Handshake Customer Success Manager Interview Questions
& Process

The screening call was pretty standard, covering company background and role details, plus what I bring to the table and what I'm looking for. The recruiter was really nice and helpful, and kept me updated on the process, which was great given the current job market. The hiring manager was also super warm and charismatic, and went through my resume with me. They asked how I'd handle specific scenarios for Handshake clients.

I went through 3 interviews in about 2 weeks, it was pretty fast. The initial HR chat and the peer interview were great, the people were really nice. But then, when I met with my potential manager, the vibe totally shifted. She was super rude and condescending, asking these tricky "gotcha" questions. It felt like she was interviewing me like I was already on a Performance Improvement Plan, expecting me to know her preferences and not perform well. I was really taken aback. It was completely unprofessional, and honestly, it seemed like she was enjoying putting me on the spot.

I had a phone screen with the hiring manager. Then I went on site and met with a team member, a cross functional manager and the hiring manager. No recruiter was involved to help manage my experience. At the end of the on-site, the hiring manager was already soft closing me and said I was the front runner. Round two involved meeting with two cross functional leaders. The interviews themselves seemed fine, but I had some concerns: 1. I asked about how other groups are held accountable and support customer success and got pushback. 2. It was clear customer success is meant to be seen and not heard, and that the role is to make it easier for other teams to do their jobs. 3. Customer success doesn't have a seat at the table. I was surprised I didn't get the offer, receiving an email saying my feedback wasn't good instead of a phone call. I couldn't get actionable feedback, making the experience a waste of time.