| Educational Requirements |
75% Bachelor's, 25% advanced degrees |
100% Bachelor's |
100% Bachelor's |
100% Bachelor's |
| Prior CS Experience |
100% have prior CS experience |
20% have prior CS experience |
70% have prior CS experience |
~43% have prior CS experience |
| Tenure |
Avg: 12.7 months |
Avg: 71.4 months (approx. 6 years) |
Avg: 46.2 months (3.85 years) |
Avg: 26 months |
| Technical Aptitude Emphasis |
Strong emphasis on enterprise software experience (top-tier SaaS, AI-minded talent) |
High emphasis on technical aptitude (TAM-to-CSM conversions, software engineering backgrounds preferred) |
Moderate; platform expertise highly valued |
Balanced; not heavily technical, but experience with AWS/services beneficial |
| Industry & Domain Expertise |
High-growth SaaS and enterprise tech (Slack, Stripe, McKinsey, Salesforce, Google, Amazon) |
Broad software/tech background, significant emphasis on domain expertise (technical software, Salesforce itself) |
Strong SaaS domain (Box, Calendly), CS platforms |
Strong preference for e-commerce, retail, banking, and logistics industry backgrounds |
| Entry-Level Opportunities |
Limited (primarily senior or leadership-level IC roles) |
Minimal; mostly experienced hires |
Structured entry-level opportunities (internships, SV Academy partnership) |
Balanced; regularly hires professionals new to CS field |
| Promotion & Growth Opportunities |
Fastest internal growth due to rapid scaling |
Established internal pathways, avg. promotion ~38 months |
Clear internal promotion track (~47 months avg.) |
Structured but slower (avg. promotion ~33-37 months) |
| Hiring Influences & Pipelines |
Strong "Slack effect" (hiring driven by former Slack CS leadership), high-caliber talent |
Internal transitions (TAM to CSM), Salesforce certifications highly valued |
Gainsight platform users, structured educational partnerships (SV Academy) |
Balanced; frequently hires from feeder companies (Petco, AmEx, Nordstrom, etc.) |
| Leadership Transitions |
Notable leadership-to-IC transitions (leaders attracted to IC roles due to mission/culture) |
Technical role conversions (TAM leaders shifting to CSM) |
Traditional career paths with steady internal leadership growth |
Mix of internal promotions (~37 months avg.) and external hires |
| Typical Hiring Backgrounds |
Slack, Stripe, McKinsey, Salesforce, Google, Amazon (high-growth enterprise tech, consulting) |
Technical software engineering, Salesforce ecosystem |
Platform expertise (Box, Calendly, LogicMonitor), education/training industry backgrounds |
Buyers, sales managers, logistics leads from retail, e-commerce, banking industries |
| Geographic Considerations |
Primarily US-based, high-growth tech hubs |
Global, but heavily US-centric with established tech hubs |
Global hiring strategy (US & India), adapting to local markets |
Primarily US-centric, global presence expanding gradually |
| Unique Team Aspects |
Rapidly built high-caliber team, senior talent attracted by company mission and vision |
Longest average tenures, highly technical conversion from TAM roles |
Entry-level CS bootcamps, structured intern programs, strong SaaS/CS platform alignment |
Blended hiring strategy (experienced hires + newcomers), structured growth paths |
| Career Development Implications |
High-caliber experience highly valued; quicker advancement due to rapid team scaling |
Long-term stability, strong technical skill development emphasized |
Strong emphasis on CS domain/platform expertise; clear entry points and career growth |
Industry expertise highly transferable; steady but structured promotion timeline |
| Actionable Insights for Applicants |
Leverage AI/ML experience; leadership skills valuable even for IC roles; build relationships with Slack network |
Salesforce certifications; technical experience highly advantageous |
Gainsight admin certifications; experience from Gainsight’s prominent SaaS customers highly valued |
Highlight e-commerce/retail background, quantifiable customer impact, relevant AWS knowledge |