…and What Candidates Keep Getting Wrong
The world of Customer Success (CS) has never been more visible, or more misunderstood. Once a niche function, CS is now front and centre in SaaS growth strategies, yet the hiring landscape has become increasingly complex for both companies and candidates.
Here’s what we’re seeing across the industry, and what needs to change if hiring and job-seeking in CS are going to work again.
The Lack of Clarity
Unlike Sales or Marketing, where roles and outcomes are usually crystal clear, Customer Success still lacks universal definition. It can mean anything from onboarding and enablement to renewals and expansion. That lack of clarity filters down into job specs, recruitment processes, and even how candidates position themselves.
At its core, though, Customer Success is simple: it’s the alignment of customer outcomes with the value they were promised when they signed up. Whether an organisation takes a commercial or technical approach, the purpose remains the same: ensuring customers achieve tangible results.
Fewer Than 5% Making it to Interview
Hiring in Customer Success right now can feel brutal. For a single strategic CSM role, it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of applications, with fewer than 5% making it to interview.
The issue isn’t just volume; it’s relevance. Vague job specs attract vague applications, while job seekers apply to everything in sight in the hope that something sticks. It’s the perfect storm of “we want a unicorn” versus “I am a unicorn.”
For businesses, the solution starts with clarity:
- Be specific about what success looks like in your organisation.
- State the non-negotiables: location, stakeholder type, product focus, seniority.
- Invest time in screening or partner with specialists who can do it effectively.
When job descriptions clearly articulate outcomes, expectations, and impact, the right candidates tend to find you faster.
For Candidates: Stop Playing the Lottery
There’s empathy for job seekers right now, it’s a tough market, but that doesn’t excuse a scattergun approach. A few principles dramatically increase the odds of landing interviews:
- Target roles you can realistically win. Focus beats volume every time.
- Personalise your outreach. A message that shows understanding of the role and the company will always outperform “Can we chat about this job?”
- Demonstrate outcomes. Use metrics such as NRR, GRR, retention, and growth figures to prove your impact.
- Remember: your first impression isn’t your CV, it’s your message. Treat every interaction as part of the interview process.
Think like a Customer Success professional: you’re selling value. If you can’t engage a potential employer, how will you engage their customers?
What Separates Good from Great
The best CSMs stand out through clarity and confidence. They make their point clearly, back it up with data, and know when to pause and listen.
They also come prepared. Every Customer Success professional should be able to summarise who they are, what they’ve achieved, and the results they’ve delivered, all in three minutes. A concise, metrics-driven elevator pitch shows self-awareness and professionalism.
For Hiring Managers: Get the Basics Right
Strong hiring processes aren’t about volume or gimmicks, they’re about preparation, communication, and respect.
Key principles to follow:
- Do your prep. Read the CV. Know what you want to ask before the call.
- Be punctual. Candidates are giving you their time for free.
- Ask better questions. Focus on outcomes and behaviours, not generic scenarios.
- Treat interviews as partnerships. Every conversation is a two-way evaluation.
- Move quickly. Great talent doesn’t stay available for long.
Hiring well is part science, part empathy. Those who combine both will always outperform the competition.
It’s a Small Industry, Act Like It
Customer Success, and SaaS more broadly, is a small, interconnected ecosystem. The way you treat people travels quickly. Candidates remember who ghosted them. Hiring managers remember who was rude or unprepared.
The professionals who build genuine connections, who follow up, stay human, and add value even when they’re not hired, are the ones who create lasting opportunities. Networking events, SaaS meet-ups, and online communities remain some of the best ways to get noticed for the right reasons.
ABR Talent’s Takeaway
At ABR Talent, we see both sides every day, the overworked hiring managers filtering through hundreds of CVs and the frustrated candidates trying to break through the noise.
The solution isn’t luck, volume, or AI. It’s specificity, empathy, and clarity.
Whether you’re hiring or job-hunting:
- Be clear on the value you bring or need.
- Be specific in how you communicate it.
- Be human in every interaction.
Because even in a crowded market, the best people and the best opportunities still find each other.
Looking to hire smarter or land your next Customer Success role? Contact ABR Talent.
