How To Create A 30-60-90-Day Plan That Gets You Hired

30-60-90-day plans solve all of the problems most people have in job interviews—some lack in your background or experience that makes them hesitate to hire you, or just a difficulty standing out among many talented candidates. With a plan, you stand out and prove that you are ready, willing and able to do this job well.

Job seekers who use a 30-60-90-day plan vividly demonstrate for a potential employer that you have critical thinking skills, drive, and dedication to success. They help the hiring manager ‘see’ you being successful in the job, and that puts them solidly in favor of hiring you.

Once you try interviewing with a plan, you’ll never interview without it.

The Outline Of A Great 30-60-90-Day Plan

A 30-60-90-Day Plan is a written set of action steps or goals for each of the first three months you’re on the job. What will you have to do first (and second and third) in order to be successful?

First 30 Days

In the first month, most new employees are learning the ropes—getting up to speed on how to function successfully in this company, in this role. Typically, this includes company-specific training on procedures, reports, systems/ software, vendors/suppliers, products/ services, or customers/ clients. You’ll need to do some research to find this information, because you haven’t worked there before. But making the effort to find out will impress them, and you will be better prepared to answer questions about what you’ve done and haven’t done before. The more specific you can be, the more impressive your plan will be.

Next 30 Days

In the second month, there’s typically less training and more action. You’ve gotten your feet wet, and now it’s time to go a little deeper. Depending on your job this may be learning more detailed information, or it may be solving problems. You will definitely be asking for feedback by now, and adjusting accordingly.

Last 30 Days

Where you may have had some assistance last month, this month you’ll probably be on your own. What will a successful person in your role be doing? Solving problems? Cutting costs? Bringing in new business? Evaluating budgets? Setting up new programs? Whatever this may be, put some thought into it and include it in your plan.

Using Your Plan In The Interview

Lots of job seekers worry about bringing in a less-than-perfect plan. Don’t worry—employers will know that you can’t know everything or have a letter-perfect plan, because you haven’t worked there before. But as you discuss your plan and your ideas, you have a much more substantial interview than someone else who just answered questions. You’re engaging the hiring manager in a back-and-forth, professional conversation. This is incredibly powerful.

What Not To Do

Even though your plan doesn’t have to be perfect, it does need to be substantial. A 1-page plan is a definite no-no. Your plan should be at least three pages (a page for each 30-day section).

Don’t just assume you can grab any old plan off the internet and make it work. A well-done plan that does what it should for you in the interview requires thought.

If You Know You Need More Help

Because it’s difficult to create a plan from scratch on your own, and because you may not have the time if you have an interview soon, I have developed perfect 30-60-90-Day Plan Templates for white-collar professional jobs, for sales jobs, formanagement roles, and for executives. Each template comes with examples and coaching for how to talk about your plan with a potential employer (this is critical).