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Beyond Experience: What Hiring Managers Look for in Account Management Candidates at Adyen
It’s not just about what’s on your resume. Our LATAM-based Account Management Team Leads share their advice for candidates.
Every interview is an opportunity to share your professional journey, but also to demonstrate how you think, learn, and engage with customers. For Account Management roles, qualities such as curiosity, analytical thinking, and the ability to influence stakeholders often make the difference.
We spoke with Adyen Hiring Managers to gather practical tips about the hiring process, understand which competencies they value most, and share guidance that can help candidates feel more prepared for their interviews.
How to Prepare for the Case Study and Stand Out in the Hiring Process?
Adyen Account Managers own their own book of business and are trusted with the autonomy to make good decisions for our merchants and for the business. That’s why our Account Management hiring process needs to dive more deeply into how you think, build relationships, and drive impact.
Every interview is an opportunity to share your professional journey, but also to demonstrate how you think, learn, and engage with customers. At Adyen, qualities such as curiosity, analytical thinking, and the ability to influence stakeholders often make the difference.
We spoke with Erick Caballero and Marianna Carvalho, two of our Saõ Paulo-based Account Management team leads, to gather practical tips about the hiring process, understand which competencies they value most, and share guidance that can help candidates feel more prepared for their interviews.
Marianna Carvalho
Team Lead - Account Management
In your opinion, what sets a candidate apart during the interview process for an Account Manager role at Adyen?
Candidates stand out when they connect their answers to concrete examples of past achievements and measurable results. Sharing real success stories that demonstrate the skills and competencies required for the role goes a long way in strengthening their profile.
What do you expect candidates to have researched and understood about Adyen before their interviews?
I hope they understand the basics of our acquiring model and Unified Commerce platform, including why our integrated solution stands out from the fragmented models in the market.
Additionally, it’s essential that they are familiar with the Adyen Formula and can connect their own journey and experiences with our culture of collaboration, autonomy, and customer focus.
What are the most common mistakes you see candidates make throughout the interview process?
Very generic answers or responses focused only on “hitting targets,” without explaining the process behind how those results were achieved. Another common mistake is showing a profile that is solely focused on relationship management, while overlooking the analytical, consultative, and commercial mindset that the Account Manager role at Adyen requires.
“Think and act like an expert in your customer’s business. If you approach the interview process with genuine curiosity about how to help the merchant grow sustainably through our technology, you will naturally demonstrate all the skills and competencies we value at Adyen.”
What makes a case presentation stand out during the interview process?
A clear diagnosis of the problem and recommendations strongly supported by data . A case study stands out when the candidate uses storytelling to demonstrate how they would prioritize the merchant’s pain points while balancing customer success with business viability and revenue generation for Adyen.
During the case presentation, what matters more to you: arriving at the final answer or demonstrating strong reasoning throughout the presentation?
Logical thinking and the ability to structure ideas clearly. The payments industry evolves quickly, and there is rarely only one correct answer. What truly matters is understanding how a person navigates different variables, justifies their decisions under pressure, and demonstrates the flexibility to adapt or pivot their thinking when new information becomes available.
What are the most common mistakes you see candidates make during the case presentation or defense?
Failing to ask questions, starting the presentation without considering the customer’s perspective, and focusing only on the planned storyline are common mistakes. Showcasing a lack of flexibility and adaptability when addressing objections raised during the case is also a frequently observed challenge.
The Mindset and Skills We Look For in Candidates
Erick Caballero
Team Lead - Account Management CDMX
In your opinion, what sets a candidate apart during the interview process for an Account Manager role at Adyen?
For me, experience opens the door, but what truly sets a candidate apart is their mindset. We look for people who are curious, analytical, strategic, take ownership, and enjoy solving complex problems. We also value strong team players with a customer-obsessed mindset—people who take the time to understand the merchant’s business, build long-term relationships, and create meaningful value, even when that means having difficult conversations.
What do you expect candidates to have researched and understood about Adyen before their interviews?
More than memorizing our history or products, I want candidates to understand how we think: our business model, what makes us different, and the challenges we solve for merchants. Equally important is understanding our culture, where we value autonomy, ownership, collaboration, direct communication, and the confidence to challenge ideas respectfully. For the Account Manager role, we look for people who can go beyond managing accounts. Once they are in the role, they’ll be spending their time building strategic relationships, understanding merchant goals, and becoming trusted long-term partners.
What are the most common mistakes you see candidates make throughout the interview process?
One of the most common mistakes is focusing only on prior experience and results, without explaining the process behind achieving them. We want to understand how candidates think: how they structure problems, ask questions, and make decisions. Authenticity is also key; it’s not about saying what they think we want to hear, but about showing how they genuinely approach challenges. Additionally, communication is fundamental: having great ideas is important, but knowing how to communicate them, influence others, and create impact is just as important.
“Being customer obsessed does not mean saying yes to everything. It means building strategic relationships and recommending what is best for the business.”
What makes a case presentation stand out during the interview process?
A strong case is not about having the prettiest slides or the most information. What stands out is a clear structure, understanding the problem before solving it, and connecting recommendations to merchant impact. We value candidates who explain their assumptions, prioritize effectively, and communicate clearly. The goal is not to find the perfect answer, but to understand how someone would approach real-world challenges.
During the case presentation, what matters more to you: arriving at the final answer or demonstrating strong reasoning throughout the presentation?
The most important thing is the reasoning behind the answer. At Adyen, there isn’t always a single right solution; we want to understand how someone analyzes information, prioritizes, communicates, and arrives at a recommendation. A different perspective, when well-structured and supported by strong arguments, often leads to better conversations and reflects the way we work.
If you could give just one piece of advice to someone interviewing for an Account Manager role at Adyen, what would it be?
Come prepared, but stay authentic. Research our business and culture, and think about how your experience can create impact, without trying to be someone you’re not. We’re looking for ambitious, curious, humble people who are eager to learn, enjoy building relationships, working collaboratively, challenging ideas, and creating real impact for our merchants. Your prior experience matters, but mindset and how you showcase it is what truly makes the difference.
