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Interview Tip #11
How do you answer “What would you accomplish in your first 30/60/90 Days in a new job?”
One of the more common questions at a job interview is, “What would you accomplish in the first 30, 60, or 90 days on the job?” If this is your first entry-level job, the answer to this question can be hard to anticipate — but it’s not impossible. With proper planning, you can come up with a realistic, honest and enthusiastic answer.
First, let’s take a look at what this question is actually asking. Why the numbers 30, 60 and 90? These numbers correspond to standard cut-offs for your first three months on the job — 30 days, 60 days or 90 days. Interviewers ask this question for a number of reasons. They want to see how you think about ramping up in your new role, how fast you’ll complete the onboarding process and what types of goals and standards you hold yourself to, especially in a new environment.
This onboarding period may seem daunting, but it can be an exciting time, too. You will learn a lot about your duties, your supervisor, company culture and workplace etiquette. You also will learn a lot about yourself and how you fit into the larger organization.
Try to prepare your answer by outlining your goals for each month.
After you’ve studied up on what you may be doing at your job, think about what you can realistically accomplish during this initial period. What kinds of concrete goals can you set? What projects are you excited to take on? If possible, stick to quantifiable results. Then practice your answer to the interview question. Try to condense your response to 3–4 sentences.
