How to Write a 30-60-90 Day Plan (+ Template)

Key takeaways

A 30-60-90 day plan is a set of objectives for new employees to achieve in their first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job. 

• A 30-60-90-day plan can provide structured milestones, helping employees and managers set expectations and monitor progress.

• While the specifics of how to format or what to include in a 30-60-90 day plan may depend on your workplace or team, the fundamentals are more universal. 

• You can create a 30-60-90 day plan to transition into a new role by clarifying your expectations, setting objectives for each phase, and filling in key details.

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How to create a 30-60-90 day plan

The specific goals outlined in your 30-60-90-day plan can be as detailed or broad as needed. Generally, you’ll want to include overall objectives and specific ways to measure your progress toward those objectives.

Each goal will be different, depending on your role and expectations. Check with your manager to see whether the organization uses specific templates or methods to outline 30-60-90-day plans.

Sample 30-60-90 day plan template

A 30-60-90-day plan will include clear objectives for each 30-day increment and key details that flesh out and support those objectives.

Here’s a pared-down template for a 30-60-90-day plan that you can customize according to your needs.

1. Clarify short- and long-term priorities.

Understanding the role’s greater purpose for the organization will help you define the short-term goals you should set. Ensure you have a good grasp of what’s expected of you in the role. This might be a good time to consult your manager (or, if you’re a manager, key team members) to ensure your expectations are aligned.

2. Set an objective for each phase.

Once you understand your role well, you can lay out objectives for your 30-, 60-, and 90-day marks. Think about the steps to set yourself on track to succeed in the role long-term. The first two phases might entail learning and aligning yourself with company goals. Aim for fluency in your role by the 90-day mark. A typical progression might look like the following:

• 30 days: Learn as much as you can. Ask questions, learn tools, and get to know the people on your team and the organization’s objectives. 

• 60 days: Align yourself with team and organization priorities. The second phase can also be considered a learning phase, but try to go deeper. Now that you have a more solid understanding of the basics of the organization, try to see how new ideas might get folded in. What are some pain points the organization or your team is facing? What else do you need to know to do your job better?

• 90 days: Execute. Take what you’ve learned and apply it to your work. 

This is one example of how you might lay out your first 90 days on the job. Yours might look completely different. For example, you might relegate the entirety of your 90 days to continuously learn different parts of the job if your role calls for it. 

3. Fill in key details.

Once you have your overarching objectives, determine several ways you’ll achieve each, anywhere from two to five, depending on your needs. 

Read more: Skills Planning: Navigating the Future for Corporate Success 

What are SMART goals?

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. (Some resources might use different adjectives, like “agreed-upon” or “reasonable.”) SMART goals clarify the actions you’ll take to set yourself up for success in achieving your objective and determine metrics for success so you know when you’ve accomplished them. For example, instead of setting a vague objective like “Increase website page views,” you might say: “Increase the number of website page views by 10 percent by the end of the month.”

How to write a 30-60-90 day plan for job interviews 

You may be asked to create a 30-60-90-day plan in an interview. This allows the recruiter to see your ideas for the role and how you would manage your first few months on the job. While it might seem hard to write a 30-60-90-day plan for a job you’re still interviewing for, remember that the interviewer knows this and won’t expect you to have a perfect plan immediately. 

1. Use what you know: Use the information you have on hand via the job description, and ask relevant questions (for example, “What are the team’s immediate priorities?”).

2. Ask for some time to sketch out your ideas: Take a minute or so to organize your thoughts and think through what the main objectives of your 30-60-90-day plan would look like.

3. Fill in key details: Once you have your main objectives, try to come up with a few ways you would achieve them using SMART goals if you can. If you don’t have a lot of information, these can be hypothetical. 

Explore our free career resources

Planning your next career move? Explore emerging trends and topics with a subscription to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat. Then, check out the following resources to keep learning:

• Prepare for interviews: Answering Weaknesses & Gaps With Confidence 

• Stay on track: Feeling Stuck in Your Career? Start Here.

• Build skills: Career Chat: Picking Job Skills That Help You Stand Out

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