The Shadow Portfolio™: How to Land a $120K CS Role Without Traditional Experience
I've helped dozens of CS pros land premium roles in the past 2 years.
My clients are getting interviews in less than 30 days, even those that were stuck in misaligned roles. So I understand the exact roadblocks you're facing when your current position limits your customer interactions.
It’s frustrating. And many top CS pros face this challenge: you need to build specific CS experience to land your next opportunity.
But how do you get that experience when your current job title says "Customer Success Manager" but your daily work is all about admin tasks, random projects, or whatever executives prioritize that day?
There's a proven approach that has helped many of my clients land their dream CS roles, even without traditional metrics on their resumes.
I call it the Shadow Portfolio™ method.
Like Riley, who was laid off twice before using my method to land his ideal CSM role. Or Taylor, who went from months of unsuccessful interviews to signing with her favorite team within just four weeks of creating her shadow portfolio.
It’s a powerful technique that shows your strategic thinking and customer focus, even when your job doesn't match your true abilities.
Common CS Career Challenges
Before we explore the shadow portfolio approach, let's look at some common challenges:
Mismatched title and responsibilities
Your title says CSM, but you rarely work with customers. This often happens when leadership doesn't understand the strategic value of CS.
Limited customer interaction
Some CSMs go months without meaningful customer conversations, making it hard to build key relationship skills.
CS isn't a priority
When leadership doesn't value customer success, your role becomes more administrative than strategic.
Few chances to showcase skills
Without opportunities to practice real CS work, interviews become difficult, as I explained further in my guide on common customer success challenges and how to overcome them.
What Is Shadow Portfolio™ About?
The Shadow Portfolio™ method I developed is a collection of CS documents and approaches that show what you WOULD do in different customer situations, even if you haven't done them in your current role.
It's about showing your CS thinking, not just your history.
This works well because customer success is about being strategic and solving problems. Your shadow portfolio shows employers you understand CS principles and can apply them effectively.
It demonstrates your mastery of essential Customer Success Manager skills also including:
Knowledge of CS best practices
Customer-centric mindset
Ability to link CS activities to business outcomes
Proactive approach to professional growth
How To Start With Your Shadow Portfolio™
So first, you need to create realistic customer scenarios.
Develop 3-5 detailed examples that represent common CS situations:
The Disengaged Customer: A client whose product usage has dropped over several months
The Renewal Risk: A customer approaching renewal with unresolved issues
The Expansion Opportunity: A successful client who could benefit from additional products.
For each scenario, create a brief profile including company size, industry, goals, and challenges. Then outline your step-by-step approach to each situation, similar to developing a comprehensive customer success plan.
Include examples of Quarterly Business Reviews in your portfolio to demonstrate your strategic approach to customer partnerships.
When preparing for interviews, practice presenting your portfolio confidently. Review common Customer Success Manager interview questions and prepare responses that highlight your strategic thinking.
Consider enhancing your portfolio with industry credentials from top courses for Customer Success Managers to validate your expertise and complement your practical examples.
Want to Take Your CS Career to the Next Level?
What you've just read is only the beginning of the shadow portfolio method.
For those who are serious about landing $120K-$200K+ roles, I've created a comprehensive guide that takes you beyond the basics.
It’s becoming increasingly competitive to land a CS job—But those with such strategic portfolios are the ones that get noticed first.
In Part 2 below (exclusively for premium subscribers), you'll discover:
Step-by-step instructions for building professional-grade shadow portfolio materials
Best practices for building Success Plans, QBRs, Health Scorecards, and Risk Mitigation Plans
Specific metrics and KPIs to include for each scenario type
Expert techniques for translating your current skills into powerful CS language
The exact certification and skill-building roadmap followed by top-earning CSMs
Interview scripts and talking points to present your shadow portfolio with confidence
BONUS: Complete 30-60-90 day implementation plan to build your portfolio while working full-time
Join our members-only group of top CS professionals achieving premium roles and boardroom-level impact with these proven frameworks.
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🔐Building Your Customer Success Shadow Portfolio™: The Complete Playbook
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