Job Interview Tip: Create a 30/60/90-Day Plan

If you’re searching for a sales job (or any job), you want every advantage you can get, right? Which means, you’ve probably put a lot of effort into your resume, you’ve found the perfect suit for interviews, and you’ve gone over your answers to potential interview questions. Want another advantage? Create a 30/60/90-day plan for the job you want. What is a 30-60-90 day plan? And how do you use it to get a job in sales? Why does it help? A 30-60-90-day plan is an outline for what you will do when you start the job. Essentially, you spell out for your future employer, in as little or as much detail as necessary, how you will spend your time. To do that, you have to do some research on the company so that you know what you’re talking about…a search on Google, LinkedIn, or the company’s own website can provide you with the information you need. (It’s always impressive to a hiring manager if you can show that you’ve done your homework before the interview, remember?) The basics:

The first 30 days of your plan is usually focused on training–learning the company systems, products, and customers. So, most of your 30-day plan should focus on attending training, mastering product knowledge, learning specific company systems, traveling to learn your sales territory, meeting other members of the team, or reviewing accounts. The next 30 days (the 60-day part) are focused on more field time, less training, more customer introductions, reviews of customer satisfaction, and getting feedback from your manager. The last 30 days (the 90-day part) are the “settling in” part. You’ve had the training, you’ve met the customers, and now you can focus on sales! You will do more on your own here: fine-tuning your routine, landing your own accounts, scheduling programs, or bringing in new customers, as well as continuing to get performance feedback.

The more specific you can be in the details, the better off you are—by that I mean specifying the name of the training you’ll need, rather than just indicating that you’ll “get training,” for instance. That’s why you research the company, not just the position! This kind of analysis of the position not only sets you apart from other job seekers… it also makes you a better performer on the job. It means you’ve put some thought into what it takes to be successful, and once you’ve written down your goals, they become much easier to attain. Using a 30-60-90-day plan to show that you’ve done your homework, analyzed the position, and thoughtfully considered how you can best serve this particular company in this particular capacity is very impressive to a hiring manager. This kind of effort is the advantage you need that will set you apart from other candidates and get you hired.