People Ask...
What is a 30/60/90 plan?
A friend of mine was interviewing for a Project Manager role. She was unsure on what a 30/60/90 plan was. She didn’t know how to respond in her interview. So, what does this mean, and how can we answer it?
This is an interesting question, and uncommon in our industry. But I am glad to see some interviewers are going beyond the routine questions and asking different types of questions. If you are not familiar with what a 30, 60, 90-day plan is, don’t worry – I will explain it simply.
When an interviewer asks this, they want to know how you would start in your new job. They are interested in your plan for quickly becoming a valuable team member.
By outlining your plan and goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days in the new position, you help the interviewer understand how you plan to get up to speed, integrate into the team, and start delivering value.
They can see your proactive and structured approach to starting a new role. So, let’s look at how you can answer this question:
First 30 Days
Think of this as your “getting to know everything” phase. You could include these points on a very high level into your response.
- Orientation and Onboarding: Get familiar with the company’s policies, culture, and team.
- Understanding Current Projects: Review ongoing projects, their status, challenges, and objectives.
- Building Relationships: Meet with key stakeholders, team members, and other project managers to understand their expectations and communication styles.
- Tools and Processes: Learn the tools and processes used for project management in the company.
A simple response would be, “In my first month, I would learn all about the company’s rules and current projects. I would meet my coworkers and clients, and learn how to use the tools we need for work. It’s like joining a new sports team – you need to learn the rules and get to know your teammates!”
Or, you could take a bit more formal and technical approach and say, “In the first 30 days, I plan to review and understand the company’s policies, procedures, and all the ongoing projects. I would start communicating and collaborating with the teams, subcontractors, and clients, to build strong relationships. I would review current project plans, budgets, and schedules to understand the challenges, identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. I would also learn the tool and understand the processes we use in the organisation.”
Next 30 Days (60 days total)
Now you are starting to do more work. So, you could include these points on a very high level into your response.
- Active Contribution and Project Ownership: Start taking on smaller tasks and responsibilities, and then transition to taking full ownership of specific projects, ensuring they are on track for delivery.
- Project Audits: Conduct audits of current projects to identify any risks or opportunities for improvement.
- Process Improvement: Suggest and implement minor process improvements based on initial observations.
- Team Integration: Fully integrate into the team and start contributing to team meetings and decisions.
You might say, “In the second month, I would begin taking charge of some projects. I would check if things were going well and see if we can make them even better. It’s like being the team captain – you are not just playing, you’re helping everyone work together better.”
Or, you could take a bit more formal and technical approach and say “In the next 30 days, I plan to start taking active roles in the projects, learning all details and taking over the ownership. I would conduct audits of the projects, proactively identify risks, and see if there were any opportunities for improvements. For example, developing a communications plan, streamlining communication channels and optimising resource allocation processes. I would also ensure that I fully integrate into the team, by being part of the team meetings and participating in the decision-making processes.”
Final 30 days (90 days total)
You are now fully involved in your work. You could include these points on a very high level into your response.
- Implementation of Strategies: Implement strategies or changes to improve project delivery based on earlier findings.
- Performance Review: Set up metrics and KPIs to measure project success and your performance.
- Feedback and Adjustments: Seek feedback from peers and superiors and make necessary adjustments to your approach.
Your answer could be, “By the third month, I would be using my ideas to make our projects even more successful. I would create ways to measure how well we are doing and ask everyone for their thoughts and feedback. It’s like improving our game plan based on how we have been playing.”
Or, the formal and technical approach would be to say “In the final 30 days, based on what I have known so far, I would be able to develop and implement strategies that enhance project efficiency. I would closely monitor project progress, to ensure they are adhering to the timelines, budgets, and quality standards. This will also help me establish a comprehensive project reporting system to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensure project objectives are met. I would also seek feedback, encouraging team members to share ideas and best practices, to foster a culture of continuous improvements.”
By preparing a thoughtful and well-structured 30,60,90-day plan, you can showcase your dedication to the role, your commitment to making a positive impact, and ability to contribute value to the organisation from the outset.
I would highly recommend that think about what you would like to achieve in each of these 30-day periods before your interview. This way, you will be ready to give a great answer!
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