I analyzed 60 Job Descriptions from a previous Job Drop to understand how important AI is in the hiring process.
First and foremost, 81% of analyzed roles made 0 mention of AI in the job description.
This doesn’t mean it won’t come up in interviews, or that they don’t use AI in their hiring process. But I think it means that what feels like the big conversation that everyone is talking about and asking for is actually a very loud minority. At least for now.
Now, a week isn’t a full or conclusive picture of anything. This is something I’m continuing to study and keep you updated on.
So if your job search strategy is to skip out on the AI roles, that should continue to work out for you, for now.
But if you want to talk about how to present as an AI-ready candidate, the good news is you don’t have to be an expert. Read on!
AI Required
Out of the 11 job descriptions that mentioned AI at all, 5 had AI skills or tools listed under requirements, in various ways:
Like a technical requirement:
“Is comfortable operating in a technical environment (data analysis, SaaS configuration, AI tool usage) without needing to be an engineer.”
“Experience working with or around AI/ML, LLMs, or enterprise automation tools is a plus. Experience navigating AI quality, prompt tuning, or training data workflows.”
Like a specialized vertical:
“7+ years of experience in customer success, account management, or CX leadership roles, ideally in SaaS or AI-enabled platforms.”
“Have 3+ years in onboarding, customer success, or technical implementation—ideally at a fast-paced SaaS, automation, or AI company.”
As a part of the typical CS motion:
“Are a strong communicator who can make AI and technical concepts simple for non-technical users.”
“Own a portfolio of 3–5 large enterprise customers and manage these relationships across all phases of the customer lifecycle, using AI tools to stay ahead of health signals, risks, and expansion opportunities.”
As you can see, there is no real consensus as to what “AI skills” mean, even when they are required.
AI embedded
All other roles included AI under responsibilities or in the description, but not as a requirement. AI is part of the company culture, and likely an important evaluative tool in the hiring process, but it’s more ambiguous.
Vouched describes themselves as an AI company, but has no AI responsibilities or requirements:
“Vouched is the leading AI-powered identity verification platform that securely verifies the identities of both AI agents and humans. Vouched enables enterprises to confidently trust digital interactions. Used by organizations around the world, Vouched verifies millions of human and AI agent identities annually, delivering unmatched speed, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.”
DeepJudge is an AI-native company, and sets some AI-related goals, but no specific AI responsibilities:
“Outcomes you will own and influence in the first 12 months: AI-native post-sale motion designed and installed: Adoption, renewal, and expansion motions evolved for the AI-native lifecycle. What works today gets sharpened. What doesn't gets rebuilt. Static playbooks break here.”
With this roles, it’s unclear how and where AI will show up in the interview process, but you can feel confident that it will.
AI Ready
If there is one thing to take away, it’s that you don’t need to be an expert to get a job at either kind of company. You just need to know enough to show you’re ready.
In my view, companies are evaluating candidates on 3 areas:
AI enthusiasm — are you bought in?
AI fluency — do you understand it well?
AI transformation — can you lead change across customers and other team members?
AI enthusiasm
To a hiring manager, you need to be excited about AI. Let me say that again: to a hiring manager, you need to be excited about AI.
I know many of us feel conflicted. If AI went away tomorrow I’m no mourner. But as long as it’s so damn important to executives, I will find ways to understand it and help y’all through it. And right now, it’s still very important to them.
So, I’ll say one more time: to a hiring manager, you need to be excited about AI. You’re trying to get a job here — it’s not exactly ground zero for authenticity. Find something to be excited about and try to be the version of yourself that is excited about AI.
AI fluency
There’s a lot of talk about AI fluency in hiring. Different companies have different definitions, and I think it depends heavily on how fluent the hiring manager is.
I like to refer job seekers to the Zapier rubric they published in March:
Zapier’s AI fluency rubric. There are 3 stages: Capable, Adoptive, and Transformative.
While I don’t think Zapier’s AI fluency standards should be the model for every company and industry, they are one of the few companies that has defined what they mean when they say “fluent in AI.” They give you specific steps, workflows and stories to develop for every stage.
And they also give a roadmap for developing your AI story with their AI self assessment. You don’t have to take it to benefit from it. Just look at these 4 questions:
Zapier’s AI self assessment. 4 questions: how do you use AI in a typical workday, something meaningful you’ve built or automated with AI, how has your process changed because of AI, have you ever shared, taught, or documented your AI approach for others?
Whether you’ve used ChatGPT to make grocery lists or have created an army of agents, if you spend some time crafting great answers to these 4 questions, you’ll nail any AI-related interview question.
AI transformation
Transformation is a skill most Enterprise CSMs, Implementation Managers, Operations, and CS Leaders know well.
Transformation isn’t just teaching others, but managing change, across customers, team members, and over time. Transformation is generally the difference between a customer understanding the value of the product and not. It’s the combination of essential CS skills like enablement, accountability, consultative selling.
Prepare two stories: one where you drove change in a customer, and one where you drove change internally. Neither needs to be about AI, but they need to show you can get people from A to B.
Being AI ready doesn't mean AI has to consume you. It means doing enough to get the role.
Methodology: I analyzed the language and patterns across 60 roles I shared in the Job Drops between May X-X. All roles analyzed were US or Europe-based, across Experienced CSM, Senior CSM, Onboarding, Operations, Leadership and Break Into Tech. Because all roles were shared in my newsletter, they had to meet my strict criteria for being featured.