If you understand just how much 30 60 90 day plans can help you get the job, then your next question is, “How do I write a 30-60-90-Day Plan?”
These plans do take some work to research and put together, but the investment in time and effort will pay off big for you in terms of money and job offers. It will help you have a wildly successful job interview. So, now what?
How do you write a 30-60-90-Day Plan?
You generally need about a page per 30-day section, with action steps you’ll take when you start the job. Every job has things that need to be done in order for you to be successful in it. List these out, as specifically as possible.
First 30 Days
The first 30 days of your plan should usually be focused on training–learning the company systems, procedures, people, products, services, software, vendors, and/or customers. So, most of the items in your 30-day plan should be along the lines of attending training, mastering product knowledge, learning specific corporate systems, traveling to learn your territory (if you’re in sales), meeting other members of the team, or reviewing accounts–all the things you’d need to do to get your bearings and get started. Not every boss has a lot of time to train you, so if you can show how you can get up to speed on your own, they love it. No hand-holding necessary for you.
Second 30 Days (the 60 Day part)
The next 30 days are focused on more field or independent time, more involvement in issues, more customer or vendor introductions, reviews of customer satisfaction, reviews of procedures….just getting deeper into things. More details, more responsibility. A big point here in this 60-day section is getting feedback from your manager to see how you’re doing. Put this in your plan.
The Last 30 Days (the 90 Day part)
The last 30 days are the “taking off on your own” part. By now, you should be up to speed, rolling with some independence, and contributing significantly. You should know your way around by now and be initiating things on your own: thinking of ways to increase customers or revenue, generating ideas to save time or money, implementing plans or schedules, fine-tuning your schedule, and continuing to get performance feedback.
This 90-day section really highlights what you’re bringing to this party. What can you do for them? By the time you get to this point, your hiring manager will be picturing you in the job…and already thinking about hiring you.
Details matter…
The more details you can incorporate into your plan, the better. Specifics count for a lot in terms of impressing the hiring manager (your future boss).
So…if you can find out the name of the software they use (for example) and put that name into your 30-day section, that’s great. Or if you know the name of the training they put new employees through, you can include that.
To discover these kinds of details, it’s important that you research the company and the job description for the specific position. How do you find information for your 30-60-90-day plan? You’ll probably have to do some digging. Google is good, but LinkedIn and Facebook can be true gold mines. Look at the company’s corporate page, as well as the pages of employees or groups.
What if you get it wrong?
Worry over making a mistake is a big reason many job seekers are afraid to bring a plan. But the point of the 90-day plan is not to get it perfect. The point is to use it as a high-level conversational piece in your interview. You’re supposed to discuss it with the hiring manager. What did you get right? What did you get wrong? What input does he or she have for you? The conversation alone will elevate you in the eyes of that hiring manager.
The fact that you went to the trouble of creating a plan at all shows that you’re energetic, determined, and enthusiastic about the job. You’re a hard worker who thinks critically about tasks and can prioritize and set goals. All those qualities are difficult to show on a resume, but they come through loud and clear when you bring out your 30-60-90-day plan in the interview.
Get a plan that’s proven to work!
I have a tool that makes creating a plan easy and worry-free for you. It has a template, samples, and coaching from me about how to write and talk about your plan in the interview: