Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan for Your New Job

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated November 2, 2022

Published January 26, 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Few things are as exciting and nerve-wracking as starting a new job. You're looking at a future full of potential, but knowing where to start can be overwhelming if you don't have a goal-driven and practical plan. Creating a 30-60-90 day plan can help you prepare for success at your new job. In this article, we examine what a 30-60-90 day plan is, how to create one and how using one properly can prepare you for success at any new job.

An overview of a 30-60-90 day plan

In its simplest form, a 30-60-90 day plan is just a document you use to outline your goals and make a strategy to tackle your new job over your first three months. This can be essential during what is often thought of as your "probationary period" at the job, during which you're being evaluated for permanent employment. With this document, you can make the most out of your work by creating achievable and specific goals tied directly to your new duties and the expectations and mission of the company.

You might receive a general 30-60-90 day plan in an orientation checklist. But most often create this plan during the late stages of your interview process or at some point during your early days on the job. The document's core revolves around a definition of success that allows you to work toward the same goals as other employees and align with the company's overall mission.

When do you start creating a 30-60-90 day plan?

Usually, individuals create a 30-60-90 day plan when they need to find a sense of direction before starting with something entirely new. This plan allows people to list down items leading to achievable goals, ensuring everyone is working toward the same level of success.

There are several instances when someone might create a 30-60-90 day plan, with varying situations under which they are the most useful. These include:

Starting a new position: Whether moving into a new position in your current company or starting at a brand-new company, these plans allow you to be proactive in learning the ropes and getting to work.
Starting a new project: If you are starting a new multi-stage project at your current position, a plan of this nature can help you break down the project into specific steps and achievable action items. They are outstanding for project managers in delegating tasks.
Preparing for performance reviews: Often, management will implement plans like these during a performance review to provide constructive feedback and help staff members meet their goals over time.

The benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan

A 30-60-90 day plan carries many benefits for those who apply it correctly. Here are a few of the most important ways where such a plan can work for you:

Keeping a clear focus over time: These plans allow you to create a specific roadmap to follow, which leads you to have a laser focus on each step that helps guarantee progress.
Setting achievable and measurable goals: The core reason for creating a 30-60-90 day plan is to help you develop goal posts to work toward. You can use these goals to integrate seamlessly into the company and its culture.
Demonstrating your capabilities: These sorts of plans are nothing short of a set of step-by-step directions for success. By following them, you'll reach your goals and show your new supervisors that you can manage yourself and work within the company's mission statement. This proves to them that you're worth developing as an employee.

How to create a plan with SMART goals

The key to creating a 30-60-90 day plan is to make it achievable. For that, use SMART goals as a guideline to establish your plan of action. SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-sensitive. Using SMART goals guarantees that your action items will be quantifiable and achievable. There are six steps to creating your 30-60-90 day plan:

1. Create your template

Creating a template is essential to ensuring that you don't miss anything as you work through your goals and action items. This will allow you to manage your plan. You can use the example plan found at the bottom of this article to create your template, but in general, it should begin by identifying the kinds of goals you want to achieve, then listing goals under 30-, 60- and 90-day headers.

For example, you might have a section for learning goals that is followed by a 30-day section with three bullet points of goals, a 60-day section with three bullet points and a 90-day section with three bullet points. From there, you can create similar sections for learning actions—action items you'll need to take to achieve the goals. You can then add sections for performance actions and goals, personal actions and goals, development actions and goals, or any other subsections you feel will be helpful.

2. Prepare your goals

Next, define the SMART goals for your new position. As mentioned above, the most common goals to include in your plan will be related to learning, performance and personal growth, but you may include development or others you feel are appropriate to the job at hand. You can then sort your goals out under their appropriate headers.

3. List 30-day goals

Under each header, look at your goals and pull out those that are achievable within 30 days. These will usually be the most basic goals or those that serve as precursors to others. Often, they involve grasping the basic tasks required by your job and getting educated about the company.

4. List 60-day goals

Now, repeat the process by pulling out the goals you can achieve in 60 days. Often, these look to advance the things you achieved in your original goals. They will specifically focus on how you can advance the company's mission statement.

5. List 90-day goals

The goals that remain should be achievable within 90 days. These are related to advancing your status and position. Additionally, these define how you can use the knowledge and tools you gained in your first 60 days on the job to take more of a leadership role in your department and the company.

6. Create specific action items

Now, go back and look over your goals. For each section (30, 60 and 90 days, respectively), create a list of specific, measurable and quantifiable actions you can take to achieve your goals at each level of your plan.

30-60-90 day plan example

Here is a sample plan that you can use to create a template for your own and as inspiration for your goals as you approach your new job. The sample covers only the learning goals and actions. Your template should also incorporate other aspects of your progress, such as personal and professional goals. The list below shows some sample goals that you can achieve in different timelines:

Example learning goals

30-day goals:

Learn and understand the company mission statement
Get on a consistent schedule of duties
Get up to speed on customer interactions

60-day goals:

Become proficient in company software packages
Become adept at integrating customer service with technology

90-day goals:

Present ideas for streamlining procedures
Take an active role in leading professional development

Example learning action items

30-day actions:

Study the company's mission statement
Ask questions whenever needed
Create a checklist of expectations and duties

60-day actions:

Meet with experienced staff and IT department regarding software
Engage with customers using technology daily

90-day actions:

Keep notes regarding ways operations can be streamlined and made more efficient
Take the initiative to lead at least one team meeting
Discuss mentoring new staff with supervisors

Tips for creating a solid plan

When the time comes to begin your 30-60-90 plan, there are several tips that you should keep in mind and apply at every stage:

When you list your goals, especially your action items, be as specific and actionable as possible. The more complicated your language or tone of writing is, the less likely you'll be to achieve a given benchmark.
Keep your plan readable. That means you should keep the language as simple, direct and to the point as possible. You should be able to skim it and understand it fully.
Be adaptable. Things change all the time, especially in a fast-paced environment. Be ready to adjust and change your plan of action and even your goals as you need to. If you miss a goal, don't give up; adapt your future plan accordingly.
Be ready to quantify the progress you've made at each stage. This will allow you to better approach your next 30 days of work and adjust them as needed.

Following these steps can help you improve your chances of success in your new career or even in moving up in your existing company.