Top 9 Questions To Ask In a Job Interview For Customer Success

(4-min read)

Welcome to the weekly Customer Success Café newsletter!

28 new members have joined us since last Sunday, and 1081 top talented pros are receiving a quick CS best practice from me to level up their skills in under 5 mins every single week.

If you are not subscribed yet, sign up now to make sure you get the next editions delivered to your inbox!

P.S. wanna sponsor my newsletter? email me for details.✓

We’ve all been there.

You’ve crafted your CV, applied for a few opportunities, and landed your 1st interview.

Now you are prepping to answer your interviewer’s questions based on your experience and skills to demonstrate why you’d be an excellent match for the position.

So far, so good.

But problem: this is what most people do!

And if you do what others do, there is no chance for you to stand out and nail the interview!

So, rather than being reactive, what if you approached the process with a completely different mindset?

The mindset of making it an unforgettable experience.

Both for your interviewer and yourself.

But how can you achieve this?

Simply said, you just need to ask game-changing questions that will show your genuine interest in the position and make it truly memorable!

And yet most people miss this incredible opportunity to rise and shine.

They usually relate to basic things like day-to-day activities, if they ask anything at all!

Instead, shift your focus to your interviewer and ask these 9 killer questions to nail the process and land your dream job with special honors:✓

1. What is your biggest challenge today?

This allows you to learn more about their most important and urgent concerns.

With that info in mind, tell them how you can help based on your experience and skills.

Bonus: ask this question early in the process to shift the discussion to where it matters the most rather than bringing in topics that do not interest your interviewer.

2. What does success look like in this role?

We all have different definitions of success and quite often, what you see in the job description does not tell the whole story.

So, ask this question to focus on the outcomes that are expected from you, and in practice.

Again, this will help you demonstrate how your experience is a great fit for the position.

3. How do you measure it?

Following to the previous question, your interviewer will probably give you a few metrics that matter.

Take note of these, and rather than focusing on other activities in your first weeks at work, go all in on these success indicators they mentioned during the interview process.

And once you hit your targets, document your achievements and celebrate your wins!

4. What was your career path here?

I like this question very much because it gives you an idea of the career development opportunities within the company.

While asking this, look for the excitement and passion your interviewer might get into describing their own progress.

But beware: if you can’t see any specific emotion in their response, it’s most likely a red flag that you must evaluate carefully.✓

5. What are the top priorities in this role within the next 3 months

The key here is the timeline.

The US President gets 100 days, you get 3 months which is fair enough!

But why 3 months? because it gives your interviewer a perspective on how you’ll hit the ground running with a specific action plan.

It also shows your commitment to the position and the objectives to succeed.

So, based on their response, tell them how you accomplished similar tasks in your previous experiences and within the given timeline.

6. What do you like about your work here?

I love this question and I mean it!

It’s one of the ultimate indicators of the company’s culture and values.

Basically, the outcome is twofold:

If your interviewer just can’t stop talking about all the good things at the company and how awesome it is to work here, then get on to the next step.

But if they try to run away from answering your question, if they fake it, or can’t say anything great, then it’s a big red flag for you!

7. What’s your top challenge working here?

In addition to the previous question, this one will provide you with more about the company’s core culture.

Siloed departments? too much bureaucracy? organizational concerns? etc.

And if you can help them overcome a few of these challenges one way or another, you’ll stand out immediately.

So the more insights you can collect, the better.

8. How do you see your work evolve over the next year?

You want to join a company that has a long-term vision and direction.

This is why your interviewer should be able to give you some clues about where the company is headed and what its business goals are.

But again, beware: if they are unable to give you a solid answer without hesitation, then it’s a red flag for you!

9. How is the hybrid/remote work running in the company?

And finally, the way we work has changed drastically over the past 3 years.

Remote work is here and many companies have adopted a hybrid working model already.

From what I can see in Customer Success, the ideal work setup is evolving towards remote, dominantly.

So if you consider remote work critical to you, ask this question.

But if you also enjoy a few days in the office, just let them know your expectations so you don’t get any surprises once you land the job!

And that’s it!

Try these on your next interview and chances are your hosts will remember you as an awesome candidate they’ll want to meet again!

Remember: it’s not just about your skills or experience. It’s about making the interview unforgettable!

So, go and get it, you’ve got this!✓

My Book Recommendations

Dale Carnegie: How To Make Friends And Influence People.

This is one of the most transformational books of all time.

As in the interview process, focusing on your counterpart’s deepest desires is key. And with this book, you’ll learn all the techniques that will help you achieve that and much more!

Highly recommended to read it at least once every year.

You can also listen to the audiobook below (6 hours):

The Customer Success Café Podcast – Dale Carnegie – How To Win Friends And Influence People – Full Audiobook

Listen to this episode from The Customer Success Café on Spotify.

open.spotify.com  •  Share

P.s. would you like to see more book recommendations like this from me? hit the thumbs up below and let me know!

CS Café Hiring Zone

I’m personally curating the most unique jobs I’ve come across or have been made aware of this week in Customer Success.

P.s. Let me know if you want yours added to the list.

Thank you!

If you are enjoying my newsletter, the best favor you could do for me is to share it with your network and just say a few nice words online.

Have a great week ahead!

And as always until next Sunday, take care friends!

Hakan.✓

About You

I’m looking forward to learning more about you!

How are things going so far for you?

• Why did you join my newsletter?
• What’s your biggest struggle right now?
• What are the things you’d like me to cover more in my newsletters or help you with?

Please feel free to reach out either by email, on social media, or by clicking the thumbs up below for feedback.

I’d love to hear from you!

Note: I never disclose private messages publicly without asking for permission first.

Let’s connect!

Twitter: follow me @DrivingCS – I tweet daily.

Instagram: @drivingcs

Linkedin: let’s connect!

Are you looking for a career change to transition into Customer Success? check out my book to learn more about what it takes to become a great CSM and hit the ground running!