The $150K Resume: What Sets Apart Top CS Earners

career paths professional development resumés Jun 10, 2025

CLICK PLAY TO HEAR WHAT SETS APART TOP CS EARNERS:

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Here’s what you can expect from this episode:

Ever wondered what it really takes to break the $150K ceiling in Customer Success without decades of experience or a perfectly linear career path? If you’ve been spinning your wheels, questioning if you’re aiming too high (or too low) with your salary expectations, this episode is your reality check and your roadmap.

I dove deep into the resumes and stories of ten recent clients who landed CS roles at $150K+ in OTE, and what I found will seriously surprise you. Because not one of them followed the “traditional” SMB-to-enterprise path. More often, it was their diverse backgrounds. Think sales, account management and industries outside of tech that made them irresistible to hiring teams right now. And yes, they landed these offers in a wild customer success market.

I’m sharing the exact responsibilities, skills, and metrics these top-earning CSMs had in common and, even better, the resume keywords and bullet points that set them apart. If you’re not already running executive business reviews, proactively driving product adoption, or tracking NRR and expansion, I’ll show you why those are your next must-have moves (plus, how to make it happen, even if those responsibilities aren’t “assigned” to you today).

If you’re ready to uncover the actual playbook for high CS salaries, what hiring managers look for and how to fill your own gaps starting today, hit play now. Trust me, after this episode, you’ll see your career and earning potential in a whole new way.

Topics covered:

Why following a traditional, linear CS career path isn’t required (and what actually matters more for landing high-paying roles)
The most common resume mistakes (even from people with a decade in CS) that might be holding you back from those top-paying roles
The crucial questions to ask yourself about your day-to-day responsibilities, metrics and skill gaps if you want to genuinely compete with high earners
How tracking metrics and building enterprise experience set you apart and how to get started, even if your company doesn’t make it easy
How using this “career audit checklist” (derived from analyzing 10 high earners’ real resumes) can help you zero in on skills, metrics and experience gaps to boost your odds of landing interviews and offers for the roles (and salaries) you actually want

Resources Mentioned:

Learn Tableau
Learn Gainsight
Learn ChurnZero
Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews: Watch the FREE Training here
Learn how to sell yourself as the best candidate and walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence: Watch the FREE Training here
Learn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews: Watch the FREE Training hereActively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me

Connect with Carly:

Connect with me on LinkedIn
Email me at [email protected]

Related Episodes:

More about Customer Success Career Coach:

Customer Success Career Coach is the must-listen podcast for current and aspiring Customer Success pros. Join Carly and her guests as they spill the secret strategies and tips for building your Customer Success career. This isn't your typical snooze-fest – they’re diving deep into the world of Customer Success careers. Whether you're starting from scratch (hey career transitioners!) or eyeing that next big promotion, they’ve got the playbook for you. Every Wednesday, join Carly and her amazing guests as they dish out practical advice and real-life steps you can actually use. No fluff, just stuff you can apply ASAP to score that dream job, snag that promotion, or become the team rockstar.

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