Creating a Strategic Plan with 30‑60‑90 Day Goals

Using a 30-60-90 day plan is possible during the interview process, when you're just starting a new job, or even during reviews to assess performance goals with employees. A 30-60-90 day plan makes it easier to engage employees just starting a new position and familiarizing themselves with a company's system and setup. It also encourages employees to make steady progress in achieving their objectives.

When conducting small business hiring, 30-60-90 objectives are extremely useful as they can help a hiring manager narrow down candidates most qualified to fit a role. A 30-60-90 day plan can streamline the onboarding process while ensuring you have hired the most qualified individuals to fill your available positions.

Benefits of using a 30-60-90 day plan

Using a 30-60-90 day plan is ideal if you want to share your company’s mission and values with a new employee. If you're starting a new job, a 30-60-90 day plan can help you adjust to the company culture while ensuring you have a guide to measure success every step of the way.

Additional benefits include:

Improving goal-setting

If you're seeking employment, creating a 30-60-90 day plan can help you set concrete goals emphasizing core responsibilities outlined in a job description. These are often appealing to prospective hiring managers and bosses.

Learn to set and reach professional and personal goals using a 30-60-90 plan. Having goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days at a new job can support your growth when assimilating into a new organization.

Enhancing productivity

A 30-60-90 day plan can drastically enhance workplace productivity, especially for new employees still completing the onboarding process. Highlighting tasks by order of importance can prevent employees from feeling overwhelmed while adjusting to their new roles or trying to grow in their careers. Additionally, using a 30-60-90 day plan is ideal for assisting employees with maintaining their focus and reaching their goals.

Better time management

A 30-60-90 day plan makes it much easier to manage time efficiently. Using actionable and quantifiable goals that can be handled within 30, 60, and 90 days is a great way to prevent employees from feeling overwhelmed. This is especially important for those adapting to a new position or role. Better time management helps streamline workflows and ensures that deadlines and goals are met on time.

How to create a 30-60-90 day plan

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan is highly recommended for anyone interested in landing a new role or developing their career. A 30-60-90 strategy is great for remaining focused and ensuring you're on the right track to meeting the objectives you or your manager have in mind. To start building a 30-60-90 day plan of your own, consider the following:

1. Determine your goals. Define goals that are useful for the position you intend to fill or have been hired for. Use SMART goals to remain focused and organized throughout the planning process.
2. Write your 30-60-90 day objectives. Write a list of objectives suitable for 30, 60, and 90-day periods.
3. Set your top priorities. Once you've written out a list of potential goals in your 30-60-90 plan, you can set and outline your top priorities. Create a hierarchy to keep track of your most important tasks and ensure none fall through the cracks.
4. Identify your KPIs. Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are most valuable for your role and overall objectives.

Creating a 30-60-90 plan is a unique experience for each individual. Working with different personality types in the workplace may call for personalized 30-60-90 day plans to help individuals succeed in their careers.

• Overview. An overview of intentions and goals will guide you as an employee to reach your objectives. It can also help managers understand the objectives of their employees, allowing them to support their endeavors better.
• Focus. Once you're familiar with your 30-60-90 plan's main objectives, you can develop your focus. This focus will be at the center of your goal planning, so you can choose goals to help you attain your desired success.
• Expectations. Write the expectations you have for your strategy. Most 30-60-90 strategies involve learning a new skill or assimilating for the first 90 days.
• Goals. Consider your plan's focus prior to identifying your goals. Are you interested in adjusting to a new role and learning the ropes, or are you looking to impress your manager and receive a promotion? Are you creating a 30-60-90 day plan for new prospective hires? Consider your goals before you begin with your plan's layout.
• Metrics. Monitor your KPIs and your goals for your role or the organization you represent. This will help you align your vision with your manager. Identifying KPIs will also allow you to measure your success better and more accurately.

30-60-90 day plan template and example

Now that you know the elements required to make a great 30-60-90 day plan, it’s time to create your own. Making a 30-60-90 day strategy is simple and straightforward. Using the template below, you can begin to organize your thoughts and goals to ensure success:

Learning goals

Overview:

30 days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

60 Days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

90 Days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

Performance goals

Overview:

30 days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

60 Days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

90 Days

• Your focus:
• Your expectations:
• Goal 1:
• Goal 2:
• Goal 3:

30-60-90 day plan example

Here's an example of a 30-60-90 day plan for learning goals:

• Focus: To adjust to my core job responsibilities while familiarizing myself with the organization's system and setup.
• Goal 1: Research all operating systems and internal materials available to learn more about day-to-day operations.
• Goal 2: Gain access to important accounts that are relevant to my position.
• Goal 3: Spend time shadowing at least 3 employees throughout my first 30 days.

Best practices for 30-60-90 day plans

Whether you are looking to hire an SEO expert or if you're an SEO expert in search of employment, there are a few best practices to keep in mind when creating 30-60-90 day plans and templates, such as:

• Use SMART goals. Implement SMART goals into your 30-60-90 day plan to help measure your success as you work toward accomplishing tasks.
• Remain flexible. Keep an open mind when creating 30-60-90 day goals. Remain flexible and willing to readjust tasks and priorities to meet specific objectives.
• Ask questions. Ask your employer questions to learn more about your company's most important objectives. This will help you determine the best 30-60-90 goals for your career.

• Make adjustments when necessary. You may need to make adjustments throughout your 30-60-90 day plan, especially when priorities change. Ensure any changes still align with your overall focus.
• Reflect on your progress. Make time to reflect on your progress and the actions you've taken so far. Did you successfully reach your goals using a 30-60-90 day strategy? What improvements could you make to ensure you reach your objectives next time?

Ensure success with strategic 30-60-90 goals

Understanding the strategic aspect of 30-60-90 goals is essential as a manager or employee. Regardless of your role, using a 30-60-90 plan is one way to ensure success on a professional and personal level in any industry or market today. When you're ready, carve out time to create a plan that will help improve your career.

With Mailchimp, you can manage and monitor several marketing metrics in a convenient, easy-to-read dashboard. This way, you can track your progress and update your 30-60-90 goals when necessary.