Interview Tip

David Sakamoto - VP, CS - GitLab

Mindtouch, Success Hacker, SurveySensum and Smart Karrot have all recognized him as a top Customer Success influencer. He's been in Customer Success leadership for over 16 years at companies like Cisco, EVault and now GitLab. Let's hear what David Sakamoto asks in interviews and see what he looks for in answers.

4 questions he asks in interviews

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Is there something you'd like me to know about you that I haven't asked about yet?
3. What is Customer Success to you?
4. (For Managers) Can you give me an example of a time when you improved someone's performance?

What he looks for

 
1. Tell me about yourself
-> I want to see you're showing up with intention
-> I can tell very quickly if a candidate is showing up with intention or just showing up
-> Read the job description (I'm very particular about JDs, I read every single one)
-> Align your experiences with specific bullet points in the JD
-> Prepare a structured answer tailored to our company, customers, the experience required, skills needed and how your passions align with this opportunity

2. Is there something you'd like me to know about you that I haven't asked about yet?
-> Looking for 1 of two things
--> Something they're passionate about
--> Something they want to emphasize that enhances their alignment with the opportunity
-> Show up with a message you're trying to get across and an intended outcome
-> This is a great opportunity to close me and I give transparent feedback
-> Not a red flag if they don't say anything but it's a missed opportunity

3. What is Customer Success to you?
-> Some answers are tactical, some are strategic
-> Do they see CS as a function or something that runs throughout the entire company and that everyone is a part of
-> Tactical would be an answer focused on high Net Promoter Score and adoption
-> Strategic would be an answer focused on driving outcomes for the customer and growth for our business (commercial mindset)

4. (For Managers) Can you give me an example of a time when you improved someone's performance?
-> This could be a low or high performer, even a lateral move
-> Most important, is the process and you walking me through your thinking
-> If you say you helped someone by telling them what to do, that ain't it
-> I dive deep here, I want to know how you approached this, questions you asked the person, the plan y'all made, how you coached them through it, the outcome and what you could've done better
-> There's always something you could've done better, don't say nothing

A tip for candidates

Show up with a plan to highlight specific skills, experiences, and passions that align with the role's needs. You should be ready to prove why you are the best candidate for this position. If you've already covered these areas, summarize them as a close. If you haven't, you should highlight the additional areas not covered.