Should You Bring a 30/60/90-Day Plan to the First Job Interview?

Many candidates wonder if it’s a good idea to bring their 30/60/90-day plan to their first job interview with the company. They have questions about timing, etiquette, or even saving a “wow” moment for the second interview.

A 30/60/90-day sales plan (or action plan, if you’re not in sales), is difficult to put together. It takes a lot of research, and a lot of work to create. Some candidates think that’s a lot of work for just a preliminary interview.

Don’t let that thinking fool you. In this economy, you’ve got to get the attention of the hiring manager quickly. One of the best ways to get the attention of the hiring manager is to show up with a plan for success: the 30/60/90-day plan. You have to do your homework to create a good plan. If you can show the hiring manager that you’re interested enough in the job to research it, and that you can think strategically about how to do the job well and build a plan to succeed, then you’ll make a fantastic impression on him. You take the “risk” out of hiring you, and show how you can hit the ground running. A candidate with initiative and self-sufficiency will make the hiring manager’s life easier, and contribute to his bottom-line success.

What’s more, the 30/60/90-day plan will allow you to have a more meaningful interview conversation. The discussion will lead you to discover what the hiring manager is really interested in, and you can tailor your answers to interview questions accordingly. What’s that mean? In the end, you’ll have a much better interview.

Companies are weeding candidates out quickly, and most people won’t get a second interview. If you even think that you’d be interested in having that job, you’d better bring your best game to the first interview. That means bringing your 30/60/90-day sales or action plan.