30-60-90 Day Plan: Advice From Career Experts

If you’re ready to start a new job, there’s an employee engagement statistic worth keeping in mind.

According to a 2021 Gallup report, After trending up in recent years, employee engagement in the U.S. saw its first annual decline in a decade. In early 2022 the numbers weren’t improving, with 32% of full- and part-time employees engaged and 17% actively disengaged.

How does this affect you?

Well, being aware of low employee engagement levels is important for two reasons. First, you can prevent yourself from falling into this unhealthy trend. Second, you can make yourself stand out in interviews and onboarding as an engaged employee.

And one way to do this is with a 30-60-90 day plan.

A 30-60-90 day plan describes what a person intends to do within 30, 60, and 90 days of starting something new. Whether it’s a promotion or a big new project, there are multiple ways to use this plan.

You can make your 90 day plan formal. You can make a polished presentation to give in a job interview or a document for your manager to review and approve once you’ve started your new job.

But your 90 day plan can also be as informal as a note you’ve created on your phone for personal reference. Either way, it should be a tool to help keep yourself engaged in your new work.

Presenting your 30-60-90 day plan in a job interview is a concrete way to show a future employer the work ethic and knowledge you’d bring to a role. While the plan will likely change after a direct manager reviews it, creating the plan before you even have the job shows initiative.

Using a 30-60-90 day plan for a new job solidifies what you intend to accomplish in your first three months. It helps you prioritize your focus with smart goals during what’s generally an uncertain time. When getting used to a new company, role, and colleagues, a 30-60-90 day plan provides you with guidance and measurable ways of assessing your first three months.

Jonathan Hill, chairman and CEO of The Energists, recommends introducing yourself to your entire team in the first 30 days of your new job — especially if it’s a remote or hybrid role.

Make a point of personally reaching out to the people you’ll be working most closely with during your first month, Hill said. Make sure you’re available and responsive to communications to establish an early rapport with your new colleagues.

The other key focus of your first 30 days at a new job is simply to learn.

Daniel Santos, CEO of Prepory, said, In your first 30 days, learn everything you can about your organization. What do people value? What’s celebrated? What’s working? What are the obstacles? How’s failure treated? Your own context should inspire its own set of questions. Learn as much as you can, and recognize that much of your learning will come from observation, not questioning.

What about your first 60-90 days?

Hill recommends creating a consistent schedule to help you stay organized and effectively manage your work time and projects.

And Santos suggests identifying your strengths and weaknesses in a new context, seeking feedback, finding a mentor, and setting goals.

Below is an example 30-60-90 day plan for someone entering their first job in social media. While it’s for a social media role specifically, the goals and metrics are the only elements specific to this job.

In fact, this example plan can work as a 30-60-90 day plan template for new jobs in a variety of industries.

Below is an example 30-60-90 day plan for someone entering a new managerial role. Keep in mind that a manager will likely have more moving responsibilities and impromptu meetings.

Following a 30-60-90 day plan is a smart career move. Whether you use a plan to stand out in an interview or make the most of your first 90 days in a new job, you’ll be grateful for the direction it provides.

First-time professional straight out of college? Seasoned professional new to management?

Do yourself a favor and set yourself up for success with a 30-60-90 day plan.