
Crises Can Bring Out The Best in Us: 27 Ways Companies Are Stepping Up
Crises can bring out the best in us. It can be hard to believe that when headlines are crowded with toilet paper hoarders or raucous spring breakers under the impression that they're invincible, but it's true. A paper by the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center found that assumptions about people acting in their own best interest during a crisis are "fundamentally incorrect" and that "human beings…typically rise to the daunting challenges that disasters pose."
And that's exactly what we're seeing in terms of how individuals and companies are reaching out and taking care of their communities during this unprecedented nationwide response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Distilleries everywhere from Brooklyn to Bristol are converting their production lines to make hand sanitizer instead of spirits. Online tools companies are making their products free to use, including Adobe, which is giving students and teachers free at-home Creative Cloud access.
It's a great trend, and I'm excited to cover some more specific examples of it. But I first need to be clear that a nation dependent on the generosity of companies to provide human rights (like free childcare for working parents, guaranteed healthcare, paid time off to take care of sick family members, and more) and a safety net for its citizens is a nation that is failing.
But until we have a robust system of benefits available to individuals regardless of their employment status and a coherent federal response strategy to things like global pandemic, we've got to laud the companies and leaders that are digging into their own pockets to provide for their employees and their communities. Whether it's offering content for free to stuck-at-home viewers, repurposing factories to produce personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers, or expanding their available benefits to cover their team's needs—or a dozen other ways to help—companies are stepping up and reaching out to help.
Here's a non-exhaustive list (stuff is changing all the time!) of some cool things companies are doing to help us all get through this stressful period:
Free access to tools & programs
- Peloton is offering a free 90-day trial of its workout app. If your gym has closed, give it a try—you don't need a Peloton-brand bike to get started, as there are also classes for yoga and strength training, among others.
- Audible has made kid- and family-friendly audiobooks available for free for all users, whether they have an Audible account or not, at Stories.Audible.com.
- Smartsheet is offering free template sets for remote working and for building a coronavirus preparedness portal.
- Technology skills platform Pluralsight is making much of its conference library free until July 1, 2020.
- Database platform MongoDB is offering free database credits for developers working on COVID-19 health projects.
- Cloud infrastructure provider DigitalOcean created its Hub for Good to connect developers working on COVID-19 relief efforts and are providing up to $1,000, and a total of $100,000, in credits to individual not-for-profit projects
- Enterprise software delivery company CloudBees is offering its Rollout software for free to non-profits and NGOs helping to fight COVID-19.
- Collaboration software suite Quip is offering its productivity tools to teams working from home for free.
- Cloud-based software company New Relic is providing free access to their platform for 90 days to any organization engaged in COVID-19 relief efforts.
- Software company Elastic is offering free and open classes for their tools and programs.
Utilizing their expertise in the fight against COVID-19
- Supply chain management company Flexport is taking care of the logistics behind getting PPE to hospitals in need, arranging and paying for transit of donated supplies.
- Biotech company CSL Behring has offered to help governments by developing a hyperimmune serum to use as part of treatment against the virus.
- Laboratory equipment company Waters is donating gear and offering live science classes for schools that have implemented homeschooling.
- Hyperlocal social networking service Nextdoor is partnering with the National Governors Association to deliver state-specific resources to communities, as well as launching new product features like the Help Map where users can make themselves available to help neighbors, like by dropping off groceries.
Taking care of employees and their communities
- Microsoft will keep paying the hourly workers who take care of their campus and pledged $2.5 million to help the COVID-19 response in Seattle.
- Google is allowing all temporary staff and vendors to take paid sick leave if they're sick or under quarantine.
- American Express is donating $2 million in grants to organizations fighting the coronavirus, including the CDC and Feeding America. They have also partnered with Hilton to donate up to one million hotel rooms across the United States to frontline medical staff!
- The S&P Global Foundation allocated $2 million to support COVID-19 response efforts, including food banks and UNICEF. The Foundation also announced a second round of grants aimed at supporting the global response to COVID-19 to widen its impact globally and support small businesses in this critical time of need, bringing total contributions to USD $4M. Additionally, S&P Global has enhanced HR/benefits support for our employees and made COVID-19 research freely available to support market participants, including complimentary Panjiva supply chain data for government agencies and hospitals to track PPE (personal protective equipment).
- Morgan Stanley is donating $10 million to organizations combating the coronavirus, including Feeding America and the World Health Organization.
- Adobe is donating $3 million to nonprofits providing assistance during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as offering its programs for free to students, which was already mentioned.
- Dell is donating money and technology to communities in China and the US hit by the coronavirus, including matching employees' donations to the CDC's Emergency Response Fund.
- T. Rowe Price is donating $500,000 to global and local organizations working to relieve the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Advertising platform VideoAmp is donating 50,000 meals to Feeding America.
- Construction project management software company Procore is enabling employees to work from home and creating a supportive environment to do so, providing free IT resources including hardware and software, virtual entertainment offerings like yoga and mindfulness classes, and implementing flexible hours for parents and caregivers.
Financial relief
- Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 small businesses.
- Mortgage company Freddie Mac is waiving late fees and penalties and halting evictions until at least May 17, 2020, along with other relief options.
- Intuit is providing $8 million across donations to small businesses and nonprofits and loan payment deferrals of up to 8 weeks.
With those examples of leadership and generosity in mind, how can you help support your community today?
Best Work-From-Home Companies 2022
Every year, PowerToFly creates a list of the best work-from-home companies. Now that over half of the U.S. workforce is remote, compiling that list was a bit more challenging.
This year, we prioritized selecting companies that are remote-friendly—meaning they have both remote and in-person roles—but they have made long-term commitments to hiring and supporting employees who choose to work from home; and we think they have the perks, values, and organizational framework to allow all employees to flourish in their careers, regardless of location.
Keep reading to see our top 15 work-from-home companies for 2022, along with a description of what they do, why we like them, and who they’re looking for.
PowerToFly's Best Work-From-Home Companies 2022:
Bumble—Create a world where all relationships are healthy and equitable
What they do:
Bumble is the parent company that operates Badoo and Bumble, two of the world’s largest dating and connection apps with millions of users globally.
Why we like them:
“We’re a diverse and international bunch, with over 600 employees working across four key offices in Austin, London, Moscow and Barcelona. We also have employees working in other parts of the world too, including Germany, Australia, Mexico and India.”
They believe the best way to create a more equitable and healthy world is by starting within. Uber offers a highly competitive benefits package with benefits that are designed to support you in your health and wellbeing, financial wellbeing, happiness, community, and learning and development.
Who they’re looking for:
Product Designers, Developers, Partnership Directors, and more!
Audible—Listen more
What they do:
Audible is an online audiobook and podcast service that allows users to purchase and stream audiobooks and other forms of spoken word content.
Why we like them:
“Audible's People Principles celebrate who we are and where we've been, and guide the way we work shoulder to shoulder to enhance the lives of our millions of customers.” This company offers exciting benefits include wellness reimbursement, fertility coverage, and childcare benefits.
Some of their other benefits include:
- Health: Dental and vision plans, life insurance, and the medical plan options that suit individual needs.
- Savings: Plan for your future with employer-matched savings accounts.
- Stock: We grant our employees Amazon restricted stock units, because we want them to think and act like owners.
- Time off: We love what we do but everyone needs the opportunity to hit the refresh button. Take advantage of vacation days, sick days, and personal days to rejuvenate.
- Social: From tickets to local events and exciting company-sponsored events, regular outings and team-building events foster our spirit of collaboration.
- Amazon discount: As part of the Amazon family, Audible employees are entitled to a discount on products on Amazon.
- Fitness: Discounted sports clubs or fitness reimbursements.
Who they’re looking for:
Software Engineers, Director of People Analytics, Strategic Advisors, and more!
ServiceNow—Making the world of work, work better for people
What they do:
ServiceNow is a cloud computing platform that delivers digital workflows that create great experiences and unlock productivity.
Why we like them:
“We strive for a fair system of opportunity and treatment for all. Competitive health, wellness benefits, zero-tolerance for any kind of discrimination, and protection from social stigmas such as mental health are core to our values and beliefs.”
Who they’re looking for:
Accounting Managers, Sales Representatives, Product Managers, and more!
OfferUp—Buy. Sell. Simple.
What they do:
OfferUp the largest mobile marketplace for local buyers and sellers in the U.S., that offers iOS and Android apps that make selling an item as easy as snapping a picture from your mobile device.
Why we like them:
“We’re a diverse team with diverse passions and skills, but we’re united by a shared commitment to helping people accomplish their goals through the power of peer-to-peer commerce.
Our company culture makes us unique. At the best companies in the world, work and life aren’t just balanced, they’re blended. Team outings, virtual celebrations and lunch-n-learns, informal gatherings, and family events keep our neighborly culture strong. We’re a diverse team with diverse passions and skills, but we’re united by a shared commitment to helping people accomplish their goals through the power of peer-to-peer commerce.”
Who they’re looking for:
Chief Technology Officer, Content Writers, Business Operations Analyst, and more!
Work & Co—Digital product design and development
What they do:
Work & Co is a digital product agency that defines and launches digital experiences people love using every day.
Why we like them:
Some of their benefits include:
- Zero Timesheets or expense reports
- 18 weeks paid parental leave
- 100% health, dental, vision coverage (they also pay your entire monthly premium and cover 70% for spouses, partners, and dependents)
- Nonelective 3% match (they contribute to every person’s retirement account regardless of their own contribution)
Who they’re looking for:
Designers, Technology Directors, Marketing and Communication Leads, and more!
Relativity—Organize data, discover the truth, and act on it
What they do:
“We create intuitive software that helps law firms, government agencies, financial institutions and other major corporations quickly find the truth in data.”
Why we like them:
Relativity's software helps users organize data and quickly identify key issues during litigation, internal investigations, and compliance projects. They offer their employees great benefits like:
- Competitive healthcare, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability plans
- Hybrid work model: In-office once we re-open, fully remote, or a mixture of both
- Unlimited Time off
- 401k matching
- 12 weeks of 100% paid leave for the primary caregiver and 6 weeks of 100% paid leave for the secondary caregiver
- 2 week-long company breaks in the winter and summer
- Wellness perks such as virtual yoga classes, financial wellness sessions, access to meditation apps, etc.
Who they’re looking for:
Software Engineers, Marketing Managers, Customer Success Managers, and more!
GoTo—We live the work-from-anywhere life, too
What they do:
GoTo provides the most-comprehensive, secure, and flexible suite of products to help businesses embrace remote work, learning and customer engagement.
Why we like them:
“For bold and creative individuals, LogMeIn provides limitless growth opportunities. We hire extraordinary talent who continually seek opportunities to tackle challenges. We pride ourselves on an inclusive culture and collaborative spirit. Speaking up and listening to others is not just encouraged here, but expected.
We thrive together and champion each other’s successes, providing our employees with rich experiences to help them develop resiliency and skills; positioning them to grow into future roles either inside or outside GoTo.”
Who they’re looking for:
Technical Writers, Global Markets, Compliance Leads, and more!
Autodesk—We make software for people who make things
What they do:
Autodesk is a global leader in design and technology.
Why we like them:
“At Autodesk, we believe flexibility in where and how work gets done will better enable our people to thrive and realize their potential. While most roles may be required to be in the office, we also have roles that are home-based, and hybrid. From implementing virtual learning platforms to promote personal/professional development, to virtual marathons, DIY craft kits, scavenger hunts to virtual wine tasting and everything in between – we’re doing our best to champion for a workplace culture that spanning boundaries and borders. That’s #Autodesklife.”
Who they’re looking for:
Engineers, UX Designers, Business Analysts, and more!
Veracode—Keeping your business confidently secure
What they do:
Veracode delivers the application security solutions and services today’s software-driven world requires.
Why we like them:
“Veracoders are dedicated to creating a world where the software fueling our economic growth and solving some of society's greatest challenges is developed secure from the start.”
Here are some great reasons to join Veracode:
- PEOPLE & TEAM: Veracoders help their peers grow, achieve, and see the best in themselves.
- CHALLENGING & INTERESTING WORK: Veracoders are passionate about solving one of the most important challenges facing our digital world, securing the software changing our world.
- INDUSTRY-LEADING TECHNOLOGIES: We are the pioneer in the AppSec market and a continued leader in secure development innovations
Who they’re looking for:
Sales Leads, Talent Acquisition Partners, Product Managers, and more!
Unstoppable Domains—Building decentralized digital identities for the world
What they do:
Unstoppable Domains brings user-controlled identity to 3 billion+ internet users by issuing domain names on the blockchain.
Why we like them:
“Unstoppable Domains’ remote, international team is made up of a wide range of diverse experiences, languages, cultures, nationalities and backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive employer with team members in over 18 countries.”
They’ve also offer benefits:
- Equity in the company
- Annual work from home stipend
- Crypto education program
- Full medical, dental and vision coverage
Who they’re looking for:
Art Directors, Community Managers, Growth Marketers, and more!
Helm—A team of scientists, designers, engineers, and campaigners
What they do:
Helm is building a data and technology platform for organizers and issue advocates.
Why we like them:
“We are assembling a team who understands, shares values with, learns alongside, and stands with the people who are doing the work to change the nation. We are seeking team members who want to see a more equitable future in their lifetime, and who have the passion and skills to help us get there.”
They’ve also got incredible benefits like:
- Comprehensive health plans
- Unlimited PTO
- Paid parental leave
- Paid volunteer time
- 401K
- Stipend to enhance your home office
Who they’re looking for:
DevOps Engineers, Account Managers, Customer Support Analysts, and more!
Lattice—Making work meaningful
What they do:
Lattice is the people management platform that empowers people leaders to build engaged, high-performing teams that love coming to work.
Why we like them:
“We’re growing extremely quickly, hitting all of our financial targets for the last 2 years. We also have a negative net retention rate, meaning customers are staying and growing with us.”
They’ve also got incredible benefits like:
- 401(k) package
- Maternity & Paternity leave
- Medical / Dental / Vision insurance
- Flexible equity terms
- Commuter benefits
- Learning & Development reimbursement
- Flexible time off
Who they’re looking for:
UX Writers, Account Executives, Program Managers, and more!
MongoDB—Build faster. Build smarter.
What they do:
MongoDB transforms industries and empowers developers to build amazing apps that people use every day.
Why we like them:
At MongoDB, you can grow your career in the direction that you want it to, gain new skills, experiences, and relationships that will stay with you forever.
Some of their stand-out benefits include:
- Mental health counseling and resources, and complimentary Headspace (meditation app) access
- Rich health insurance coverage, including Transgender-inclusive coverage
- Fertility and adoption financial assistance
- 20 weeks of fully paid gender-neutral parental leave, parental counseling for new parents, and flexible work arrangements
- 4 weeks of emergency care leave
- Global and internal mobility opportunities
- Equity and Employee Stock Purchase Program
Who they’re looking for:
Sales and Technical Recruiters, Product Designers, Engineers, and more!
Uber—Move the way you want
What they do:
Uber is a mobility service provider that constantly reimagines how we can move better.
Why we like them:
“We welcome people from all backgrounds who seek the opportunity to help build a future where everyone and everything can move independently. We publicly support policies that drive diversity and inclusion in the countries where we operate so that people everywhere have the right to live, work, and be their authentic selves.”
They’ve also got incredible benefits like:
- Unlimited PTO policy
- Maternity and parental leave
- Monthly Uber credits
- Medical, dental and vision coverage
Who they’re looking for:
Marketing Leads, Account Representatives, Operations Specialists, and more!
Guru—Organize company information and access it anywhere
What they do:
Guru reinvents the way people connect with meaningful information at work by providing customer-facing teams access to expert-verified information where they work and when they need it most.
Why we like them:
“At Guru, our core values bind us together, influence how we work.”
They’ve got incredible benefits like:
- Competitive salary
- Employee Stock Option Plan
- Generous health and commuter benefits
- Dog Friendly Office
- 401k Program
- The chance to contribute to an upbeat, fully engaged culture
Who they’re looking for:
Marketing Leads, Sales Development Representatives, Web Designers, and more!
Don't see what you're looking for? Check out a fill list of 5,000+ open remote roles here!
Prepare For Your Interview! Meet Nacelle and the company’s core values
💎Want to learn more about the company’s core values and how to align with them? Listen to Nacelle’s team members share some valuable insights. Watch the video to the end to make sure you don’t miss the interview tips that can help you land a job at Nacelle!
📼 Get ready to hear about Nacelle’s culture and the company’s core values, shared by their own team! Meet Madelyn Louipenn, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Nacelle; Drew Clements, Front-end Engineer at Nacelle; Courtney True, Product Designer at Nacelle and Elizabeth Harris, Senior Manager of Professional Services Team at Nacelle. Together, they will share everything you need to know to stand out in the interview process.
📼 The first of the company’s core values is continuous learning. The team at Nacelle is formed by curious individuals, who are often encouraging each other to step outside of their comfort zone and learn a new concept. Every Nacelle employee gets access to an online learning platform, whether it's learning a new programming language or expanding your knowledge in product marketing. There are endless opportunities for their employees to learn something new. As Courtney says, she’s worn so many hats at Nacelle that she’s gotten to see the company itself grow, which led her to a career path to also grow in as an individual.
📼To continue with the core values, the company’s team members stress the importance of strong teamwork skills. This is what has allowed the team at Nacelle to move fast, to hit their aggressive goals, and to allow for an extremely collaborative workspace, even while in a remote environment. Another important skill to strengthen teamwork is the ability to give feedback: giving kudos to your fellow teammates, and creating the space to express gratitude to them is a priority at Nacelle.
Ownership and honesty, the company’s final core values.
Nacelle often empowers its employees to take ownership over their work, step outside their comfort zone, try something new and build something that they're passionate about.
Everyone at Nacelle brings a high level of honesty and integrity into everything they do. They hold themselves accountable, keep their word, and most importantly, they show up to work as their authentic selves, knowing that they can be honest with one another. During his interview process, Drew said, “I know what I’m doing, I just don’t interview well." He let the interviewers know ahead of time that he was going to be a nervous wreck, and they were very receptive!
Your interviews are a great time to ask more questions about the role and its expectations, and also to learn about your interviewers and their experience working at the company. That will allow you to understand how you fit into the larger Nacelle picture.
🧑💼 Are you interested in joining Nacelle? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
Get to Know Madelyn, Drew, Courtney, and Elizabeth
With a degree in Psychology, one of Madelyn Louipenn’s biggest passions is helping others develop an understanding of their mental processes and guiding them to overcome blockers. Drew Clements’ passion is his job and he takes every project as an opportunity to learn and grow as creative. Courtney True has crafted websites and brands with visionaries in the social impact spaces such as energy & environment, health & wellness, social justice, scientific progress, arts & culture, education, and philanthropy. If you are interested in a career at Nacelle, you can connect with Madelyn, Drew, Courtney, and Elizabeth on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to mention this video!
More About Nacelle
Nacelle was built for technology-forward merchants drawn to the benefits of a headless architecture but dissatisfied with the costs and complexity associated with adoption. Leaders at FTD.com, Boll & Branch, and Thinx use Nacelle to eliminate the typical maintenance costs and infrastructure complexities related to going headless while accelerating their time-to-market. Unlike traditional commerce solutions, their product is built on event-driven and elastic core technology optimized for flexibility, performance, and customization.
Careers in Web Development: Which One's For You?
We all have our favorite websites– the ones we frequent, bookmark, and recommend to others. You might even enjoy some website features so much that you’ve found yourself wondering why they aren’t more popular. Or maybe you’ve experienced times where you were frustrated with a website and wished you could add features or even design your own!
If you’ve ever found yourself intrigued at the prospect of designing and developing your own websites, then a career as a web developer might be just for you!
As a web developer you would be responsible for coding, designing, optimizing, and maintaining websites. Today, there are over 1.7 billion websites in the world and, in turn, the demand for web developers is on the rise. In order to figure out what kind of web development work best suits you let’s start with an introduction to the three main roles in web development that you can choose from.
The Three Types of Web Development Jobs
Front-End Web Development: The Creative Side
Think of front-end development as the décor of a house. The color scheme, furniture, manicured lawns, and overall aesthetic. In terms of a website, front-end development is laser-focused on the appearance of a website and its presentation on different devices. If you’re considering a role in front-end development, it’s important to learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These three languages go hand-in-hand. HTML allows you to create user interface elements, CSS helps you with stylistic elements, and JavaScript allows you to incorporate online tools and connect your website to back-end functions.
In addition to programming skills, front-end developers need to be detail oriented, creative, willing to keep up with the latest trends in web development, cyber security conscious, and geared toward user-friendly designs. The median salary for a front-end developer can reach well into the $90,000 to $100,000 range.
Back-End Web Development: The Logical Counterpart
While a house can be beautifully decorated, it’s incomplete without a solid foundation and efficient infrastructure. Similarly, a well-designed website depends on logical and functional code to power the features of that website. Back-end web development is code-heavy and focused on the specifics of how a website works. If you enjoy the analytical challenge of creating the behind-the-scenes code that powers a website, then back-end development is for you.
Since this role is more code-heavy, it’s important that you learn numerous programming languages and understand algorithms and data structures. Some languages that are essential to back-end development are Ruby, Python, SQL, and JavaScript. Back-end developers also ensure that users can successfully retrieve and access data. This requires creating and using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) which act as messengers that relay data related requests. Additionally, developing the code for the inner workings of a website also requires back-end developers to be conscious of the user interface features designed by front-end developers and to internally mitigate potential security risks. Due to the increased technical aspect of this position, back-end developers normally earn higher salaries than front-end developers. The average median salary for this role is around $118,000 per year.
Full-Stack Web Development: A Little Bit of Everything
A full-stack developer is essentially the Jack (or Jill)-of-all-trades in web development. Full-stack developers need to be knowledgeable about both front-end and back-end roles. This does not necessarily imply that you would need to be an expert in both roles, but you should fully understand the different applications and synergies they each imply. In order to work in this position, you will need to know the programming languages used by front-end and back-end developers. In addition to these languages, full-stack developers also specialize in databases, storage, HTTP, REST, and web architecture.
Full-stack developers are often required to act as liaisons between front-end and back-end developers. Full-stack developers need to be both problem solvers and great communicators. The end goal for a full-stack developer is to ensure that the user’s experience is seamless, both on the front-end and on the back-end. In return, you can expect to earn a median salary of $100,000 – $115,000 a year for this role.
Taking the Next Step
Web development is both in-demand and lucrative! All three roles described above contribute to specific aspects of web development and the scope of each one can be customized to the industries and positions you feel best suit you. Regardless of which role you choose, all of them need a foundation in programming.
To gain the programming skills needed in each role, you can enroll in courses or learn independently. Coding bootcamps are a great way to boost your skillset quickly and efficiently.
Click here for some of our highly rated programming bootcamp options! Make sure to check out the discounts available to PowerToFly members.
How to Become a Customer Success Manager
Have you ever heard the saying “customer is king?”
Well, the old mantra is true — and it’s the key to a successful business.
We live in a fiercely competitive world where success is driven by customer satisfaction. That’s why the role of the customer success manager (CSM) is so important: it’s their job to deliver the ultimate customer service and to ensure the client feels heard, valued, and assisted. And it’s a position that is continually growing.
With so many opportunities, and a salary that compensates well, Customer Success is an excellent role if you’re looking to take your career to a new level. But how do you become a CSM?
In this article, we'll break down what a CSM is, what their duties are, the skills necessary for the position, and how to break into the role. If you’re interested in beginning a career as a customer success manager, keep reading for some tips to help get you started!
What is a Customer Success Manager?
A CSM is the mediator between their company and the client, as well as the client’s trusted advisor. It’s the job of the CSM to ensure that the client has the best possible experience using the products or services that the company offers, and to be the point of contact should any concerns or issues arise.
While a CSM works towards the same goal as the rest of the customer success team, it’s their job to focus on the bigger picture. The individual needs of each customer must be carried out to reach their long-term goals. That’s why relationship-building is so important — they must understand the expectations, desires, and issues that each client has and predict potential snags before they happen. Anticipating a customer’s needs is the key to avoiding bigger issues, and it is the job of the CSM to craft a unique relationship and means of interaction with each customer to ensure they achieve success.
But in order to do this a CSM needs to be an expert in the technology or services they are offering. Since they will be the main point of contact for the customer, they must be able to offer detailed guidance and be capable of crafting expert solutions for any problems or concerns that may arise. Having a comprehensive understanding of what they offer is crucial because it is this knowledge that allows them to navigate the customer to success.
What Skills are Necessary for Becoming a Customer Success Manager?
A CSM plays a crucial role in a company. Because of this, they require numerous skills to perform their job well.
Being in such an esteemed customer-facing role means that listening, communication, leadership, analytical, and technical savviness are some of the most important skills. A CSM must also pay close attention to detail, be customer-driven, personable, adaptable, experienced, and organized. They should possess client management skills, strategic thinking, and experience in their specific field.
While having a degree in something directly related to customer success is not necessary, having at least a four-year degree can help you stand out when pursuing this role. Focusing on a degree in sales, marketing, or communications will also help you gain important expertise that you can apply to a CSM role.
How to Become a Customer Success Manager
Everyone’s professional journey is going to look different, especially pivoting into a relatively new field like customer success management. But if your goal is to be a CSM and you’re unsure of where to begin, there are some preliminary steps you can take to help you get there.
1. Find a mentor. A good mentor will be able to guide you through the steps and qualifications you will need in order to reach your career goals. They will provide you with advice and a plan catered specifically to you and your unique needs, while also helping you grow. Mentors are assets for every stage of your professional journey, but they can be especially crucial for career pivots and advances.
2. Get prepared. Ensure you have extensive experience in a customer service role or in a client-facing technical role. A CSM’s main priority is the customer, so you must not only be comfortable working with people, you must be a master at communication, listening, and problem-solving.
3. Learn about the product. Gain as much experience and comprehensive understanding as you can about the services/technology you will be offering. Perhaps one of the most important factors in a CSM’s career is their expertise and technical abilities. They must be capable of building solutions to complex problems and offering detailed guidance. And to do this, they need to have a firm understanding of how their services/technology work in order to best help their clients.
4. Determine your path. If you’re pivoting from a very different career path or are new to the field of customer success, you can begin in an entry-level customer success position where you can learn valuable skills like sales, management, and communication for interacting with clients.
If you’re experienced in customer service and are looking for other avenues that lead to a CSM role, here are some similar positions to consider:
Duties: Builds and maintains the long-term relationship between a business and its clients by determining those clients’ needs and how they can be met.
Salary: Average base salary of
$59,591 per year.
Duties: Oversees relationships between a business and its top clients by determining those clients’ needs and how they can be met, developing account management strategies, looking for potential account growth opportunities, and working with other teams to build solutions.
Salary: Average base salary of $80,402 per year.
Duties: Often known as account handlers or sales representatives, they are an important bridge between their company and the client by handling the sales relationship between them via marketing, advertising, and IT.
Salary: Average base salary of
$67,832 per year.
Duties: Acting as an important connection between management and their team, they are responsible for managing a project from beginning to end and ensuring its success.
Salary: Average base salary of
$78,026 per year.
Check out all of our customer success roles here.
Top Tips For Breaking Into A Tech Career
💎 Breaking into a tech career may seem overwhelming when you come from a non-technical field of work, but don’t worry! Watch the video to the end to learn how to set yourself up for success.
📼 Play this video to get three top tips for breaking into a tech career! You'll hear from Allie French, Senior Software Engineer at SeatGeek, whose experience will help you reach your dream job in coding for a living.
📼 Breaking Into Tech Career Tip #1: Stay In The Present. Try to stay in the present and keep your focus only on the next couple of steps in your journey. Give yourself the space to learn a particular skill without worrying about how to position it on a resume or show it off in an interview. Focusing on one thing at a time will allow you better visibility into whether you're succeeding at learning it or need to seek additional support. Having the attitude of ‘Let me just see if I can learn this next thing’, and doing that repeatedly, will get you far. That's how Allie got to where she is today!
📼 Breaking Into Tech Career Tip #2: Bring In Your Non-Technical Skills. Working on a project that’s relevant to your interests is a great way to showcase your work and show your potential employer who you are as a person. And the more enthusiasm you have for your work, the more impactful you'll be as a job candidate. One of Allie’s projects during bootcamp was creating a website that she could use to visualize quilt designs. It was great to showcase her hobbies while also learning about making web applications during the interview process. Some skills that you’ve developed during previous jobs are also valuable to your engineering career, and should be highlighted during interviews. For example, in Allie’s advertising career, she had a client-facing role. Those skills ended up being relevant to the work that she does today with business stakeholders and engineers on other teams at SeatGeek. Consider what organizational or problem-solving skills you've built in your work. All jobs can be considered relevant in some way!
Breaking Into Tech Career - Tip #3: Never Stop Learning
Whether you're a student or a staff engineer, there is no end to the learning process. If you're ready to interview for coding jobs, you've built many skills and you're ready to show them off. Be proud of all the work that you've put in to get there and get ready for an exciting career of more learning! Success in this job requires curiosity and a willingness to adapt to new tech and design patterns.
📨 Are you interested in joining SeatGeek? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
Get to Know Allie French
Allie is a long-time New Yorker, originally from the Chicago burbs. An engineer with a passion for making things -- when it's not code, it's knitted items, quilts, and dinner for friends. If you are interested in a career at SeatGeek, you can connect with Allie French on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to mention this video!
More About SeatGeek
SeatGeek is the #1 rated ticket marketplace for live events. They are also a global primary ticketing system and their customers include major sports teams and venues such as the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Cowboys, Manchester City Football, and Jujamcyn Theatres (Book of Mormon, Hadestown, Springsteen on Broadway).