Stop Reactive Hiring Before It Starts
At Melo Associates, we help companies think through hiring decisions before a search ever begins.
One of the biggest patterns we continue to see is reactive hiring.
A leader leaves unexpectedly. Growth accelerates. Teams feel stretched. Customers need support. Revenue pressure increases. Suddenly, the focus becomes filling the seat as quickly as possible.
But moving fast, without enough clarity, often creates larger problems later.
AI Can Screen Resumes, But It Can’t Screen for Culture Add
A 2024 University of Washington study tested three leading AI resume screening tools across more than three million comparisons. Same resume. Same qualifications. Same experience. The only variable was the name at the top of the page. AI tools favored white-associated names 85% of the time. Black-associated names were preferred less than 9% of the time. For Black male candidates, the AI disadvantaged them in nearly 100% of direct comparisons.
Customer Success AI Talent Survey
Swati Garg, Founder and CEO of Melo Associates, and Parul L. Bhandari, CEO of CustomerXSuccess, two of the co-authors of The Customer Success Talent Playbook, teamed up to launch the Customer Success AI Talent Survey. The survey is designed to gather real-world insight from CS leaders on evolving team structures, role titles, skill expectations, hiring plans, and budget decisions.
Talent in the Age of AI: Why Clarity Beats Creativity in Job Titles
Be careful about how you title the new AI roles that are a part of your CS organization. This article discusses how to think ahead!
A Simple Addition to Your Customer Success Training Strategy
Looking for an inexpensive option for training your team? Consider starting a team book club.
The Best Leaders Grow in Connection
It is easy to start the year focused on how to improve yourself. The best leaders don’t do that in isolation. They focus on community.
In 2026, Don’t Just Find Mentors - Build Sponsors Too
Mentors give you advice. Sponsors stand up for you when you aren’t in the room.
New year, new role clarity: Find your professional fit.
Make sure you’re considering fit in your new hires. Ejieme offers a framework to ensure that your candidates fit your company, team and their role.
Happy Holidays: A season of gratitude and growth.
Thank you! You helped us become best-selling authors on Amazon. We hope we have helped you ensure that you plan for, hire and train top performers for your CS team.
Planning next year’s org? Start with your titles.
Planning for 2026? Now is the time to make sure you’ve got your job titles right.