa en todo momento. Conocer la empresa a la que vas a hacer la entrevista, sus opiniones de Google de sus clientes, hacer un mistery shopper para conocer de primera mano la experiencia de los clientes, son sin duda acciones que te ayudarán a ir a la entrevista preparado de una manera profesional.

As some famous person once said - it's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know. So when looking for work - even if you already have a fantastic track record in the type of role you are looking for, but especially when looking to transfer into a new role - ask yourself who you already know who can help you. Also it is never too early to start developing and managing those relationships. BTW I am an expert Customer Success Mentor and Coach. Check me out on LinkedIn and give me a PM if you want to discuss career coaching/mentoring further.

One shortcut I have not seen mentioned here is to leverage past industry experience. If you have a noteworthy amount of experience within a particular industry this can often help overcome lacking direct CS work in the past. This effect is amplified the more specific/niche that industry happens to be. Rather than searching for Customer Success positions broadly, create a list of companies that would be relevant in that industry and directly search their job postings (Pro tip: you can leverage LinkedIn alerts to create custom notifications for the role and company).

Consider getting coaching and mentoring from a CS industry expert, who has actually worked as a CSM and grown into a CS leader. The perspective of someone who has lived what you're trying to do, and can teach it back to you, is invaluable.

One thing I have found helpful with people breaking into Customer Success is to look for companies in the industry that you already work in. Being an industry expert can bring a lot to a customer success team. Therefore, if you don't have CS experience, trying to work for company that you would currently be a client of could be a great place to make the transition.

I want to be honest. It is not easy to break into customer success in this moment. You are competing with tens of thousands of people who have been laid off in the last year. The BEST way to get a job in customer success is to get a first interview through a known contact at the company. The hardest part in my opinion is getting the first interview. Once you get that you can frame your value and previous experience in a CS context. You can tell the story of how you will translate your skills.