How to Leverage LinkedIn to Land a Customer Success Role

LinkedIn helped me land my first Customer Success role.

In March 2020 I started a role as a Customer Support Lead. Little did I know what was coming next. Soon after, COVID-19 hit hard. My company put me on unpaid leave and told me to start looking for a new job. Not great timing.

For the first time in my life, I was unemployed, scared, and upset.

With little time to feel sorry, I had to think about my next steps. I knew I loved interacting with people. I’m skilled at finding solutions for problems and building relationships. I have experience managing the three Ps (people, processes, and projects) and have solid training skills.

Through my research in discovering my path forward, Customer Success kept popping up. There was a growing demand for it, and I believed I had what it takes to be successful.

Eventually, I landed my first CSM role through LinkedIn. A VP from my previous company approached me on LinkedIn and offered to start the hiring process with them. I ended up completing the process and accepting their offer.

Here’s how I did it using LinkedIn and how you can too.

LinkedIn for the uninitiated.

Up until that time, I had a LinkedIn account but I didn't do much with it. But looking at the stats, it’s the first place I went for help.

• LinkedIn has more than 720 million users.
• 40 million people search for jobs on LinkedIn every week.
• 3 people are hired each minute through LinkedIn.

I applied to almost every CS role. I didn't get a response. I posted that I was looking for a CS job. Many people engaged. But again, no job offers.

Looking back, here’s where I went wrong:

• My LinkedIn profile was a copy-paste of my CV. It didn't tell MY story.
• I sprayed and prayed, hoping something would stick.
• I didn’t build my brand as a CS professional.
• I didn’t invest in LinkedIn. I saw it as an easy solution to my troubles and not a way to connect with like-minded people over the long term.

You’ll never hit a target you can’t see.

My spray and pray approach wasn’t working. So I took my blindfold off and started throwing darts.

• I updated my profile and made it more inviting for other people to connect.
• I focused on my "About" section. This is the place to tell your story and set yourself apart. I made it more than my resume summary. I spiced it up, adding unusual things like hobbies and interests. My goal was to keep recruiters on my profile page as long as possible.
• In the "Experience" section, I described how my past roles would make me a great CSM. I showcased my experience managing projects, setting KPIs, and showing data-based improvements.
• I focused on improving my LinkedIn Recommendations. This is pretty much the only place in your profile where other people get to write about you.

Protip: Approach colleagues and peers and ask them to write a few words about you. Do whatever it takes to separate yourself.

After tightening up my profile, it was time to focus my efforts on creating value for others. I did this by sharing my thoughts about CS and adding value to other discussions.

All of these were designed to elevate my brand and make me more marketable.

Don’t be shy. Share your perspective.

Won't you be my CS neighbor?

Last but not least, I connected with professionals in the industry.

I can't stress enough the importance of networking during your job hunt. It's a wonderful way to develop your elevator pitch for interviews and a great chance to learn from others. Approach, present yourself, and kindly ask for 30 minutes of the person's time - you'll be surprised how many are willing to help.

They might even have an opportunity just for you, or they might connect you with the right person. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Prepare now so you can take advantage of serendipitous moments.

Due diligence? More like do your research.

When I finally started making it to interviews, LinkedIn helped me research and prepare.

• I read the company overview in their "About" section. It’s a great way to get a summary of their product/service.
• I clicked and read through any company-related links, including information from Crunchbase.
• I checked how many openings the company currently had posted. If they have a lot that signals the company is growing.

The real gold is in the "People" section. There is so much to learn there including:

• The hiring managers - their prior experience, hobbies, and interests.
• The size of the CS team.
• The company’s hierarchy.
• Other CSMs on the team.

To wrap it all up, utilizing the full potential of LinkedIn can take you to many great places, even land you your first CSM role.

Currently, I’m starting my second role as an Enterprise CSM at LinearB and am well aware of how hard it can be to break into CS. Having said that, I know that without help it would have taken me much longer.

If you’re in the process of trying to break into CS and are active on LinkedIn, reply to this email and let me know what’s the one thing you have learned so far in your journey.