Introducing
The 30 60 90 Day Plan
The ULTIMATE Job Interview Tip!
What is a 30 60 90 Day Plan?
I’m embarrassed to admit, how slow I was in realising the full significance and power of this awesome job offer generating technique.
As a recruitment consultant responsible for placing mostly business consultant into large consulting firms, I’m really kicking myself for not spotting this earlier.
Let me explain…
Quite a few of my consultancy clients will at some point ask interviewees “if given the role, what would be your first actions in post”?
Or something along those lines.
Now for a consultant this is a tricky but far from impossible question (consultants are used to going into new environments, quickly analysing the situation, and building plans of action)…
But this question offers HUGE OPPORTUNITY…
Opportunity I have been slow in realising.
You see this question offers the interviewee the chance to psychologically change their standing within the interviewers mind.
I mean the traditional interview dialogue, is a type of tennis match of questions and answers.
Now if your being interviewed it’s true the interviewer does want you to have the skills and get the job (no one wants to spend their whole life interviewing!), but because their hiring reputation is on the line, their listening very closely to your answers, watching your body language and demeanour, and continuously asking themselves if they can see you in the role, fitting in with clients and staff, generally doing a great job. And making them look good for hiring you.
Getting your interviewer to visualise you in the role, doing a great job, is your GOAL!
And the “if given the role, what would be your first actions in post”? type of question gives you the opportunity to figuratively speaking jump the net, join and, HELP you’re interviewer continuing with the tennis analogy; as a tennis doubles partner, with your opponent now being the market, competitors, and general business issues.
Psychologically this is the BEST position to be in, your interviewer is no longer trying to catch you out with their questions, like a fierce forehand topspin (sorry- can’t stop the tennis references!). Now you’re on the same team, discussing your ideas, and how well they may work in their environment.
This is much more natural conversation, with you able to propose your ideas, and ask how they may work. Proper two-way dialogue…
Your interviewer’s internal conversation now has you in the job, which is your goal; and even if some of your ideas miss their mark, you’ve the chance to amend them, and ask questions of your own.
This is great, if you’ve done your interview preparation properly, the job offers as good yours!
But why wait to be asked this type of question?
Exactly; this is far too powerful a job interview winning tactic to leave to chance. Don’t run the risk of not unleashing your 30 60 90 day plan…
I mean bring up the question yourself, don’t wait to be asked, say something along the lines of “I’m really excited by the chance to join your company and the XXXX role, so much so that I’ve made a plan of what I will achieve in my first 30 60 90 days in post”
So What Is a 30 60 90 Day Plan – And What Should It look like?
Your 30 60 90 day plan should be no more than 4 pages of A4 paper including the header sheet, the presentation is simple but neat; I would suggest putting your 30 60 90 day plan in a simple plastic document file. You know the type, clear plastic front; with two wire tongues to thread through the neat holes you’ve created using a hole punch.
This will keep the document tidy, and professional looking, without going over the top, or costing you a fortune in stationary!
The 30 60 90 day plan then simply provides a time line breakdown of actions and objectives you WILL achieve.
Within 30 days
In this section you want to consider what you need/want to accomplish within the first month. Be positive and friendly but very specific. Give the employer a sense of who you are and what you can do. Show them you’ve done your homework.
This also lets him/her know that you know what is required of this position which is a big factor in getting hired for the job.
You’d expect to be learning the internal workings of the company, but also include a plan to introduce yourself to all key contacts internal and external.
Learning the IT Systems, reading and understanding company policy and procedure, attending training programs, mastering product knowledge are all tactical initiatives. Complete any internal training, or initiation processes that may be in place.
Within 60 days
FOCUS on benefits that may translate into business profits if applicable. Remember! Companies like to make money or save money and anything you can do to help the “bottom line” is very attractive in the hiring process. Consider and list ways you can save the company money or streamline procedures for better efficiency
90 days and Summary
Here you should carry on from 60 days adding finalising or adding to some of the beneficial initiatives you set up.
In summary write two or three short paragraphs summarising this 30-60-90-Day Action Plan. Think of it as a kind of P.S., a few lines that attempt to ‘seal the deal.’
Your goal here is to leave the hiring manager/employer with an extremely positive sense of who you are and what you can and will do for the company.
How Powerful Is a 30 60 90 Day Plan?
If you’ve read any of my previous articles on using the latest marketing tools and techniques to empower your interviewing skills, you’ll know I a firm believer in making the very most of your abilities through savvy self marketing.
And am a massive fan of developing a killer “objective statement” or “irresistible offer” for your interviewer, weaving this irresistible offer throughout, your resume / CV, your planned and well prepared STAR story answers to tough questions, and nailing home your advantage with the use of a Brag book to provide unquestionable PROOF of your skills and achievements.
These tactics will never let you down…
But the 30 60 90 day plan, has the POWER to blow all these out of the water!
Try it and see for yourself, you’ll not be disappointed! Click Here WOW Your Hired
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Filed under Job Interview Techniques by on May 15th, 2010. 2 Comments. 
There are many different types of job interview style the most common types are listed below.
Behavioural / Competency Based - By far and away the most popular form of interview, based on the very human assumption that what you have done in your past you’ll likely do again in your future.
So its all about the interviewer learning about you from your explanation of your past experiences.
Perfect for STAR story answers!
Types of job interview – Group or Assessment Center – Some companies like to use this approach when hiring a number of people for similar types of role, or if team working is a critical component with the role.
The objective with this is to complete as a team a set objective, with a team of behavioural experts watching the exercise noting individuals performance.
Because you don’t know the people your working with, these can be interesting and challenging assignments.
In my opinion the best advice is to try and forget about the assessors watching, and focus all your effort on completing the task.
Its vital that you contribute to the team, but don’t feel you have to compete to be the leader, being supportive of your colleagues, communicative, focused on the task, counts for more than being overly assertive.
Types of job interview – Informal unstructured or casual – Less experienced interviewers tend to use this technique, again perfect for your STAR stories, as you’ll help the interviewer do their job for them.
They’ll remember far more about you than anyone else they interview, which will give you a massive advantage.
Telephone Interview – Your Star Story preparation again is perfect for this type of interview, just listen carefully, and relax.
Types of job interiew – the case interview – Primarily used by consulting firms the case study type interview is a very popular approach. Its based on giving you a real life business issue to overcome. A highly interactive style of interview, as you will need to question your interviewer beyond the initial case study you have been given to identify further details, before you start to build your proposed solution.
Again this is about demonstrating your communication skills, problem solving and reasoning, before you start to suggest resolution frameworks. Often there is no wrong or right answer, what they are looking for is your ability to identify key issues, from the ambiguity, and “fit” your suggestions to the specifics of the case given.
Many of the major strategy and consulting firms offer test cases and an excellent source of information regarding this specialist type of interview can be found here.
Stress Interview – A vary rare type of interview used for roles that contain a high degree of stress, pressure and challenge. The key to surviving stress interviews is to remain calm, keep a sense of humor, and avoid getting angry or defensive. Its not personal.
Requests that accompany interview process include:-
Psychometric / Personality / Motivational testing – one of the reasons its such a good idea to have completed the MAPP assessment as a minimum.
No rules to these techniques, relax and be yourself. If your aiming at roles that suit your motivations and personality your on safe ground.
The questioning that may follow will again suit your STAR stories.
Some form of presentation – You may be asked to prepare a timed presentation on a given subject. Pick one of your stories, and just make sure you hit the time allocated. If they ask for 10 minutes don’t do 5 or 20 minutes.
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Job Interview Checklist
This is really a list of key principals that are VITAL to your interviewing success.
Let’s not delay a moment longer…
- Reflect and research to gain a clear vision of what job you’re looking for.
- You must also know your own strengths and weaknesses as they apply to your TARGET employer.
- Have prepared a plan of how your may COMPENSATE for weaknesses that are highly relevant for your target role or employer.
- Assemble COMPELLING marketing materials (letters, resume or CV, brag book, testimonials, articles, OBJECTIVE Statement) .
- Master a strategy for answering tough interview questions. I recommend the STAR Method.
- Learn the power of asking great questions.
- “It’s not what you say but how you say it” – a cliche but a true one.
- Don’t dismiss the power of NETWORKING. The other old adage “it’s not what you know but WHO you know” is also super powerful.
- Roll all the above into your very own Job offer winning interview strategy.
Take your time and prepare for all the job interview checklist points above, and your interviewing success is assured.
The first two points often raise eyebrows, with many people feeling they’re too basic to be mentioned. But I’ve interviewed too many people unhappy in their careers, not to raise this point.
As a recruiter I’ve also hired for firms that have no idea of what they’re looking for – even though they’ve produced a detailed job description!
It’s not right to shoulder you the potential employee with the responsibility of helping your target employer clarify their thinking, I promise you it will pay you dividends.
Fortunately there are many great resources, many of which are free, that address all of the above points in interview acing detail.
The best ones harness the developments and understanding in human psychology. powerful marketing techniques, to give give you a distinctly unfair advantage…
To read more or download our free guide
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Filed under Job Interview Techniques by on Sep 23rd, 2009. Comment.
how to ace the job interview, a great start point is to put yourself into the interviewers shoes.
It’s a real expensive business making poor hiring decisions, and potential employers are often scared to make hiring decisions for this reason. The job interview process is their only defence to this problem, so it’s only natural that they’re going to put you through your paces – wouldn’t you if you were them!
So when planning how to ace the job interview another way to consider the hiring process is as a “buying decision”. A real serious buying decision! Psychology shows us that buying decisions are based on two sets of criteria – logical criteria, and emotional criteria. And of the two the emotional criteria have the most power, and to prove this point consider all the things you’ve purchased, that with hindsight don’t seem such a good idea, these purchases are nearly always driven by a strong emotional need at the time.
If we consider the purchase of a home, you’ll have a logical list of things the home must conform to, area, number of rooms, garden, transport requirements etc, etc.
The other side of the decision making coin are your emotional needs. And these needs kick the arse of your logical requirements, as these link directly to your deepest desires…
I know the homes I’ve bought, seem to have an ‘x’ factor, they just feel right to me, many times others have failed to see my attraction, and I often can’t explain it fully.
Does this have anything to do with how to ace the job interview?… Yes, everything! Because by entering the job interview process you’re asking your interviewer to make a buying decisions over YOU. And your mission should you choose to accept it is to win them over on both a logical and emotional level.
It’s a big advantage to know that the whole interviewing game is about giving your interviewer the reassurance both logically and emotionally that you can do the job.
Emotional criteria in hiring are better known as “likability”. For your interviewer they’re only interesting in picturing you fitting in with the team and doing a great job with the company, reflecting well on their decision to hire you in the first place.
There is one other critical concept to cover over buying decisions, or hiring decisions and that is one of PROOF.
Proof takes the fear and risk of purchase, out back into the car park, and beats them black and blue!
If you consider most of your major purchases, you will have had a great deal of proof material covering the items ability to satisfy your needs, this usually comes in two forms factual features that are documented or can be proven via a demo. The emotional proof tends to be more the domain of the skilled advertiser or marketeer, that manages to help you associate the product with your deep rooted emotional needs
It’s not so easy for you’re interviewer, a CV or resume is not an independently recognised document proving your official capacity, energy efficiency, servicing intervals etc. It’s been produced by you and may possibly contain exaggeration and half truths… maybe worse.
A manager that shows poor hiring skills doesn’t stay a manager long!
Therefore plan your how to ace the job interview strategy around proving your logical reasons (skills and experience) and if you have or can get proof of prior achievements make sure you use them, – if you go to the trouble of demonstrating and proving your ability, your likability will take care of itself.
If you’d like a plan that turns this information into a winning job strategy that will turn interviews to offers download Interviewing- Answers.com free eGuide
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Filed under Job Interview Techniques by on Sep 13th, 2009. 1 Comment.
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