Where do I find the information to complete a 30/60/90-day plan?

A 30/60/90-day plan is a guaranteed way to make a powerful impression on the hiring manager and help you stand out from your competition in the job search. It’s simply an outline for what you’ll do in the first 3 months on the job: how you’ll get your training, get up to speed, and attack the principal challenges associated with the job.

The more specific you can be with your plan, the better. But someone who’s new to the company or new to the field probably won’t know what needs to go into the plan. That can make creating a plan seem overwhelming. The answer is research. The more research you can do, the better your plan will be. Where can you find the information you need to create a great 30/60/90-day plan?

• Press releases
• LinkedIn
• Google groups
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google the company (set up a Google Alert for up-to-date info)
• Ask your network
• Ask your recruiter
• Ask the person who referred you to the company
• Ask someone who used to work at the company
• Ask a current employee

All of these are great resources for the kind of information that will help you flesh out what you’ll do for the company in the role you’re interviewing for in the first 90 days of employment. It’s a lot of work. But the fact that you’re willing to go to this much effort before you get the job tells the hiring manager a lot about your work ethic, your commitment, and your drive. So, simply creating a plan will make you stand out, but the knowledge and insight you’ll gain from the experience will help you be the most-informed, best-prepared candidate—and that’s what will get you the offer.