| The best-prepared candidate is often the one who | | | | half your battle). |
| gets the offer. | | | | Want more? They also help you have more control |
| And the hands-down, very best way to ensure that | | | | over your conversation with the hiring manager. It |
| YOU are the best-prepared candidate is to construct | | | | facilitates finding out what the hiring manger is really |
| a 30/60/90-day plan. | | | | interested in, so that you can talk about what's going to |
| A 30/60/90-day plan is a written outline of what you | | | | sell you as a candidate for the job. |
| will be doing in your first 3 months on the job. It's | | | | The 30/60/90-day plan takes some effort to put |
| divided up into segments--your first 30 days, which are | | | | together. The research on the company is the most |
| usually focused on training and the | | | | extensive and time-consuming part (but you need to |
| getting-to-know-everyone part; the next 30 days (the | | | | know that stuff anyway, right?) and then it takes |
| 60-day part), which is usually the getting-up-to-speed | | | | some strategic thinking to actually write out the plan. |
| portion; and the last 30 days (the 90-day part), which is | | | | But just the effort alone makes you shine in the |
| where you set goals for accomplishing on your own | | | | interview because most candidates won't go that far |
| (like bringing in new accounts, going after new | | | | in thinking about their role at the company before |
| business, or otherwise contributing to the growth of the | | | | they've even got the job. It makes the hiring manager |
| company). | | | | look at you and think, "If this candidate will work this |
| These plans can be as detailed as you wish, or you | | | | hard and show this much commitment to the company |
| can keep it simple. The important thing is to make it | | | | before we've even hired him, what will he do as an |
| specific to the company you're interviewing with. Not | | | | employee?" And THAT'S what you want him to think. |
| only does that allow you to demonstrate that you've | | | | To really shine in the interview, you want to blow the |
| done your homework on the company, it helps you | | | | hiring manager away with your focus, energy, initiative |
| talk to the hiring manager about specific things you'll be | | | | and dedication right from the start. The 30/60/90-day |
| doing, which helps him to see you in the job (which is | | | | plan is the way to do that. |