When I coach job seekers, I send every one of them into interviews with a 30-60-90-day plan because it’s the best tool available for helping those candidates stand out from the competition. It’s exponentially more important that management-level candidates come to the interview with a high-level plan for how they’re going to attack the job and the problems that need to be solved. Read more...
Even though candidates might understand how much stronger they can be in the interview with a good 30/60/90-day plan, many of them are blocked when it comes to finding the information they need to create one. But it's entirely possible to find all the information you need to create a plan that will knock the socks off any hiring manager. Where?
A 30-60-90-day plan is an outline of what you intend to do in your first 3 months on the job. It’s a goal-setting document that shows you understand the job and you know what it takes to be successful at it. It covers everything from your training to your initial efforts to grow the business. It’s impressive to hiring managers because it shows that you’ve put a lot of thought into what you can do for the company, and it takes a lot of the “risk” out of hiring you. It can be overwhelming to create a plan, since it must be specific to the company to be the most effective. Where do you find the information you need to write a great plan?
You know a 30/60/90-day plan can absolutely help you knock the interview out of the park--but what do you do when the hiring manager isn't interested in seeing it?
Well, it depends.
In this video, I'll show you how to read the situation and recognize your cue for the best time to present your 90-day plan:
A 30/60/90-day plan is a guaranteed way to make a powerful impression on the hiring manager and help you stand out from your competition in the job search. It’s simply an outline for what you’ll do in the first 3 months on the job: how you’ll get your training, get up to speed, and attack the critical challenges associated with the job.
The more specific you can be with your plan, the better. But someone who’s new to the company or new to the field probably won’t know what needs to go into the plan. That can make creating a plan seem overwhelming. The answer is research. The more research you can do, the better your plan will be. Where can you find the information you need to create a great 30/60/90-day plan?
Candidates are always looking for the “secret” to what the hiring manager is really looking for, so that they can highlight those parts of their experience that will entice the manager into making the job offer. If you look at hiring across industries and job titles, the basic qualities all hiring managers look for in the interview are the same:
A 30/60/90-day plan is a written outline for what you will do during your first 3 months on the job. It serves as both a strategy plan and goal-setting because it covers training, getting up to speed, and your plans for growth. It shows hiring managers what a go-getter you are, it is a fantastic vehicle for creating a better interview conversation, and it helps you stand out in a big way from other candidates. It's more well-known for sales jobs, but it is absolutely adaptable for any job as an action plan. They can be as simple or as detailed as you want to make them.
Some candidates hesitate to bring one to their interviews because
(1) they worry they'll make a mistake in it that will knock them out of the running,
(2) they worry that the hiring manager won't want to see it, and
(3) they worry that there won't be an opportunity to present it in the interview (and they can be a lot of work).
In this video, you'll see why 30/60/90-day plans are worth the effort, and you'll discover exactly what to say in the interview to overcome any of these obstacles.
Candidates who use 30/60/90-day plans experience tremendous success. You should, too.
Ready to use a 30/60/90-day plan for your next interview? Here are 3 options for you: Get the 30/60/90-day Sales Plan with Audio Coaching. It's everything you need to create a customized plan for your job--fast. Get the 30/60/90-Day Action Plan with audio coaching. It shows you how to customize the plan for any career area. Sign up for this FREE, information-packed, one-hour webinar on How to Get a Better Job Faster to learn how to guarantee yourself a job offer every time you interview.
The short answer is yes. A recruiter can and will absolutely help you put together a 30/60/90-day plan, especially an external recruiter whose paycheck depends on you getting the job.
The longer answer is also yes, but you have to do your part in making sure that happens. A good recruiter can point you in the right direction for your research on the company. But you also have to ask the right questions to get the recruiter to share with you what they believe and know about the company and the job.
What are some basic things you need to know to create a killer 30/60/90-day plan?
What’s the greatest challenge for the position?
Why is the position open?
What has to happen for the role to be successful?
Who has been hired for this position before?
What made them successful at it (or not)?
These concepts are huge. They are going to help you think strategically about the role and create a plan of attack that will ultimately result in your success.
A good recruiter will also be able to point you to essential resources to help you. Not just a home webpage address, but possibly a summary of the company, white papers on company products or services, or more. (But don’t forget the company’s LinkedIn page. That’s a tremendous resource, also.)
Even better, a smart candidate will have the recruiter review and critique the plan before it’s presented in the interview. The input you get could in fact be what makes you superior to all other candidates and get you the job offer.
Don’t forget to sign up for this FREE webinar: How to Get a Better Job – FASTER
I have recommended for years that my clients and candidates use a 30/60/90-day plan when they go into job interviews (I've even used it myself), and for good reason--it WORKS!
A 30/60/90-day plan is, of course, a written outline that tells the hiring manager what your plans are for the first 3 months on the job. It covers how you'll get your training, how you'll begin to incorporate yourself in to the flow of the company, and how you'll begin contributing to the team. It's very impressive because it shows your initiative as well as your strategic thinking skills, and it also demonstrates to the hiring manager that you are prepared for the job (even if you are new to the field). I have never heard of any hiring manager who's failed to be impressed by this document and the candidate who created it.
Because I started out in sales and sales recruiting, that's where I started telling folks about this remarkable tool. It's a natural for sales and sales management jobs. I developed a product incorporating samples, templates, and serious, intensive coaching on exactly how to use the plan to win the job: The 30/60/90-Day Sales Plan.
Because it's worked so well for sales reps, word got out. Candidates in other career areas started asking if it would work for them, too. The answer is: Absolutely. A 30/60/90-day plan is a tremendously effective tool for all job interviews.
Why does a 30/60/90-day plan work so well for non-sales jobs? For the same reasons it works so well for sales jobs:
(1) it shows the hiring manager you're willing to go above and beyond to get the job done;
(2) it shows that you have the thought process/experience/knowledge to do the job; and
(3) it communicates to the hiring manager that it's going to be beneficial to their own success if they hire you.
In response to the questions and requests I was receiving from candidates who weren't in sales but still needed that extra boost to help them stand out from the competition, I developed a tool that is customizable for all careers:
This product includes detailed samples for different career areas, a fill-in-the-blank template, and intensive, comprehensive coaching on how to use your plan. You not only learn how to create a customized plan, you learn exactly what to say to use it to control your job interview. It's incredibly powerful.
I would never go into a job interview of any kind without a 90-Day plan for success.
Have you used a 30/60/90-day plan in your interview? Did it make the difference? What's been your experience? Let me know in the comments below. Tell others about your success and we'll celebrate with you.
I was recently asked this question by a candidate: "If bringing a 30/60/90-day plan to the interview is so impressive, would a 1-year plan be even better?"
Now that's a go-getter!
But, my answer is:
Maybe, but probably not.
I can see where there's a possibility that someone with tremendous amounts of experience who's going for a very high-level executive position might want to extend the plan out for a year, in the same way that someone who's starting their own business would do--it's a big deal.
A well-written 30/60/90-day plan is very impressive to hiring managers for a lot of reasons, and one of them is that not many people take the time to create one. So you're already ahead of the game if you do. When you add in the advantages of your careful and thoughtful analysis for exactly how you're going to be successful at this job (and make your new boss look great!) and the way it helps you turn the interview into a professional conversation rather than a question-and-answer session, you become a job-winning candidate.
I think the answer is that for most people, a 90-day plan is going to be as far out as you need to go. You're showing the manager how you're going to transition into being a contributing, productive member of the team, and by 3 months in, you should be sailing along pretty well. And you'll have additional goals given to you from your boss and your boss's boss that you can't predict right now--so there's no point.
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