90 day plan presentation for interview example

Home Blog Business Crafting an Effective 30-60-90 Day Plan for Job Interviews: Examples + Templates

Crafting an Effective 30-60-90 Day Plan for Job Interviews: Examples + Templates

Some job interviews entail making or presenting a plan to show what can the new recruit offer the organization once he/she is hired. Depending upon the job title, there are various types of plans that one might require making such as perhaps a communications plan or project plan. However, the most common plan one might require making is a 30 60 90 day plan .

What is a 30 60 90 Day Plan?

Benefits for job applicants, benefits for employers, when to use a 30-60-90 day plan, key elements of a job interview 30-60-90 day plan, 30 days – learning phase, 60 days – evaluation phase, 90 days – optimize, start with an introduction, the first 30 days – learning goals, the first 60 days – initiative goals, the first 90 days – transformation goals, timeline & scorecard, make it readable, set smart goals, identify the company’s mission, meet the key stakeholders, be flexible.

• Determine How You Will Measure Success

Mintzberg’s 5Ps

Addie model, final words, 30 60 90 day plan templates for powerpoint.

Some employers ask candidates to present a 30-60-90 day plan. This helps employers understand the candidate’s skills, ability to create and manage measurable goals, foresight and willingness to be accountable for his/her work. The plan includes a roadmap to how the candidate aims to learn, add value and play a transformational role within the organization.

Source: 30-60-90 Day Plan PowerPoint template

Organizations usually expect candidates to not only put in an effort to understand and evaluate the organization, projects and working environment; but to also add value, optimize procedures and bring positive change.

Benefits of Creating a 30 60 90 Day Plan

Whether your employer has asked for a 30 60 90 day plan or you take one along without any prior request from the potential employer, there can be a number of benefits for making such a plan. Similarly, the employer can better screen candidates if they ask for a 30 60 90 day plan.

Clarity in Job Expectations

One of the benefits of making a 30 60 90 day plan is that it provides clarity regarding what you might want from the new job. Furthermore, by dwelling into specifics of the advertised job description, you can also better understand the nature of the job and what you might have to offer to your potential employer.

If you’re someone rather new in your career or at an intermediate stage, making 30 60 90 day plans when trying to move up the career ladder can also be a way to sharpen your skills. You can see it as a tool that improves performance and productivity in the long run.

Better Preparation for a Job Interview

By making a 30 60 90 day plan, you can better prepare for a job interview. Many candidates can make the mistake of not paying attention to the job descriptions for dozens of jobs they might apply for. Once they receive an interview call, it can be tempting to skip the fine details. This is where you can fail during a job interview. Many times, it’s not the tough questions that can ruin your job prospects but a simple question that you failed to prepare for.

A Reflection of Professionalism

Some job applications create a 30 60 90 day plan even if the employer has not asked for it. This shows intent and determination, where a potential candidate has taken the time to better understand the job role and provide practical suggestions. Such an approach can make your potential employer see that you aren’t coming in with a casual approach. It also reflects on your professionalism in a positive way and can help you score some extra points.

Helps Thoroughly Screen Candidates

Many candidates can be good at expressing their views but not all that good at implementing action plans. A 30 60 90 day plan template can help employers screen candidates more closely by analyzing the candidate’s capabilities and asking tough questions.

Enables Gauging the Experience of Candidates

When a potential candidate presents a 30 60 90 day plan , it’s not just a reflection of his/her ideas but also a reflection of the experience and expertise they bring along. Some candidates might be suitable based on their expertise and experience for the job compared to others. For example, when choosing between two candidates for social mobilization of rural communities, one might have experience working with large organizations, but the other candidate might be more suitable based on his/her expertise at the grassroots level. Such a distinction might mean the difference between someone who is more in touch with the environment he/she needs to work in compared to the other.

Can Help Attract Better Candidates

Arguably, asking for a 30 60 90 day plan can help weed out candidates with a casual approach who might not even want to put in the time to make such a plan. Such candidates might not even apply for the position, leaving room for better candidates.

30/60/90 plans are often required at the time of job interviews and after an employee joins an organization. Such a plan is a reflection of how the employee intends to move forward during the first 90 days at the job, including how he/she shall learn, adapt, and perform at the workplace.

To put it in a nutshell, you should create a 30 60 90 day plan when applying for a job and it is quite likely you will need one when starting your new job. However, as mentioned earlier, even if the employer hasn’t asked for one, you can always create and bring along such a plan, be it a simple document or PowerPoint presentation. This is because such a move will give you clarity in your job role, will help you plan better for the job interview, and might even help you win a few extra points.

We also recommend you to read: The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael D. Watkins to get some insight into how a 90 days plan can lead to success at the workplace. The book reflects upon leadership and career transitions. Joining a new job with a better salary and a few extra perks should not ideally be a goal. Negotiating with your new employer, moving up the career ladder, and ensuring success at the workplace requires leadership skills, your ability to bargain with your employer, team, and external stakeholders, is equally important.

How to Create a 30 60 90 Day Plan for a Job Interview?

If you have a job interview where you might require using a PowerPoint presentation to reveal your 30-60-90 day plan, you should focus on the key elements of the plan.

The key elements of a 30-60-90 day plan for a job interview entail understanding processes, people, procedures, products and competition, evaluating processes and provide an action plan for optimization and transformation within the organization.

The first 30 days entail the learning phase, where you must understand the processes, procedures, your team, product and the competition.

Process, People and Procedure

The first 30 days are to get acquainted with your new job. The objective is to understand the team, processes and procedures. Understanding how things work within the organization would be key to moving things forward. Many project managers can become disconnected from company processes and their own team, leading to bad decisions and subordinate resentment. During your job interview don’t try to show that you know everything, since everyone needs to learn about the new company before they can take meaningful steps.

Product and Competition

During the first 30 days you will also be required to understand the product or service, its key features, the clientele and how competitors might be a threat to it.

As evident from the aforementioned, the first 30 days, therefore, are all about learning the basics, followed by the next 30 days where you would move forward to the evaluation phase.

Evaluate Current Processes

The next 30 days (60 days) will include assessing current processes to understand how things work and to identify room for improvement. You might want to create a SWOT analysis to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This will also help you allocate resources in the best possible manner to optimize your impact.

Evaluate Changes

Once you have evaluated processes, you now must try to evaluate grounds for bringing meaningful change. For example, you can identify cost-saving initiatives, methods for reducing waste, improving processes, lower per unit cost, etc. During this time, you would also be acquainted with the team (during the first 30 days) to determine what kind of change might be rational and what changes might lead to employee resentment and a possible backlash.

The next 30 days (90 days) would conclude 3 months, which is also usually the probation period for employees. This is the time when you need to deliver, or you might find yourself looking for a new job. If you set out with SMART goals, you should be fine during this time.

Initiate Action Plan

Based on your specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound (SMART) goals, you will require initiating your action plan. This will be a detailed plan with timelines and a scorecard to measure the success of your strategies.

Implement New Strategies and Procedures

During the last 30 days of the 30-60-90 day plan, you should start rolling out your new strategies and procedures. For example, a new process might be rolled out during this time or initiatives to cut costs and improve efficiency might be initiated.

Practical Example: How to Create a 30-60-90 Day Presentation for a Job Interview?

Now that we have discussed the basics of a 30-60-90 day plan, let’s take a look at how to create a 30-60-90 day plan example presentation to show your potential employer how you intend to add value and improve the processes, procedures, and project delivery.

There is no point jumping right into the topic. You should start with a brief introduction of the topic at hand and explain what the plan is about. This is the section of the presentation that starts with a brief explanation of the topic.

You should incorporate your goals within your presentation, starting with the learning phase or the first 30 days. You should briefly explain how you intend to learn about the processes, procedures, people and corporate culture, product or service and the competition to evaluate room for improvement. If you don’t have a lot of information regarding the organization, you can create sample goals based on hypothetical examples.

Many people can end up joining a job and thinking they have made a mistake. You need to have absolute clarity that the new job is something you are interested in, are looking to take the initiative to move forward with and can add value to the organization. Speak with clarity regarding your goals and if necessary, use hypothetical examples to give an example of what you might bring to the table.

You can also discuss strategies used by competitor organizations and even present a SWOT analysis in your presentation. Your information during this time might be limited regarding the organization, since you are unlikely to know specifics. But that’s alright, since employers expect the candidate to put in an effort in their plan and not know everything regarding the organization at the time of the job interview.

Based on the learning phase (first 30 days), you must set goals for taking initiative. As mentioned earlier, this is the evaluation phase where you would look for bringing changes to processes, procedures and perhaps team orientation to set out an outline for what might be rationally achievable. You can set SMART goals with indicators in the form of a scorecard for this purpose.

This part of your First 90 Days in a New Job presentation will focus on the change you intend to bring and the way you ensure it. You can explain how you intend to integrate your team with your organizational mission, vision, core values and bring improvement to existing processes, procedures and methods. You can also refer to a SWOT analysis to explain how your methods might be the right way forward for the organization. For example, in case the company is facing declining sales, you can incorporate a plan for improving market share, competing more effectively against competitors who pose a threat to the business and how you intend to capitalize on available opportunities (e.g. brand goodwill or making better use of existing marketing resources).

Make sure that you incorporate a timeline and scorecard in your 30-60-90-day presentation. This will allow your potential employer to assess your capability of organizing your goals and get an overview of what your plan might look like at a glance. The scorecard will enable you to show how you intend to measure success and achieve your goals. This will help give a positive impression regarding your capabilities and clear out any possible confusion that your audience might have regarding your plan.

Tips for Making Your First 90 Days in a New Job Presentation

Making a plan for your first 90 days in a new job presentation is too complicated might confuse your potential employer. One of the key aspects of making a robust 90 days plan is that it should be easy to understand. Try to keep the layout of the plan easy enough for your audience to understand and pay special emphasis on legibility. If it’s a document, use standard fonts. If you need to present your plan, do away with flashy templates and over-the-top animations and try to keep the layout easy to read and simple enough to present. And of course, avoid death by PowerPoint.

It goes without saying that the goals you set out should be SMART, i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. You can analyze your goals once your plan is complete to ensure that they comply with SMART goals . Since this is a 90 days plan, you should try to focus on goals that are based primarily on the first 90 days, even if you plan to discuss a few long-term goals. You can also use a template that can help you easily layout your plan in the form of PowerPoint slides. For more information, we also recommend our section of SMART goals templates .

To create a 30/60/90 plan that is well received, you should ensure that your plan is in line with the company’s vision and mission. You can do a bit of research regarding that prior to your job interview. If you are making a plan after being hired, it is even more critical to ensure you don’t make a plan that can end up colliding with the corporate culture of the organization. To ensure this, you need to better understand the vision and mission statements of the company and any other frameworks they might have in place related to them.  

While it’s unlikely that you will be able to meet the key stakeholders at the time of the job interview, when making a 90 days plan after joining a job, you can meet the key stakeholders to help refine your plan. This would include both internal and external stakeholders such as peers, senior management, line managers, vendors, partner organizations, etc.

While you might think you have a robust 30 60 90 day plan. It isn’t necessarily going to be perfect for your potential employer. You need to leave room for flexibility and adapt to potential challenges and suggested changes. Be it at a job interview or when making a plan after being hired, you need to ensure your plan isn’t rigid and can be adapted to unforeseen circumstances.

Determine How You Will Measure Success Example

To measure success, you will require adding a few KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). For example, if you are hired as a communications expert in the development sector, you will be required to elaborate upon how you can use digital technology to benefit the organization. Are you looking to overhaul the company’s social media presence? Are you looking to change the website design of the company website with a responsive UI? Do you plan to reach a specific number of targeted beneficiaries under a human development program using digital technology? Your KPIs should be in line with your SMART goals and should be realistically achievable during the laid-out timeline.

Alternatives to 30-60-90 Day Plans

There are a few alternatives to the 30-60-90 day plan. Let’s briefly take a look at a few 30-60-90 day alternatives.

Mintzberg 5Ps have been around since 1987. These 5Ps were the brainchild of Henry Mintzberg and include; Plan, Ploy, Pattern, Position and Perspective. These 5Ps serve as a roadmap for making a business strategy to make the most out of an organization’s strengths.

ADDIE stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Being an Instructional Systems Design framework, the ADDIE model is used by instructional designers and training developers for developing courses.

Source: ADDIE Model PowerPoint template by SlideModel

The GROW Model is used by executive coaches. The model is meant for setting goals and problem-solving . The model can be understood simply by its name, which stands for Goal, Reality, Obstacles, Options and Way Forward.

Even if you are not asked to bring a 30-60-90 day plan, it might not be a bad idea to bring along one to improve your chances of scoring a job. A 30-60-90 day plan is essentially meant to assess the capabilities of a potential employee and what change he/she might bring to an organization. When making such a plan for a job interview, you should gather as much information regarding the organization as possible. You should also look into competitors, weaknesses in procedures, financial outlook of the organization, etc. This information is usually available on the organization’s website, via news articles and from companies dealing with trends related to the industry.

Your 30-60-90 day plan needs to be rational, with SMART goals and measurable success. You should not jump to conclusions but rather focus on rational approaches which might be implemented should you get the job. You should also account for aspects like a rigid corporate culture, possible non-cooperation of coworkers and procedures which might make it hard to implement your goals. In such a case you can mention pre-conditions for your 30-60-90 day plan to be successful. This is because many such plans can fail due to the bad working environment prevalent in particularly large organizations, where petty politics and slow procedures can be the bane of newly hired employees looking to implement strategies which might otherwise look rational.

If you are looking to create a professional plan for your new job interview, check out our 30 60 90 Day Plan Templates .

1. Free 30 60 90 Day Plan PowerPoint Template

Free 30 60 90 Day Plan PowerPoint Template is a 3-slide presentation for planning presentations. You can utilize slides of 30, 60, and 90 days planning to visualize goals and set realistic deadlines. Together, you can present a strategy for success in the first 90 days on job or a new project.

Use This Template

2. 30-60-90 Days Plan PowerPoint Template

This is our most popular 30 60 90 Day Plan Template for PowerPoint, the most recognized by jobseekers and expected by employers. This is a powerful tool in the final stages of a job interview process.

3. Simple 30 60 90 Day PowerPoint Template

The Simple 30-60-90 Day Plan Template for PowerPoint is an infographic layout of business and management concepts. This tool helps recruitment officers to analyze candidate’s interpersonal skills, clear understanding of job descriptions, and passion for work.

4. 100-Day Plan PowerPoint Template

The 100-Day Plan Template is a timeline and planning presentation. This template includes 5 slides of colorful diagram design. This template also includes a Gantt chart format of time scheduling for management plans.

5. 30-60-90 Day Planning Template for PowerPoint

The 30-60-90 Day Planning Template for PowerPoint is a strategy and planning concept presentation. The timeline of days is represented by a blue ruler shape containing entries of days instead of centimeters. The circular shapes give an effect of a magnifying glass on 30 – 60 – 90 day milestones.

6. 30-60-90-120 Day Plan Slides for PowerPoint

The 30-60-90-120 Day Plan Slides for PowerPoint is a tabular layout to present an action plan in any managerial capacity. It is a one-step further to 30-60-90 day plan to map project goals and deliverables within four milestones, including the 120 day plan option.

7. 30-60-90 Day Plan Slides for PowerPoint

The 30-60-90 Day Plan Slides for PowerPoint is a business planning template to map out main goals. In terms of 30, 60, and 90 days, you can highlight the deliverable of a project, operation, or job. Business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs use a 30-60-90 day roadmap template to highlight the company’s course of action.

8. 90 Day Plan Template Slides for PowerPoint

The 90 Day Plan Template Slides for PowerPoint illustrate a line gauge of tens. It is a timeline & planning PowerPoint template for all types of industry strategies. The concept can be applied to projects for organizing and prioritizing processes.

9. 90-Day Plan PowerPoint Template

The 90-Day Plan PowerPoint Template is a planning presentation tool used by business professionals. This template lets users personalize their 30-60-90 days plan of success for executive meetings. New managers and leaders use the 90-day plan template to showcase their first 30, 60, 90 days plan on a new job.

10. 30-60-90 Day Planning PowerPoint Template

This 30 60 90 day plan template is a clear example of how to generate a planning in three simple steps. This template is 100% editable, allowing the user to customize the content and visual appearance.

11. 30 60 90 Days Plan Timeline Template

The 30 60 90 Days Plan Timeline Template is a very useful template for project management. It will allow you to present your 30 60 90 day plan with a weekly planning of each task and a specific Gantt chart generating a clear roadmap.

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Free 30-60-90 Day Plan Template for Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Interview Preparation

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

One of the best ways to stand out in your interview is to create a 90-day business plan (also called a 30-60-90-day plan) to show employers how you’ll help them in the first three months on the job.

Having a plan to learn the job and succeed quickly is going to set you apart from other candidates and make you more attractive to employers.

Let’s look at how to create a plan that will land you the job…

How to Create a 90-Day Business Plan for Job Interviews

I recommend splitting your 90-day business plan into three sections: 0-30 days, 30-60 days, and 60-90 days.

So we’ll actually be creating a 30-60-90 day plan.

We’ll divide it into three periods, and you’ll outline different goals and milestones for each of the first three months.

I’ll help you do this below.

If you prefer to lump everything together into a single 90-day period, that’s fine too.

What to Write About in Your 30-60-90 Day Business Plan

In your business plan, you want to show the interviewer the following:

• You understand what the job involves
• You’re capable of quickly learning and performing the job duties
• You’re motivated to learn and do the work
• How you plan on learning and succeeding. Which specific steps will you take to reach your goals?

So let’s look at each 30-day period now, and what should go into each…

The First 30 Days

In the first part of your business plan, you’ll want to focus on training/learning.

The company likely has a training program (if you’re not sure, this is a good question to ask in the interview ).

So what is your plan to make the most of their training, and get up to speed quickly?

This could include reviewing and studying at home each night for the first week, staying 30 minutes late to review what you learned each day, finding a teammate to have lunches with, or finding a fellow new hire to review with (if you’re in a training class with multiple people).

Other things to talk about in the first part of your plan:

• How will you learn about the company’s products/services ?
• If you’re new to this industry, how will you learn the industry/market overall?
• How will you learn this company’s systems and procedures? (They might have an employee booklet you can review, so include some time to review this in the first 30-day period of your business plan.

Your goal in this section is to show them you have a detailed plan and a lot of motivation to learn the basics of the job and understand how they operate quickly.

The Next 30 Days

The next 30 days should focus on how you’ll learn and improve by “doing”.

By now, you should be able to start using what you’ve learned to perform some of the job duties on your own.

You might be interacting with team members, customers, etc. (this will depend on your specific position)

And while learning is still a focus here, you want to show them that you plan on being ready to work hands-on and learn in a real-world environment.

Also, a big part of this section should be getting feedback from your manager to see how you’re progressing.

What is your plan for checking in, receiving and organizing feedback, and using it to improve?

Most new employees wait for their manager to set up a meeting to review their performance…

Show the interviewer that you’re different – that you’ll take initiative and be responsible for this yourself.

Employers love when a job candidate seems proactive and self-starting.

The Final 30 Days

In the final 30 days of your 90-day plan, you want to show the interviewer that you’ll be ready to use everything you’ve learned to work independently.

You’ll be up-to-speed, contributing to the team’s efforts, and not requiring any more supervision/help than anyone else on the team.

You may also want to talk about ways you’ll go above and beyond the basic job duties now.

This could include looking for processes that can be improved, finding new ways to help the company get more customers, etc.

Also, you can still include steps for getting feedback and continuing to improve.

But it should be less of a focus here. The main focus now should be on contributions, independent work, and “taking off” with what you’ve learned.

What will you be able to do for them? What will you be contributing after 90 days?

Using S.M.A.R.T. Goals

When talking about a specific goal or objective in your 90-day job interview plan, try to use SMART goals whenever possible.

SMART goals are:

Saying, “I plan on being very good at serving customers after 90 days,” doesn’t say much.

However, it sounds a lot more impressive if you say something like, “At the 90-day mark, I plan on achieving 120% of the monthly goal for customer service calls taken, and I will achieve a customer satisfaction rating of 98% or greater.”

Using “Learning Goals” and “Performance Goals”

One strategy I’ve seen used very effectively is to divide your main goals for each 30-day period into two different categories: Learning Goals and Performance Goals.

You’ll have more Learning Goals than Performance Goals in the first 30-day period.

Then, as you move through the plan, you’ll gradually shift to having more Performance Goals, and fewer Learning Goals (but still some!)

You can also add one or two personal goals, such as having lunch with one new team member per week, or visiting the gym after work two nights per week to stay healthy.

Don’t worry if this sounds complicated. Coming up soon I’m going to show you a full example of a 90-day plan for your interview, that you can copy. 

And in that sample business plan, you’ll see the three different categories laid out (Learning Goals, Performance Goals, and Personal Goals).

Creating and Formatting Your 90-Day Plan

If you’re comfortable making a good-looking document in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or some other word-processing software, feel free to use that to create your 30-60-90 day business plan.

Otherwise, I’d recommend using Canva.com .

The website has great templates for creating a PDF, and it’s free to use. I use it myself for creating images and PDF guides for this blog .

Make it EASY to Skim and Read

I’d keep the whole document to 1-2 pages maximum.

It’s an outline/presentation, not an essay. 

Try to avoid long paragraphs and giant blocks of text with no spacing.

Make it skimmable and easy to read.

Use headers, bullets, etc.

Here’s a full example of how you might lay out your 90-day plan…

30-60-90 Day Plan Template/Example:

0-30 Days: (Write your main focus and objective here. The priority should be learning and getting up to speed on the basics as quickly as possible. What will you need to learn to perform well in the job, and how will you learn it?) Learning Goals: Learn the company’s entire product offering Study the top 3 competitors’ product offerings to understand strengths/weaknesses Review training manual, and bring any questions to direct supervisor before the end of month 1 Listen to at least 4 sales calls per week with senior team members Learn all industry terminology so I’ll be ready to communicate effectively with prospects and customers Meet with supervisor at the end of each week to discuss progress, questions, and results achieved Performance Goals: Score 100% on the training manual examination on week 3 Personal Goals: Get coffee with each team member before the end of the first month 30-60 Days: (Write your main focus for the next 30 day period here. You should still be learning, but the focus now shifts to taking what you’ve learned and using it in the real world. You want to start doing the work and learning through experience). Learning Goals: Continue listening to 4 sales calls per week with senior team members Find team members to listen to at least 10 of my sales calls per week and provide feedback Meet with supervisor twice per week to ensure I continue learning and progressing as quickly as possible. This will include reviewing my sales call results and the tactics I’m using and working on as I listen to team members Take one free LinkedIn Learning course to improve my sales skills outside of work hours Performance Goals: Conduct a minimum of 12 sales calls per day Convert one sales call per week into a customer Qualify leads and do thorough research of potential clients before calling, so that at least 80% of prospects I speak with are fully-qualified for our products Follow up with each potential prospect/lead within four business days of initial conversation Personal Goals: Have at least two lunches with Supervisors or Team Leaders from other departments to grow my network and better understand how other areas of the organization work. 60-90 Days: (Now you’ll want to show that you’re ready to produce at a high level and be a valuable member of the team. Your learning is never fully done, but this section should talk far less about learning, and really focus on demonstrating what you’ll DO for the employer after 90 days on the job.) Learning Goals: Meet with supervisor once per week to track progress and continue learning sales tactics Performance Goals: Conduct a minimum of 25 outbound sales calls per day Convert 4 sales calls per week into customers Qualify leads and do thorough research of potential clients before calling, so that at least 90% of prospects I speak with are fully-qualified for our products Ask for referrals after each completed sale, and/or after determining a sale is not going to occur. Goal: Obtain five qualified referrals per week and contact each referral within 24 hours. Personal Goals: Join the gym and go every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for one hour minimum.

You can alter this example however you want. This is just one way to set up your 30-60-90 day plan for a job interview.

If you invest the time into creating a plan like this, it will make you stand out and will boost your chances of receiving a job offer.

And once you’ve created a template for yourself, you can re-use it for multiple interviews by changing the basic details to match each job.

How and When to Show Interviewers Your 90-Day Plan

The best time to mention your 90-day plan is at the beginning of the interview.

As you sit down, mention that you brought it by saying something like this:

“By the way – I put together a 90-day plan demonstrating some of the ideas I had for what I could accomplish in the first 3 months in the role. Whenever you think it fits well into the conversation, I’d love to show you some of what I was thinking.”

Now they’re immediately impressed with your preparation and effort, and they can decide whether they want to look at it immediately or discuss your 90-day plan later in the interview.

Either way, you won’t have to constantly think about finding the right to mention it, and you’ll make a fantastic first impression to begin your interview. 

The “Hidden” Benefit of Creating a 30-60-90 Day Plan for Interviews

The steps and free template above involve some work, so you may be thinking, “Is it really worth creating my 30-60-90-day plan for my interview?”

In case you’re on the fence, here’s one of the biggest benefits that you may not have realized.

Creating your plan doesn’t just show hiring managers you’re motivated and ready to hit the ground running.

It also better prepares you for the interview, and for responding to all of the questions that they’re planning on asking you.

You can’t create a 90-day plan without researching the team and company, reviewing the job description, etc.

So you’re going to have a big advantage throughout the interview in terms of showing your new manager that you grasp the role and know what’s needed in the first 30 days, 60 days, and beyond.

You’ll be able to ask better and more unique questions in the interview , too. While other candidates are asking simple questions like, “What is the company’s mission?” or, “What are the typical working hours?” you can ask advanced questions like:

“As mentioned in my 90-day plan, I’d like to be able to contribute <key goal> within the first 60 days. To do that, I’ll need to absorb as much information as possible in my first month. Can you share a bit about what type of training is provided to new hires, and what type of feedback I’d get from my new manager and team as I learn the fundamentals in those first 30 days?”

The bottom line is:

By creating a 90-day plan for your job interview, you’ll not only impress the hiring manager with your effort, but you’ll also be much better prepared for the interview as a whole so that you can land a new job faster.

Employers will see that you’re focused on being a high performer when starting a new job and that you’re already well-informed about the role and their needs and ready to contribute at a high level as soon as you’re hired. This will impress any hiring manager.

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

4 thoughts on “Free 30-60-90 Day Plan Template for Interviews”

Thanks for the generous guidance. I have a job interview coming and they said they will send me the topic for creating a 30-60-90 plan the day before the interview, but never created one before, so this was very, very useful!

Is there a template please that you have

This is very timely information. I was asked to bring a 90 day plan to my face to face interview later this week. Thank you!!

Hello have you got an example of your presentation x

Comments are closed.

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A 30-60-90 day plan can help you prove to a new employer that you know your role within a new company. It demonstrates that you understand the position’s responsibilities and are prepared to tackle them, starting on day one.

A successful plan also helps you to better adapt to your new role and work environment.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

When to use a 30-60-90 day plan, benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan template with example, 30-60-90 day plan example, tips for creating your own 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan tips for executives and managers.

A 30-60-90 day plan is a formalized document containing intents, goals, and actions that a new employee plans to execute to maximize his efficiency in a new role.

A 30-60-90 day plan can be used in any position or company.

For a regular employee, a 30-60-90 day plan is a way to show the interviewer that you know what to do and have a plan for this new role . It is a type of preparation that a prospective employee might opt to create before their interview, or it might be something an interviewer requests applicants to create.

For executive positions, the purpose of the plan is the same, the only difference is the scale of the plan, or the department level that it would apply to. A prospective manager would prepare the plan to show what they will do to succeed in the role.

The plan should demonstrate that new employees are able to set goals that are in line with the company vision.

This plan is ideal for those who are seeking to make a strong positive impression during an interview.

It demonstrates what you will bring to the job, highlights your seriousness about the position, and shows that your goals dovetail with those of the company.

No matter the level of the role, a strong 30-60-90 day plan can be an asset during the interview process.

Regular level employees can show the value that they will bring to the team, and higher level employees can demonstrate how their leadership will create positive effects within their team or department.

Many hiring managers want to see that their new hires are serious about their jobs and career. This plan gives insight into how a new hire plans to fulfill the goals of their new role, their understanding of various processes and how they tackle challenges.

While it is most commonly used for those who are beginning new positions, it can also be used to work on a new project. The same template can be helpful to set actionable goals and achieve them in regards to a new project that you are working on.

A 30-60-90 day plan is a helpful tool for both the candidate and the organization.

When a candidate writes a good plan, they demonstrate competency, while potentially impressing hiring managers.

The organization can then use the plan to judge the potential candidate for suitability within the role, department or team.

Here are a few of the benefits of creating one:

1. Increased chances of being hired

Because you will be doing your homework before the interview, it proves that you are a committed team player.

This often impresses your interviewer and can give you a larger chance of being hired.

2. Positive impression on the interviewer

If you are a new employee or a potential hire, a 30-60-90 day plan can show to your employer that you know what you are doing. It demonstrates that you have a plan in place.

Prepare it prior to your interview even if your interviewer doesn’t request one.

3. Smooth onboarding

Starting a new job can be rough sometimes. A 30-60-90 day plan helps you to better integrate yourself into a new team and makes a smoother transition for you.

In creating this plan, you will have to research the role, the tasks you will be assigned, and set out plans for completing them.

In doing so, you’ll be formulating solutions, considering the best plan of attack, and gaining a deeper understanding of the job. This will help set you up for success from day one.

4. Increased productivity

Because you will have a clear goal to work toward in your first 90 days, you have better focus and increased productivity.

Each day, you should know exactly how your tasks fit into the bigger picture of your 30-60-90 day plan.

There are four key areas that should be included in your 30-60-90 day plan:

• Personal goals
• Actions and metrics

In each phase of your plan, you should have something that you are focused on learning.

This might mean meeting with your team to understand their pain points. It might mean learning the ins and outs of your company’s product to make better sales pitches.

Particularly in the first 30 day phase, you should be doing a great deal of learning.

This is part of your plan that should start to take shape. In what areas can you improve performance (either your own or the company’s)?

This should help you to better align your personal responsibilities with the mission of the team you work with.

Start to narrow down what the priority is so that you can better set personal goals in the next section.

This is the best place to mark down exactly what you want to accomplish.

Make sure that you have some insight into your goals and why they are essential to achieve.

This helps to keep your focus clear and doesn’t allow you to lose sight of the company’s mission.

Action and metrics

This is the stage where you determine how you will measure your progress toward your goals.

How will you know when you have achieved a goal? It is important to have specific qualifying action steps behind each one of your goals so that you do not lose momentum.

• If you want to improve your sales pitch, then you might sit in on a sales call with a seasoned salesperson three times this week.
• If you want to reduce the budget, you might have a goal to spend 10 percent less on office supplies.

Whatever your goal is, you need to have an action step associated with it to help you measure your progress.

During the first thirty days in your new position, you spend as much time as possible learning about your company processes, your team, product or the services you sell. This might involve things like:

• Interviewing team members to assess their strengths
• Joining staff on sales calls to learn more about the product or service
• Interviewing customers to learn more about their needs
• Spending time with customer service to determine where your product or services fall short
• Pinpointing current goals and seeing if progress is being made
• Reviewing the budget

Once you have a firm grasp on who you are working with and how you are expected to perform, it is time to implement new aspects of your role.

For regular employees , the focus should be stepping more fully into your role. You have taken the time to learn what that role is, now you should be beginning to deliver results and reaching good working performance.

For higher level employees , like executives or managers, you will start setting new goals for your team. Create goals based on the information you learned during the first thirty days. This is the time for you to share your new goals with the team and start to hold them accountable for the changes.

Regardless of the level of your role, this is a time for you to set goals along with actionable steps you can take to achieve them.

All goals should be specific and measurable. You should also be able to achieve them within a specific timeframe.

TIP: Set a clear metric so you will know when you have achieved each goal.

For example, if your goal is to improve your sales pitch, you might have a metric of observing a more seasoned sales professional in a number of phone calls. You might also have them listen in on a few of your sales calls to offer constructive feedback .

As you move into the first ninety days of your position, you should be ensuring that your performance is in line with company goals and the goals for your specific role.

You should have a solid foundation of knowledge regarding your job, the ability to complete your tasks properly, and an understanding of how your performance helps the organization.

For employees, this is a prime moment to look towards leadership opportunities. Ask yourself ‘what path do I want to take with this organization?’ and begin to set yourself up for that journey. Take initiative and reach out to stakeholders who may be able to help you.

For management level employees, this is when you can start to make bigger changes. Look at the overall picture of your company or department and determine where changes can be made. Ensure that each team member is where they are supposed to be, review the budget, and replace ineffective processes with new ones.

Much like your goals set for the first sixty days, all goals here should still be measurable, time-bound, and specific. While this is bigger picture thinking, each goal should still be realistic and attainable.

While some hiring professionals will come directly out and ask you for a 30-60-90 day plan, many will not.

It is still an excellent idea to create one to show just how you will stand out in the workplace.

As you begin to write this plan, you should ask yourself: What changes would you make and how would you go about your new role in the first ninety days? This will help you create a solid plan that will impress hiring managers.

1. Identify the company’s mission

You can’t create a plan until you have a clear idea of what the company is looking for.

You should spend a great deal of time researching its mission, core values, and any information you can find on its current processes or products.

Each plan should be catered specifically to the culture of the company you are applying to work for.

2. Thoroughly understand the job description

You should tailor your plan to the position that you are applying for instead of overreaching your bounds.

You might have many ideas for the company as a whole, but pay careful attention to the job description.

• What is the role?
• What would your responsibilities be?
• What expectations does the company have?
• Is there a probation period?

3. Explain your plan thoroughly

When you head into an interview, you must prepare a copy of your 30-60-90 day plan.

It can be in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, slides, or paper.

However, you should do more than just slide it across the desk and hope that they understand it. Present it to the interviewer in detail.

4. Don’t be ashamed to brag

Present your plan in great detail.

When you discuss the goals you want to set, it is important to relate these goals to accomplishments you have had in the past.

What have you done that was similar at another company? Focus on your future at this new company but don’t forget about all of the amazing things you have done in the past!

5. Identify your priorities

Setting goals can be challenging if you aren’t aware of your priorities.

Why were you hired for this exact position? Maybe your goal is to solve a specific problem within the team, or perhaps you just need to be the best you can be with your current responsibilities.

Take a few moments to think about the bigger picture of what your job should look like, and then move forward from there.

6. Set measurable goals

All goals that make it onto your list should have a means for you to measure the outcome.

Make sure that you identify how you will measure success on each of the goals that you set.

Try to list quantitative data to support your goals, such as revenue increases, increased website views, and positive customer reviews.

7. Remember to course-correct

Sometimes, starting a new position or project can be overwhelming.

You might set up your plan with the best intentions, but things can change.

If a piece of your plan no longer seems relevant or helpful, it’s okay to have the flexibility to course-correct. Change up your goals if you need to.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

You’ll never get to know your team members or your products unless you are willing to ask good questions.

Spend time with your interviewer or the company representative if they are eager to communicate with you.

Ask any questions you may have about your role and what is expected of you so that you can form clear goals for your plan.

If you are an executive or a manager who has direct reports, your version of a 30-60-90 day plan might look a bit different than a junior employee’s plan.

Here are a few tips to help you get started with your own plan.

1. Take time to learn about direct reports

During your first thirty days, you should be setting aside a large portion of your time to interview your direct reports.

Find out information about them as a person, such as their dreams and goals for their position.

• What are the pain points of their job?
• What barriers are there that stop them from achieving their goals?
• How would they solve those problems?

You should know what their strengths and weaknesses are so that you can see areas where they can improve.

In meeting with each person individually and attentively listening to them, you create a good impression, gain a deep, functional knowledge of your new department, and often will get insight on how to solve these problems.

All of this information can help you to see the current reality of the work environment.

As a new manager or executive, you might be able to help influence change in a way that would boost team morale and productivity.

2. Inform yourself

Consider this step as an extension of the previous one.

Not only should you gather all of the information possible from your recruits, you should spend a lot of time in your first 30 days reading reports, reviewing documentation, talking to other managers, and meeting with higher level executives.

This is the time to ask as many questions as you can, making notes on where you see issues or potential solutions.

3. Create an atmosphere of trust and alignment

During the first 30 days, work to gain the trust of those who will be working under you.

In many organizations, a new manager can represent a threat to how things work, and employees might be resistant to big changes.

You can build this atmosphere by making an effort to get to know them and listening to their thoughts, issues and solutions.

Never diminish the thoughts or opinions of your reports. If you think that they may be wrong, simply ask more questions to better understand their unique point of view. It could be that they are seeing a problem that you don’t.

By working hard at this, you can set yourself up to have a team that trusts that you will be working with their best interests in mind, as well as the organization’s.

4. Identify your strongest employees

By the end of the first 30 days, you should be able to pinpoint who your strongest employees are.

These people will form your A-team, and will be of great service to you.

These are the employees that you will want to include in important projects, as you can depend on them to drive other employees towards reaching their goals.

By having at least a few good employees who you can depend on, you can concentrate more easily on higher level issues, comfortable in the knowledge that your team will be fine without micromanagement.

Through this process, you should also be able to see where skills gaps are in your team, and begin identifying ways to close those gaps.

Plan out ways to invest in your team and grow their strengths.

5. Set SMART goals

Once you enter the second thirty days, it’s time to get some goals down on paper.

You have spent 30 days learning the lay of the land – now you should be in a position to identify issues and solutions.

Upon hiring, you will have been given a solid idea of what the organization expects of you.

After 30 days, you will be able to create actionable goals, begin implementing changes, and really stepping into your role.

6. Review processes

During the second thirty days, you should also be paying close attention to how the processes within your department work.

Often, a fresh set of eyes can see problems – and solutions – to processes that didn’t scale well, are no longer optimized, or otherwise simply don’t work as well as they could.

It is easy to get bogged down with ‘we’ve always done it this way’ and not see how change can be a positive.

As you learn how things are done, and why, you will likely be able to identify better ways of getting things done.

7. Implement changes to meet company goals

You should take everything you learned in the first 60 days, and implement changes in the final 30 days.

• Reduce bottlenecks,
• Implement new processes,
• Introduce new staff or training methods,
• Bring new ideas to achieve better performance.

From the executive level to the day-to-day management of your team or department, you should be leaning in, contributing what you can, asking questions, and generally participating to the best of your ability.

8. Identify your staffing needs

As you enter into your final 30 days, you should have a solid handle on how things are run in your department, and how capable your staff is.

Now is the time to take a close look at your staffing needs and see if they are being met.

• Are there bottlenecks in one department, holding things up for everyone else?
• Are there certain employees that need to take time for training before they can perform up to expectations?
• Could things be made smoother with new hires to help ease the workload?

Look at the short, middle, and long-term goals you have set. Create a hiring plan with those in mind.

9. Conduct regular meetings

Throughout this process, you should be checking in with your team on a regular basis.

You should have weekly meetings with your team to track progress and see how things are progressing on the goals set for the sixty- and ninety-day portions of your plan.

Depending on your work environment, these may be one-on-one meetings or a weekly team gathering.

Figure out what works best for your business, and then make these meetings a mandatory part of the company culture.

Try a 30-60-90 day plan template from Altassian in Trello.

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Examples of a Good 30-60-90-Day Plan

30-60-90-Day Plan , 30-60-90-Day Plan for Managers , 30/60/90-Day Action Plans for Non-Sales , 30/60/90-Day Sales Plans

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To really shine in the interview, you want to blow the hiring manager away with your focus, energy, initiative and dedication right from the start.  The 30/60/90-day plan is the way to do that. In this article, I’ll give you a few examples of a good 30-60-90-Day Plan for sales, management, and technical job interviews.

For most jobs, the first 30 days of your plan primarily focuses on training–learning the company systems, products, and customers.  Usually, the next 30 days (the 60-day part) focus more on getting rolling, which means less training and more activity. Often, the last 30 days (the 90-day part) are the “getting settled” part. Because of that, this section should include things that take more initiative, such as handling projects on your own or going after new business.

Here are just a few examples of how this looks in 3 different areas…sales, management-level jobs , and technical jobs .

• Study and learn the product
• Meet and establish relationships with the sales team
• Learn company CRM software
• Continue calling upon accounts and prospect within territory, completing 2-3 call cycles before month’s end. Make sure all Anchor, Core & Developmental accounts have been visited. 
• Schedule first speaker/dinner program. 
• Fine tune most efficient driving route through territory. 
• Continue calling upon accounts and prospects within territory, completing 3-5 cycles before month’s end. 
• Schedule 2-3 speaker/dinner programs.
• Brainstorm new & creative ways to get prospects’ attention in the field and ask your manager’s input. 
• Attend company training
• Learn company policies and procedures
• Do a SWOT Analysis to inform strategic planning
• Visit other departments to determine tasks/ relationships
• Take note of shipment, product issues
• Study Best Practices within industry
• Begin Team Development practices
• Use 80/20 Rule to evaluate staff performance
• Establish short- and long-term goals
• Learn as much as possible through company training and self-education about corporate policies, company culture, equipment and techniques.
• Complete all company applications.
• Establish relationships with assistants / support departments.

60 Days –

• Use the 80/20 Rule to evaluate time and/or task management.
• Meet with supervisor for feedback.
• Set goals for next 30 days.
• Offer to take on special projects.
• Study Best Practices within industry.
• Work with supervisor to set long-term goals.

These examples are just a drop in the bucket of what goes in a good plan.

Get proven 30-60-90-day plan templates here:

• 30-60-90-Day Sales Plan
• 30-60-90-Day Action Plan
• 30-60-90-Day Plan for Managers
• 30-60-90-Day Plan for Executives

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Crafting An Effective 30 60 90 Day Plan for Interview

A 30 60 90 day plan for interview is a great way to explain your plan for the initial three months of your new job during the interview itself. This blog will help you understand how to create a 30 60 90 day plan for interview that leaves a lasting impression on the recruiter.

Job search and interview process can be among the most significant and challenging periods of your career. During this trying time, you must demonstrate to potential employers that you are a valuable and dedicated worker.

Securing your dream job demands careful preparation and execution. A 30 60 90 day plan for an interview serves as a valuable tool, aiding candidates in setting clear goals, showcasing their commitment, and demonstrating their potential impact on the prospective employer. This strategic approach can significantly ease the stress while ensuring candidates present themselves as serious contenders for the job.

What is a 30 60 90 Day Plan for a Job Interview?

A 30 60 90 day plan for a job interview is a structured document that outlines the intentions, objectives, and steps that one intends to take to be productive in their new employment. Any job or organization can ask you for your 30 60 90 day strategy for your new job during the interview.

What Is A 30 60 90 Day Plan For A Job Interview

MUST READ: How to Answer “What is your 30 60 90 Day Plan?” Interview Question

A 30 60 90 day plan for an interview is suitable for a jobseeker to demonstrate to the employer that they are organized and capable of handling new responsibilities. This kind of preparation can be something an interviewer asks candidates to do, or it can be something a potential employee chooses to produce before their interview. The plan should show goals that align with the organization’s mission.

Benefits of Creating 30 60 90 Day Plan for Interview

There are several benefits of creating a 30 60 90 day interview presentation plan, regardless of whether the hiring manager has requested one or you take one on your own without the prospective employer’s request. 

Creating a 30 60 90 plan for interview benefits both – the job seekers and employers. Job seekers get a structured framework to understand the role’s expectations. Employers benefit by carefully evaluating applicants, assessing not only their ideas but their ability to execute a plan. Furthermore, it helps to filter out candidates and attracts higher-quality applicants, improving the candidate pool overall. 

Benefits of 30 60 90 Day Plan for Job Seekers

Benefits of 30 60 90 day plan for employers, when to use a 30 60 90 day plan during the interview process.

A 30 60 90 day plan is often necessary during job interviews and when a person joins an organization. If you create it, your employer may see that you are approaching the position seriously. Here is when you can use it:

• During job interviews – to demonstrate your commitment and proactive approach to the potential employer.
• To showcase your strategic thinking and planning skills by outlining specific goals for the first three months in the new role.
• To emphasize that you are well-prepared for the interview and ready to make an immediate impact.
• To showcase how your qualifications and goals align with the company’s needs and objectives.
• To showcase a structured framework for discussing your potential contributions and how you can address the company’s challenges.

When to Use a 30 60 90 Day Plan During the Interview Process

ALSO READ: 30 60 90 Day Onboarding Plan For New Hire/Employee

How to Create a 30 60 90 Day Plan For Interview?

Understanding processes, people, procedures, goods, and competition and providing an action plan for optimizing and transforming are the essential components for 30-60-90 day plan interview presentation. Here is an outline of how to create one for yourself with what to achieve at the end of each term.

Day 0 (Pre-Start): Preparation and Research

• Research the company’s history, values, mission, and recent news.
• Identify key competitors and industry trends.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask.

Goal: Thoroughly understand the company, its culture, and industry.

Days 1 to 30 (First Month): Learning and Onboarding

• Attend company orientation and training sessions.
• Meet with team members, managers, and key stakeholders.
• Understand department goals and projects.
• Begin contributing to initial tasks or projects.

Goal: Establish a strong foundation within the organization.

Days 31 to 60 (Second Month): Integration and Goal Setting

• Build stronger relationships with colleagues and superiors.
• Contribute actively to ongoing projects.
• Seek feedback and identify areas for improvement.
• Develop a 60-day summary of your accomplishments and areas of focus.

Goal: Continue learning while setting performance objectives.

Days 61 to 90 (Third Month): Demonstrating Value and Future Planning

• Take on more project responsibility.
• Present your 90-day plan outlining your future contributions.
• Discuss your career development goals with your manager.
• Demonstrate a positive impact and a strong commitment to the organization.

Goal : Prove your value and establish a clear path for the future.

This sample 30 60 90 day plan for an interview helps you demonstrate your ability to adapt, contribute, and plan for long-term success. Adjust the plan based on the specific job and industry to make it more relevant to your situation.

How to Answer “What is your 30 60 90 Day Plan?” Interview Question?

Instead of making snap decisions, concentrate on logical strategies that you could use if you are hired. Practice on answering: What is your 30 60 90 day plan interview question? This will help you in various positions. 

Here are some examples of how you can answer the 30 60 90 day plan interview question:

For Entry-Level Position:

I want to work closely with my entire team during my first 30 days at the company to grasp projects better. My objective for the upcoming month is to begin accepting assignments and, with the help of my colleagues, dive into the work’s practical aspects. I want to be prepared to work on company tasks without asking my coworkers for supervision after 90 days.

For Mid-Level Position:

With my background, I can settle into this new role in your organization with ease and efficiency. I want to meet with every team member in my first 30 days to get to know them and the procedures you have set up. I want to start delivering high-quality results after my first month on the job by utilizing my skills and the knowledge I’ve gained about your procedures. I can accomplish the same in that role as in my prior one, where I could accomplish my goals within the first three months.

For Management Position:

I want to ensure that our efforts align with the company’s objectives, build solid communication channels, evaluate the team’s capabilities, and pinpoint areas for improvement throughout the first 30 days. After 60 days, I’ll focus more on implementing improvements, establishing strategic goals, and cultivating an excellence and collaboration-oriented culture. My goal is to set a good example for my team and actively participate in accomplishing departmental and corporate goals. By the end of the ninety days, I want to be a competent leader by moving the organization closer to its long-term objectives and setting myself up for long-term advancement.

NOTE: Ensure to tailor these answers according to your role and the company you are applying for.

How To Answer “What Is Your 30 60 90 Day Plan” Interview Question

MUST READ: The Ultimate Guide: 30 60 90 Day Plan

Tips for Creating Your Own 30 60 90 day Plan For Interview

Many recruiting managers won’t ask you for a 30 60 90 day plan during an interview up front. Making one to demonstrate how you will stand out in the workplace is still a great idea. Consider the following two things as you start to design this plan: What adjustments would you make, and how would you spend the first ninety days in your new role? This will assist you in developing a solid plan that hiring managers will find impressive.

Consider these tips to create an impressive 30 60 90 day plan for job interview:

• Begin by thoroughly understanding the business’s mission, including its objectives, core values, and current operations or products. Tailor your plan to align with the organization’s unique culture and goals.
• Study the job description in depth to understand the specific responsibilities, expectations, and probationary terms. Tailor your plan to fit your desired role, ensuring it meets the company’s needs.
• Prepare a comprehensive 30-60-90 day plan, whether in the form of a document, slides, or a PowerPoint presentation. During the interview, provide a detailed explanation of your plan to the interviewer.
• Don’t be shy about showcasing your accomplishments. When discussing your goals, connect them to your past successes. Highlight actions you’ve taken at previous companies that are relevant. Emphasize your potential in the new organization while acknowledging your past achievements.
• Determine your top priorities by carefully evaluating your role and broader scope. Decide if you need to excel in your current position or address specific team-related issues. Consider the bigger picture, then plan accordingly.
• Establish clear, measurable goals for your plan. Each objective should have a defined metric for success, such as increased sales, higher website traffic, or positive customer feedback. Incorporate quantifiable data when presenting your goals.
• Be prepared to adapt your plan when necessary. Starting a new job or project may bring unforeseen changes. It’s essential to remain flexible and modify your goals if circumstances require it.

Even if you aren’t asked, it might not harm to present a 30 60 90 plan for interview as it will improve your chances of getting employed. A 30 60 90 day plan’s primary objective during the interview is to assess prospective employee’s skills they can offer to the business. When creating a plan like this for a job interview, you want to learn as much as you can about the company.

Your 30 60 and 90 day plan for interview must be logical, with SMART objectives and quantifiable outcomes. It is essential to consider factors such as inflexible corporate policies, potential employee resistance, and processes that could impede the achievement of your objectives. In this situation, you can outline prerequisites for accomplishing your 30 60 90 plan. 

To ease you out, you can download and use easily customizable 30-60-90 day plan presentation templates for interviews. We understand that interview preparation is stressful and time consuming. To save you time as well as create impactful 30 60 90 day presentations, you can take help from our presentation design experts. Ask us to create your slides ! Focus your efforts towards your interview preparation and let us make your presentation for you!

Is a 30 60 90 day plan suitable for all jobs and industries?

While it’s common in certain industries like sales and management, a well-structured plan can be adapted to various job roles to demonstrate your proactive approach.

What if the company doesn't ask for a 30 60 90 Day Plan during the interview?

Even if it’s not explicitly requested, having a plan ready can set you apart from other candidates. You can offer to share it if the opportunity arises during the interview.

How do you present a 30 60 90 day plan in an interview?

Present your 30 60 90 day plan in the interview by confidently outlining your structured approach to achieving key goals and actions within the first three months, emphasizing your preparedness and alignment with the company’s objectives.

How do I know what goals to set for my 30 60 90 day plan?

Start by aligning your goals with the company’s objectives, focusing on tasks that will have the most significant impact on your role.

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What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

6 benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, when to use a 30-60-90 day plan, what to include in a 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan template for managers, 9 tips for creating a 30-60-90 day plan.

"The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade." Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and BetterUp Science Board Advisor 

When it comes to setting your people up for success, a little help goes a long way. How are you setting up your workforce to reach its full potential ? 

Well, if you ask any leader, a lot of it comes down to helping your employees think strategically from the start. It’s beyond finishing a project, solving a problem, or completing the menial, day-to-day tasks.

Of course, the day-to-day duties help to get work done. But it’s also helping your employees connect their day-to-day to the larger purpose of work . Why does that purpose matter? How does their work connect to the organization’s goals, mission, or purpose? 

When I first started at BetterUp, my manager shared a fully fleshed-out spreadsheet and Google document as part of my 30-60-90 day plan. In these resources, there were targets to hit, milestones to reach, and tasks to complete. 

But more importantly than the line items was the sentiment: the strategy behind the 30-60-90 day plan helped to set me up for success. It was that extra mile to help out a new hire that allowed me to onboard successfully to my new role. And it was the help I needed to see the larger vision of how my work connected to organizational success , even if I didn’t fully know it yet. 

When we think about helping others around us be successful, having a plan is critical. In fact, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they had a good onboarding experience.

Having a roadmap for the first three months can help your employees acclimate to the company culture. It'll also help them ramp up to the role and meaningfully connect with others — and ultimately lead to better performance.  

Sure, the plan might change. After all, we’re in a rapidly changing world where plans are often etched in pencil instead of stamped in pen. But if you’re hiring new employees or onboarding teammates, it’s important to give your workforce a sense of where you want to see them go. 

In this post, we’ll walk through what makes a good 30-60-90 day plan. We’ll also talk about the benefits of a good plan — and even give a template example to help you help your employees. 

First, let’s understand what defines a 30-60-90 day plan. The 30-60-90 plan is a key part of a robust onboarding process . And in remote and hybrid work environments, the onboarding process is more important than ever. It’s critical that in these early days of onboarding, you’re building culture and connection with your new employees. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a document or resource that outlines the goals and strategies for a new employee within the first 90 days. It serves as a guide, a resource, and a checklist for your new hires.

When a new employee joins your organization, there’s likely a stage of information overload. In the onboarding process, the employee absorbs a lot of information. They might be networking and setting up coffee chats with other employees. They’re probably in a good chunk of training sessions and other sorts of new hire workshops. 

Depending on how your organization runs the onboarding process, your employees are likely trying to ramp up in their new roles. At the same time, they're also soaking in everything they can about the organization. All while your employees are acclimating to the new role, they’re also making connections. Or, at least, they should be.

In short: it’s a lot. It can feel overwhelming to retain all the information a new hire receives. Sometimes, it can lead to confusion or misalignment on overall goals. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline the expectations you have for your employee. As a manager, it’s a useful resource and tool to help keep the onboarding process on track. It can also serve as an accountability tool, one where you can ensure your employees are meeting your expectations. 

Let’s talk more about what benefits come with a clearly outlined 30-60-90 day plan. 

There are plenty of benefits to a 30-60-90 day plan, for both the employer and the employee. Here are six of our favorite benefits to consider. 

• It helps optimize productivity  

It sets clear expectations 

• It helps with goal setting  

It can help alleviate the new job jitters 

It empowers employees to self-manage their work , it serves as a reminder of priorities , it helps optimize productivity .

Ashley Ballard, social media manager, BetterUp, shared why a 30-60-90 day helped their productivity in the first three months of work. 

“I'm someone who benefits from an itemized list of expectations so that I’m not hindering my productivity by feeling anxious about my work product. It also keeps everyone on the same page about the meaning behind your role and how you will directly support team goals.” Ashley Ballard, social media manager  

As you’ll notice in some of these benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, there’s a lot of overlap in what makes an employee productive. For Ashley, it’s clear expectations, alignment on the role, and clear communication about the priorities at hand. One could argue that all the benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan can contribute to overall increased productivity . 

It doesn’t get much clearer than getting a document of expectations in written form. At BetterUp, our 30-60-90 day plans come with a “checkbox” field to notch once you’ve completed the task at hand. 

Clear expectations can be hard to set, especially at the nebulous start of someone’s employment in a new role. But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline your expectations as a manager. 

It helps with goal setting 

On my 30-60-90 day plan, I had a list of more administrative or mundane tasks. For example, I needed to upload my information into our HR management system. I needed to review the necessary policies and documents. I needed to set my email signature with the appropriate information. 

But it also outlined higher-level objectives. As a marketer and writer, I needed to learn the BetterUp voice, tone, and perspective. My manager clearly outlined blogs and resources that I could read, practice assignments that I could take on, and even some videos to watch. In fact, one of my goals was to write a blog within 30 days. 

Many of the new hire checklist items served as foundational tasks to get to me my goal. And by providing me with all the information at once, I could more easily connect the dots to the “why” behind some of the work I was receiving, too. 

Have you ever started a new job and not really know what you’re supposed to do with yourself? 

In my last job, I attended a half-day new hire orientation . I still remember going back to my desk upstairs, meeting my new manager, sitting down, and logging into my computer. I played around with my systems and got myself set up on my laptop. But after about an hour, I found myself spinning my chair around to my new boss and asking if I could help with anything. 

Frankly, I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing with myself. I felt that instant anxiety of not contributing anything meaningful, even though it was just my first day. 

There’s a lot of inherent pressure, stress, and anxiety that comes with starting a new job. New job anxiety is totally normal. It happens to all of us.

No matter how great we felt through the hiring process , on top of the world with our offer letter, as the new kid you can feel at loose ends pretty quickly. You waste time in self-doubt or doing unimportant tasks to look busy and loose confidence and momentum. But one way to help alleviate the jitters your employees are feeling is by giving them a plan. 

Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager, BetterUp, shared why she finds having set milestones in place can help reduce anxiety . 

“I’ve come to experience onboarding as a time where folks are the most hungry, curious, enthusiastic, and eager to please. Having a plan with milestones from the outset means that none of the initial emotions that come with starting a new job overwhelm or cause scattered or inefficient outreach — and anxiety about performance."  Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager

Without a 30-60-90 day plan, you couldn’t possibly have made the connections or digested the right resources to help quell those productivity nerves. And without it, you risk a big loss. Those early days are when new hires have the freshest eyes. It’s the best and most optimal opportunity to ask your new hires to observe and provide feedback. 

I’ve never heard of a manager that wants to hold their employees’ hands through every project. Sure, there are micromanagers who like to stay close to their employees’ work. 

But at BetterUp, we’re big believers in giving employees autonomy to self-manage their work. We talk about this in the context of some of our high-impact behaviors: extreme ownership, bias toward action, craftspersonship, and work to learn. 

Managers also need their time to focus on high-impact work and priorities. So when it comes to onboarding a new employee, it’s not plausible to walk your new hire through everything they need to know. And if you were to do so, it certainly wouldn't set them up for success. 

A 30-60-90 day plan empowers your employees to self-manage their work. By leveraging a 30-60-90 day plan as part of your onboarding strategy, you’re giving your employees autonomy to build their own schedules. It helps give them the roadmap but how they get to the final destination is up to them. 

Hand-in-hand with self-management comes managing priorities. We all know that work is busy. As your employees become more acclimated to the role, it’s likely their workload is gradually increasing. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, your employees are reminded of their priorities. And it’s on your employees to manage their priorities effectively, which is a good life and work muscle to flex. 

So, you might be wondering when to use a 30-60-90 day plan. When is it most effective? What situations will it have the most impact? Let’s dig in. 

30-60-90 day plan for an interview 

Job seekers, this is for you. If you want to knock the socks off a potential employer, consider putting together a 30-60-90 day plan for your interview. Even if it’s just an informational interview , you can show how you’d approach your first 90 days on the job. 

For example, let’s say you’re interviewing for a sales position. From the job description and from your informational interview, you know what markets you’ll be focused on. You also know about some target accounts and have a good sense of the industry.

While you might not know exactly what you are going to be doing, you have a good idea. You’ve worked in software sales for a while, enough to know how to approach breaking into a new market. 

So, you decide to come up with a proposed 30-60-90 day plan. You put together a rough sketch in a Google sheet about what you would focus on in your new role . 

30-60-90 day plan for a new job

More commonly, 30-60-90 day plans are used in the onboarding process. This is useful for both hiring managers and employees. For example, at BetterUp, I received my 30-60-90 day plan on my first day of employment. It helped to set expectations about what I would be focused on for the next three months. 

But some companies also use 30-60-90 day plans for things like performance reviews or even lateral moves within the organization. You can also use 30-60-90 day plans for project-based initiatives. 

First, it’s important to understand that 30-60-90 day plans should be personalized based on the employee. For example, a new employee in an entry-level position will probably have a radically different plan than that of a new executive. 

And 30-60-90 day plans for managers are going to look different than plans for individual contributors. There are nuances to these sorts of plans because of job responsibilities, work goals , expectations, and experience. 

But generally speaking, we can outline four key components of a 30-60-90 day plan. 

Expectations and concrete goals 

Go-to resources and information .

• New hire checklist or to-do list  
• Company mission, culture, the purpose of work  

Every 30-60-90 day plan should have clear expectations and concrete goals. As a manager, it’s important to clearly communicate the expectations you have for your employees. For example, my manager has created a couple of documents that very clearly outline the expectations of her employees. 

Oftentimes, expectations serve as the foundation for your working relationships. As part of my 30-60-90 day plan, my manager also asked about my expectations. In a lot of ways, it’s a two-way street.

I filled out a document that outlined my preferred working style, my communication style, and how I  resolve conflict . It helped both parties to essentially get a good sense of how the other works. 

Along the same vein of expectations are goals. My manager expressed some clear goals that she wanted me to reach within my first 90 days. But I also had the opportunity to think about my own personal goals and what I wanted to accomplish.

Together, we iterated on the plan to come up with an action plan. Some of these goals can ladder up to other big milestones that you’d like to have your employees reach along the way. 

The world of work is a complex one. Especially in today’s day and age, there’s a lot of information that’s probably changing rapidly. 

For example, is your workforce hybrid or remote? What sort of COVID-19 guidelines are in place? How do you submit your expense reports or ask for time off? What systems does your organization use for benefits ? What employee resource groups or culture programs does your organization have? 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a good one-stop-shop for all the resources your new hire will need. It’s a great reference and resources with a wealth of information (and can help your employee become more self-sufficient, too). 

New hire checklist or to-do list 

When an employee joins a company, there are a lot of “tasks” that need to be done. For example, I needed to enroll in my benefits and 401K. I needed to upload my personal contact information into our human resources management system. I needed to upload my Slack photo and put my preferred pronouns on my email signature and Slack profile. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a great place for all of the one-off tasks that every new hire needs to complete. It also helps keep your employees on track with all the administrative and HR tasks needed within the first couple of months of employment. 

Company mission, culture, and purpose of work 

Last but certainly not least, your employees need to understand the purpose of work. This likely won’t “click” fully in the first 30 (or even 90) days. But it’s important to start drawing connections between their work and the company’s vision early on. 

In a recent Forbes article, Great Place to Work® released new data around employee retention . One of the top drivers? Purpose. In fact, employees at top-rated workplaces in the US reported that if they feel their work has a purpose , their intent to stay at said companies triples.

Don’t dismiss the role that purpose plays in your organization. At BetterUp, we’re on a mission to help everyone everywhere live with greater purpose, clarity, and passion . This can only happen if employees understand their purpose and the role of their work in the company’s mission. 

We’ve created a free draft 30-60-90 day plan template to use for managers. Access the draft template and start using it today. 

30-60-90 day plan for interviews

As mentioned earlier, there are some situations where an employee may prepare a 30-60-90 day plan as part of an interview. Or, perhaps as part of your company’s hiring process, you ask job applicants to put together their plans. 

With these elements, you’ll be sure the candidate is ready to hit the ground running. Here are some key components you should look for in a job applicant’s 30-60-90 day plan: 

• Short-term goals (generally achievable, time-bound goals)
• Long-term goals (that are also measurable goals)   
• Establishing metrics for success 
• Outlined priorities (especially for the first week) 
• Learning new processes 
• Meeting the new team and team members 
• Any learning goals (or professional development goals ) 

Of course, your 30-60-90 day play is going to be catered to each individual. We’re all human with different responsibilities needed. Keep these nine tips in mind as you put together your 30-60-90 day plans. 

• Set SMART goals  
• Consider what you want your employee to prioritize 
• Encourage professional development  
• Encourage reflection time 
• Outline goals into months: first month, second month, third month 
• Ask for input from your employees and direct reports 
• Promote ongoing learning about the company culture and purpose 
• Adjust (and readjust) as needed 
• Follow-up on the progress 

You can always work with a coach to help outline what might be needed in your 30-60-90 day plan. A coach will have a wealth of experience in the field and an objective, third-party perspective. With guidance from BetterUp, you can ensure you’re setting up your people for success.

Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

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What Is a 30 60 90 Plan?

When should i make a 30-60-90 day plan, why is a 30-60-90 day plans important, how to write a 30-60-90 day plan: tips for 2024, long-term goals, final thoughts, how to write a 30-60-90 day plan (2024 guide).

Updated January 10, 2024

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If you are about to start a new job or are preparing for an interview a 30-60-90 day plan will help you on your route to success.

The 30-60-90 plan is a document that outlines your first 30, 60 and 90 days in a new job.

It should detail everything you want to achieve in your first three months of employment and the SMART goals to facilitate this.

If done correctly, this plan will help make a good first impression, for it shows your employer or recruiter that you are motivated, dedicated and have taken the time to learn about the company.

For those wanting to freelance or register as self-employed , a 30-60-90 day plan gives you focus, and a solid route to success.

If you are new to career planning , creating a 30-60-90 day plan could seem complicated and unnecessary.

However, creating goals and actionable steps is proven to help you reach success more efficiently.

This article will instruct you on creating the best plan for you, with examples to get you started.

The purpose of a 30-60-90 plan is to set the groundwork for career advancement.

You should make:

30-60-90 Day Plan for Interview: In the final stages of your interview process 30-60-90 Day Plan for New Job: In the first week at your new job

Showing your plan in the last stages of the interview process separates you from the rest of the candidates.

It shows you are serious about your career and have the skills to develop a strategy.

The one you create during your initiation week will be similar to what you showed at your interview.

The only difference is that you will now have to deliver on what you have committed to.

30-60-90 day plans are not just useful for recruitment and impressing your new employer. These plans can also be used:

• For project management
• After performance reviews
• To help with personal development

30-60-90 day plans offer many benefits, including:

• Defining your priorities
• Creating a clear focus for the next three months
• Facilitating a smooth integration into your new company and role
• Showing you are capable of self-management skills
• Indicating that you are worthy of investment
• Highlighting the areas you need to improve

What Should a 30-60-90 Day Plan Include?

In each section of your 30-60-90 day plan, you will have four main elements:

• Your specific focus
• The top priorities
• SMART goals
• The metrics you will measure your success

Your focus for each month will be different, and depending on the success or failure of the previous month, you may need to change the next focus for the next month.

Usually, in month one, you will focus on learning about your role, getting to know your team, and understanding company policies and procedures.

Month two is more about contributing, planning and developing skill sets .

Month three is about the execution and preparing yourself for the next stage.

Top Priorities

Once you have established your main focus for the month, you need to outline your priorities.

These should be more specific than your focuses and less specific than your SMART goals.

For example, in your first month, your focus could be to learn the company's policies and procedures.

Depending on your job role, a priority may be to learn the internal processes first.

A priority for the second month could be to begin working independently.

A third-month priority may be to present a solution to a problem the company is currently facing and prepare for your performance review.

SMART Goals

Goal-setting is your roadmap to achieving your priorities.

For your 30-60-90 plan, you want to focus on short-term goals .

These are the small steps you take that make achieving success easier.

Every goal should follow the SMART acronym, meaning they should be:

You are not limited to one goal; however, you also should not overwhelm yourself.

You can also add goals later if you feel you need to adjust your direction or have completed the ones you already set.

Your goals should also cover all areas of personal and professional development, so try to write goals for the following categories:

• Learning goals – The knowledge and skills you need to develop to be successful.
• Performance goals – Concrete things you want to complete, such as workshops and daily targets.
• Personal goals – The relationships you want to develop, how you want to be viewed by your colleagues.

Measurement is part of your SMART goal acronym; however, it should be highlighted as your final section to give you a clear indication of when you have achieved something.

A metric could be a specific date, value, a completed task or time spent doing something. Basically, anything that allows you to track your success.

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Before writing your 30-60-90 day plan, consider the following:

Step 1 . Know Your Why

Before you make your plan, you need to know why you are making it.

Your reasons could be:

• For you and your manager to understand each other better
• So you get the support you need
• To make the most out of your employment
• To facilitate your career strategy

Step 2 . Understand Your Role

Use the job description to help you understand what exactly you are being hired to do.

Your employment needs to benefit the employer so ensure that your priorities and goals feed into your job description.

Step 3 . Ask the Unpleasant Questions

In interviews and at the beginning of our employment, we tend to shy away from questions about money and promotions .

No one wants to seem ungrateful or that they are overstepping.

However, if you do not ask, you will not know what a realistic goal is.

Try wording your questions like:

• ”What is the typical or average time for a promotion?"
• ”How often do promotions come up?"
• ”What is the typical route to getting a promotion?"

If your goal is to get a promotion fast , you need to know what time frame you are working with.

There is nothing wrong with being curious, and your manager may appreciate your enthusiasm.

Step 4 . Get to Know Your Colleagues

Gaining the trust of your colleagues will help you understand the company quicker.

As you and your colleagues get to know each other, they will share their experiences at the company: which managers are friendly, how often promotions come up and what they have done in their own career development.

All this information will help you gauge what goals you can achieve and how.

Step 5 . Accept That You Will Have to Be Flexible

Many external factors can affect your plan, from pandemics to restructuring to technological advancements.

Be prepared that you may need to make adjustments and that things may take longer than you want.

Step 6 . Try to Create Your Plan With Your Manager

Creating your plan in the first week of your employment with your manager is the ideal scenario.

It allows both of you to get clear on expectations, responsibilities and time frames.

Do not hesitate to broach the topic first, as it may not be something they actively do.

Your manager might not be used to having a proactive employee and will be impressed by your initiative.

Alternatively, they may not be a supportive manager. In this case, gather as much information as you can and create your own plan.

It is important to note that if your manager is not forthcoming with feedback or wanting to develop a plan with you, you may be working in a hostile environment.

One of your priorities could then be to initiate a change in the company or learn all you can from them and look for another job.

Step 7 . Decide What Success Looks Like

Everyone has a different definition of success.

For some, it is being the top salesperson and making the most money.

For others, it is getting control of their personal finance and being content in their professional and personal life.

Before setting your goals, decide how you are going to define and measure your success.

How to Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan With Examples for 2024

There is no definitive way to write a 30-60-90 plan. You need to include specific things, but the process and format are whatever works for you.

You may want to start chronologically, deciding what comes first and ending with your 90-day goals.

Alternatively, you can work backward.

To use this method, visualize where you want to be in three months and work your way back to the present day, making a note of all the steps you need to take.

If you have practiced law of attraction you will know that visualizing what you want to achieve is an essential part of getting there.

Depending on your job role and industry, your priorities and goals will be different.

A salesperson will have a very different plan to someone working in marketing, who will have a different plan to someone working in healthcare.

The following examples are general focuses, priorities and goals that could be applied to almost everyone.

However, your plan should be specific and personal to you.

Example of a 30-Day Plan

Focus: Settling in and getting to know my new surroundings. Priorities: Learn the essentials of my role, learn who my team members are and the company culture. Understand the expectations of my manager and how the internal processes work. Learning goals: Gain access to all accounts I need to do my job and familiarize myself by the end of week one. Metric: Task completed Read all materials available to me regarding internal processes and procedures, and ask my manager for additional recommendations by day 15. Metric: Reading completed Shadow a colleague to familiarize myself with the workday and workflow by the end of day 7. Metric: Successfully spent the day shadowing. Make notes of company culture , including how breaks and lunches are assigned/taken, how feedback is given, who seems approachable and the favored communication techniques and language used by day 21. Metric: Confident understanding of company culture. Performance goals: Complete three tasks or responsibilities without supervision or guidance by day 14. Metric: Completed a task/made a sale/contacted three clients. Arrange a meeting with my manager to get constructive feedback and new targets by day 21. Metric: Meeting confirmed. Personal goals: Introduce myself to all team members and learn about their roles in the company and something about their personality by day 30. Metric: Task completed.

Example of a 60-Day Plan

Focus: Actively start contributing. Priorities: Independently perform my role at full capacity and begin to assess if and how things can be improved. Learning goals: Attend any workshops or webinars that will help me understand my job role better, and ask my manager for any recommendations by day 50. Metric: Three workshops or webinars attended. Familiarize myself with external policies, procedures, and software to see if anything can be improved by day 60. Metric: Reading completed. Performance goals: Complete a whole week in my role without supervision or guidance by day 60. Metric: Task completed. Arrange a meeting with my manager for feedback and new targets by day 60. Metric: Meeting confirmed. Personal goals: Complete two courses in my own time, such as free online courses to develop new skills that will benefit me and my role. Metric: Two courses completed. Schedule an informal meeting with a colleague I have not yet had the chance to talk with by day 45. Metric: Task completed.

Example of a 90-Day Plan

Focus: Taking initiative and establishing my position in the company. Priorities: Explore small ways to demonstrate leadership skills and improve productivity. Explore options, goals and priorities for the next nine months. Learning goals: Analyze my current performance to see which areas I am strong in and which need developing by day 90. Metric: Task completed. Assess what responsibilities I enjoy, which ones I do not, and if my targets are realistic or need reassessing by day 90. Metric: Task completed. Performance goals: Develop an idea, procedure or initiative to lead and pitch it to my manager by day 90. Metric: Idea pitched. Perform tasks at a higher level by generating more sales/income/press coverage by day 80. Metric: Personal targets met. Arrange a meeting with my manager to evaluate my first three months and decide the next steps together by day 90. Metric: Meeting done, new targets discussed. Personal goals: Take advantage of employee benefits and get involved with the company personally by joining a company-sponsored team or corporate volunteer day by day 70. Metric: Task completed

This section is not part of the 30-60-90 day plan; however, knowing your long-term goals is very beneficial.

You do not have to write them in the same way as the monthly plans.

Instead, you can write a list of what you hope to achieve in the future and by when.

Examples of long-term career goals are:

• Gain a promotion within three years of joining
• Get management experience by the end of 2022
• Establish myself as a thought leader by 2025

Your long-term career goals can be as ambitious as you want them to be. But having them written down and using them to influence your goals and priorities will help you achieve them.

Writing a 30-60-90 day plan is a gift you are giving to your future self.

It helps you focus, keeps you motivated and prevents you from getting complacent.

For the employer, showing your plan indicates you are keen to make an impression, have initiative, and are capable of formulating a strategy.

Try using these plans continuously in your career and personal life to ensure you reach your full potential.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Jobs & Careers / Career Planning sections.

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In this section

90 Day Business Plan Presentation

‘Given a ‘blank sheet of paper’, what would you do in the first three months/90 days?’

So, you’ve succeeded at the first interview and have now been tasked with a second interview presentation. 

The most common second interview task that we encounter is along the lines of:

‘Given a ‘blank sheet of paper’, what would you do in the first three months/90 days?’ 

Why Do Sales Employers ask for Presentations?

For me, the reasons are two-fold.

First, it is a test of your commitment.  Do you choose to go down to the pub on a Sunday afternoon rather than spend four hours on a presentation, and;

Two, it offers the prospective employer the chance to understand better your professional approach and the process you will employ to ensure maximum return on their investment.

What is The Second Interview Task Actually Asking?

It is, in essence, ‘what’s your business plan’.  It demonstrates that you have the competency and experience necessary to succeed and that you are personally invested in their opportunity.  Executed well, it will differentiate you from the competition as an elite candidate.

How to Break The 90-Day Task Down

A logical and practical format is to break the presentation down into your planned activity in the first weeks and months in the role.

As with all presentations, less is more in terms of written text.  You don’t want your audience to read your presentation and ignore you; instead, they should take cues of your thinking from the slides.  This will enable you to utilise your presentation skills to elaborate on bullet points and your personality and charisma to ensure you engage your audience.

How to Present at a Second or Final Interview

An effective presentation is a dialogue, a gateway to enquiry and further discourse, rather than a lecture or a monologue.  Invite questions, seek agreement and gauge comprehension, offering clarification whenever necessary.

Ensure you remain concise and relevant in your answers whilst being generous with information.  Relate this to your professional experience and give examples of similar situations you have encountered, how you dealt with them, and what positive outcomes you achieved.

Be alert to body language and non-verbal cues that may indicate allies in the room or individuals that require further reassurance regarding your suitability for the role.  To aid you in this, ensure that you address yourself to everyone in the room, regularly shifting your attention and eye contact to ensure no one feels excluded.  This will assist you in building rapport with your audience.

Additional information on how to succeed in a panel interview can be found here - How to Wow at a Panel Interview

Do’s and Don’ts of Second Interview Presentations

• Do your research – Know the company, the job responsibilities, and the team you’ll be joining. Every business plan must be researched and personalised to the company and the opportunity in question.
• Do tailor your presentation to every opportunity - It is immediately obvious when a generic format is recycled. It can therfore be damaging, demonstrating indifference or contempt for your audience and the opportunity.
• Do import and insert their company logo and format with their brand colours. It may be wise to ask permission beforehand out of politeness and not to infringe trademarks/copyright.
• Do reference their specific products or services, their customers and competition.
• Do include verified numbers and data wherever available. Make realistic growth projections based on your understanding of their expectations and marketplace.  It doesn’t matter if this does not entirely align with the company, as long as you can elaborate on your thought process and conclusions.
• Do practice – Practice your presentation out loud in a location similar to where you’ll be presenting.
• Do make it visual presentation to engage the audience and explain your points. No one likes ‘Death by PowerPoint’!
• Do be prepared to be challenged on your presentation. Most sales leaders will want to see how you respond to objections.
• Do prepare questions for the interviewers.
• Do arrive early to give yourself enough time to get set up and relaxed
• Do ensure it is saved to an older version of your presentation software. If prepared in the latest version, it can sometimes skew the formatting on older editions.
• Do start with an agenda and invite them to ask questions throughout.
• Do use the final slide as an opportunity to close. You are a sales professional in a sales meeting. The final slide should be either i) Where do we go from here? Or, if you're very confident ii) When do I start!  See Closing a Sales Interview

The Don'ts!

• Don’t be overly casual. I like the odd joke, but on the whole, keep your presentation professional and don’t use slang or jargon.
• Don’t be too long-winded – Stick to the essential points and keep your presentation concise.
• Don't forget to bring all the necessary materials and have a ‘Plan B’. I always recommend taking your presentation on a USB Stick as well as having it on your laptop. Also, copy it to your ‘phone just in case and then you can email it to the hiring manager.

Example 90 Day Business Plan Second Interview Presentation

Below is an example of a basic business plan you can utilise.  This requires personalising to each opportunity.  You may wish to preface it with a slide detailing you and your credentials and a concluding slide summarising your suitability and inviting questions-  

• Understand internal functions and processes.
• Get to know internal and external colleagues.
• Gain clarity on all reporting and administrative responsibilities.
• Fully align with company strategy and goals
• Introduce myself to all levels of staff
• Understand and comply with all company rules
• Fully understand sales targets and company expectations
• Update with line manager – informal review of week one
• Gain a fundamental level of product/service knowledge and potential applications
• Understand markets and potential avenues for growth
• Gain an understanding of all existing/lapsed end user and distribution accounts.
• Contact and visit existing accounts by geographic area
• Understand product/service features and benefits to potential users
• Build a base pitch for key products/services
• Build knowledge of existing markets, end users and their needs
• Update with line manager – formal review of month one
• Research market sectors to begin Pipeline formulation.
• Identify target accounts and populate the Pipeline
• Define a map of accounts /prospects for efficient territory planning
• Create targeted Features & benefits approach by Products /Market sectors
• Gain knowledge of main competitors –strengths & limitations
• Understand how we are perceived in the market
• Build a twenty-day journey plan based on postcodes and geographic area
• Have a prospect list prepared for each postcode
• Research and visit all existing customers and update CRM
• Prospects with potential to be added into the journey plan so that regular contact is made
• All prospects to be added into sales pipeline and kept up to date
• Update with line manager – formal review of month two
• Have a solid pipeline of accounts being worked and closed
• Increased turnover and lines in existing accounts
• Monthly sales targets being achieved
• Reports presented to RSM on all activity
• Re-visit initial training
• Customer visits with Technical support colleagues
• Customer visits with Sales colleagues
• Progress opportunities to Buying Platform
• Continue to review and critique pipeline
• Update with line manager – formal review of month three
• Product knowledge is continually growing
• New account Targets being hit
• Sales pipeline is continually being added to and worked
• Monthly targets being exceeded
• Meeting KPI’s set by line manager
• Growth from existing accounts
• Lapsed accounts being reactivated
• Ongoing formal reviews

Date published: 28th February 2024

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About the author

Simon Bonner

With over 25 years in B2B sales and recruitment, Simon is an English Graduate from UEA and specialises in recruiting commercial and FMCG sales positions. Simon joined the sales recruitment industry in 1998 before progressing into field sales and returning to recruitment in 2015. As an Associate Director, Simon is well placed to understand the needs of clients and candidates' needs, having spent ten years selling electronic security and managing National Accounts within OEM manufacturers and distribution channels. An avid Luton Town football fan, Simon dotes on his two daughters and enjoys keeping fit, socialising, food and wine.

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Work Life is Atlassian’s flagship publication dedicated to unleashing the potential of every team through real-life advice, inspiring stories, and thoughtful perspectives from leaders around the world.

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Work Futurist

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Principal Writer

How to write the perfect 90-day plan

Borrow our templates for a 90-day onboarding plan that will help new hires succeed.

Writer, Editor, Beard Puller

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5-second summary

• A comprehensive 90-day plan doesn’t just set expectations for new hires, it makes them feel welcome and included.
• Using the “buddy system” can make a 90-day plan even more effective.
• Building in milestones for checkpoints at 30, 60, and 90 days will ensure that new team members are set up for success throughout the onboarding process.

The first 90 days of a new job usually involve a pretty steep learning curve. There’s so much to absorb. So many people to meet. If you’re the new hire, you want to prove yourself. If you’re the hiring manager, you want to set that person up for success.  

Based on our own onboarding practices, we’ve learned that using a 90-day plan can make it easier for newbies to get up to speed, understand their roles, and establish a better sense of team and company culture. Check out our templates below to see what we include. If you’re starting at a new company that doesn’t already use 90-day plans, consider using the templates as a starting point for gathering information. Schedule time with your new manager or a veteran coworker to fill in the blanks.

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What is a 90-day action plan.

A 90-day plan is a framework for planning out how to onboard, acclimate, and educate new team members. It sets expectations for what the person will be expected to deliver in their first 90 days, which can include both learning goals and performance goals. Some people also refer to it as a 90-day action plan, which adds a nice emphasis on proactivity.

Similar to  SMART goals , a 90-day plan should define the specific details that will allow the new employee to achieve success. A well-written plan should spell out how this person’s new role and day-to-day duties level up to company metrics and long-term plans. It should help them define priorities and check points for follow-ups on their progress. 

At Atlassian, we view someone’s first 90 days as a period of learning, discovery, and relationship building. We don’t view this time as a probationary period during which someone must prove themselves or risk reprimand. Rather, the goal is to make people feel comfortable, informed, and confident.

69 percent of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great onboarding. Society For Human Resources Management

Ideally, a 90-day plan should:

• Serve as a single reference point for resources, outlets for support, and clarity on responsibilities and goals
• Introduce and foster an environment that supports regular growth conversations with managers so the employee can envision their path for advancement
• Orient the new employee to company and team culture by emphasizing relationships and shared objectives
• Reinforce strategies that support a growth mindset and a proactive work style

What should a 90-day plan include?

Keep in mind that an effective 90-day plan will vary depending on your company, goals, and the employee’s needs. 

Here are some great questions to think about when writing a 90-day plan for a new team member:

• How can you use this plan to help a new team member succeed?
• What quick wins can they ship to gain momentum?
• Who are the key stakeholders this person needs to know about?
• Since this person is coming in with a “clean slate” mindset, are there fresh insights you’d like them to contribute? 
• What feedback and observations would you like the new hire to include in a 90-day wrap-up blog or other written summary? 

As you’ll see in our templates, our 90-day plans lead off with an introduction. That helps the rest of the team experience someone’s writing voice, see pictures of family and friends, and learn about interests, hobbies, and whatever else they’d like to offer about themselves. One way to make a 90-day plan more effective is to use the buddy system like we do at Atlassian. Buddies show new teammates the ropes, introduce them to other Atlassians, act as go-to people for the common questions that arise in the first few months of any new job, and generally help make the transition smoother.

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The first 90 days are precious. It’s important to have the right plan – and people – to act as a guide.

How to build a 90-day plan

Generally speaking, there are a few organizing principles to focus on. They’re based in time milestones, i.e. Week 1, Day 30, Day 60, Day-90 wrap up.

Consistent, frequent check-ins are very important, because throughout the plan, you’ll be defining goals for what should be learned or delivered. The power of spelling it all out can’t be overstated. It’s the difference between clarity and confusion or empowerment and ineffectiveness.

Here’s an example. It’s divided by outcomes and action items. These are suggestions, so feel free to tailor as you see fit.

P.S. 90-day onboarding plans are good for your company culture

The practice of a 90-day plan has even more to offer than orienting someone to personal goals. It isn’t just a task list, it’s the foundation for working together, learning together, and understanding the team and company culture.

As mentioned above, at Atlassian we don’t view someone’s first 90 days as a trial period or proving ground. To the contrary, we encourage an emphasis on knowledge gathering and sharing, and relationship building. Initial tasks, goals, and deliverables should focus on helping someone feel more comfortable and confident about the road ahead – not less so.

Which is to say,  don’t overwhelm your newbies.

Regular check-ins, honest feedback (about systems, company habits, points of uncertainty), and the support of learning (and failing), set the groundwork for  open  communication. This is the bedrock of trust, which should underpin all team and company interactions.

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