Interview Tip

It's almost a guarantee. The Recruiter or hiring manager preps the candidate by saying, "We're evaluating how you run a meeting, not your product knowledge. Don't spend too much time on the product, showcase your meeting capabilities".
 
What does the candidate do?

Focuses on the product.

It's not always their fault, I've certainly done it. Sometimes you can't help it.

What can help?

Here's a guide that breaks down how presentation interviews work.

What else can help?

Listen to a Founder and a VP of Customer Success (who made the guide) talk through the purpose of this type of interview and give you tips/tricks on how to do better.

1 consistent tip, don't focus on the product.

Instead, focus on:
1. Driving the presentation
2. Discovery skills
3. Strategic alignment
4. Solution mapping
5. Customer education
6. Time management
7. Overall impression

Why?

Companies doesn't expect candidates to be product experts.

Companies are confident in their ability to onboard, train and ramp you to know the product to do your job successfully.

Let's break each one down.

The following is taken directly from Apoorva Thuse's guide. Here are the 7 skills she has her interviewers evaluate and what they look for.

1. Driving The Presentation
-> Clear and concise structure throughout presentation
-> Used visuals to enhance understanding and avoid information overload
-> Exuded confidence and professional delivery

2. Discovery Skills
-> Uncovered customer's strategic goals and specific challenges
-> Adjusted presentation to stakeholder's responses
-> Gathered key information about customer's business needs

3. Strategic Alignment
-> Explained product alignment with customer's long-term strategic initiatives
-> Identified potential solutions and value propositions based on customer's unique needs
-> Focused on business impact beyond product features

4. Solution Mapping
-> Linked customer's challenges to functionalities within the product suite
-> Provided relevant examples of how products address identified pain points
-> Presented a clear actionable roadmap for how the customer achieves value realization

5. Customer Education
-> Explained the benefits of each product in a clear, concise, and engaging manner
-> Tailored explanations to the audiences technical knowledge level
-> Demonstrated awareness of resources available for user adoption and ongoing customer education

6. Time Management
-> Presentation completed within the 30 minute timeframe
-> Handled objections effectively, ensuring all questions were addressed while staying within the overall timeframe

7. Overall Impression
-> Briefly describe your overall impression of the candidate's suitability for the CSM role
-> Based on the observed skills, did the candidate demonstrate the ability to build trust and drive success with the customer