I went through the full interview process for a Customer Success role. I was referred internally and made it through to the final round after presenting a detailed deck and participating in several interviews. The process was well-structured, communication was consistent, and the team was engaged and thoughtful.
Where things fell apart was in the final decision. The feedback I received was that some of my answers came across as “too rehearsed.” While I understand the need for authenticity and presence in an interview, I believe this judgment overlooked my actual track record: over six years in Customer Success, 97% CSAT maintained across a portfolio, team training experience, and a proven ability to communicate clearly and naturally with both customers and internal stakeholders.
Ironically, I was hired at my last company after a shaky interview, and went on to outperform someone who nailed their interview but didn’t last a week in the actual role. Interviews are high-pressure environments, and not always reflective of how someone performs on the job, especially in customer-facing roles where preparation is often necessary.
What stung more was knowing this company onboards in cohorts, provides mentoring, and has the infrastructure to help new hires ramp successfully. I wish that context had been considered, especially for a referred candidate who clearly has the experience and passion for the role.
I’m still a fan of the company and its mission, but I walked away feeling like the process was weighted too heavily on performance in an artificial setting, not on long-term capability.