A 30-60-90 day plan helps you organize your goals and show your boss you’re serious about success. These plans outline specific goals and deliverables for your first three months in a new role, breaking down what you aim to accomplish in the first 30 days (learning phase), 60 days (contributing phase), and 90 days (leading phase).

What Is a 30-60-90 Day Plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan outlines specific goals, priorities, and deliverables for the first three months in a new role. This structured approach helps new hires demonstrate value quickly while adapting to their position.

Purpose and Benefits

The main goal of a 30-60-90 day plan is to provide a roadmap for success during the critical first months at a new job. These plans help new employees make smooth transitions while giving hiring managers clear expectations.

For new hires, this plan offers direction during the onboarding process. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, employees can focus on specific achievements for each phase:

• First 30 days: Learning and observation
• Days 31-60: Deeper involvement and contributing ideas
• Days 61-90: Independent work and measurable results

Companies benefit too. Managers can track progress against defined milestones. This structured approach reduces training time and helps identify any support needs early.

A well-crafted plan might include learning objectives, relationship-building goals, and performance targets appropriate for each time period. The document serves as both a commitment and a tool for productive discussions with supervisors.

Common Use Cases

30-60-90 day plans serve many purposes across different professional settings. These plans help both employers and employees establish clear expectations and goals.

• Managers often use these plans when onboarding team members. They can outline training schedules, introduction meetings, and performance milestones for new employees.
• For new hires, these plans provide a roadmap for the first three months on the job. A sales representative might set targets like “learn all product features by day 30” and “make first independent sale by day 60.”
• Job seekers can impress potential employers by presenting a well-thought-out plan during interviews. This demonstrates initiative and strategic thinking. A marketing candidate might include goals such as “analyze current social media strategy by day 15” and “propose three campaign improvements by day 45.”
• Teams undergoing reorganization benefit from these plans to clarify new responsibilities. Department heads can set objectives like “complete team training on new software by day 30.”
• Employees seeking promotions can use these plans to show their readiness for advanced roles. They might include goals such as “shadow senior staff for 10 hours by day 45.”
• Companies going through mergers find these plans useful for aligning teams from different corporate cultures. Goals might include “complete cross-team introduction meetings by day 15.”
• Project managers rely on these plans when launching new initiatives to keep everyone on track and accountable throughout the critical early phases.

30-60-90 Day Plan Examples

Looking at well-crafted examples can help you understand how to create your own effective plan.

New Employee Onboarding Plan

30 Days: Orientation Phase

• Complete all required training modules and company orientation
• Meet with all team members and key stakeholders from other departments
• Shadow experienced team members to understand workflows
• Learn core systems, tools, and processes
• Establish regular check-in schedule with manager

60 Days: Contribution Phase

• Take on initial responsibilities with supervision
• Provide feedback on onboarding process
• Identify areas for personal development
• Contribute to at least one team project
• Begin building relationships across departments

90 Days: Independence Phase

• Take full ownership of role responsibilities
• Set personal performance goals for the next quarter
• Identify process improvement opportunities
• Complete first performance review with manager
• Present learnings and observations to the team

This template supports hitting the ground running while demonstrating steady progress toward becoming a fully productive team member.

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30-60-90 Sales Plan Example

A strong sales plan focuses on learning, building relationships, and achieving targets. This template can be customized to fit your specific industry.

First 30 Days – Learning Phase:

• Master product knowledge and value propositions
• Shadow 5 top-performing sales representatives
• Learn the CRM system and sales processes
• Study competitor offerings and market positioning

Days 31-60 – Building Phase:

• Generate 15 new qualified leads per week
• Schedule 10 demos or presentations per week
• Develop 3 key sales pitches for different customer types
• Achieve 50% of monthly sales quota

Days 61-90 – Executing Phase:

• Close 8-10 deals independently
• Meet or exceed 100% of sales quota
• Develop 2 strategies to improve conversion rates
• Build a pipeline that’s 3x monthly quota

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30-60-90 Plan: New Manager Example

Transitioning into management requires balancing team leadership with organizational alignment. This plan helps establish authority while building team trust.

First 30 Days – Observe and Connect:

• Meet individually with each team member to understand their roles, goals, and challenges
• Review department metrics and identify top priorities
• Learn company policies, procedures, and reporting requirements
• Identify key stakeholders and establish regular communication

Days 31-60 – Analyze and Plan:

• Identify 3-5 areas for team improvement
• Develop team goals that align with organizational objectives
• Implement weekly team meetings and feedback sessions
• Begin coaching underperforming team members

Days 61-90 – Implement and Lead:

• Roll out at least 2 process improvements
• Deliver first performance reviews and development plans
• Present team accomplishments and future strategy to leadership
• Develop succession plans for key positions

This approach helps new managers establish credibility while making meaningful improvements to team performance.

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30-60-90 Plan: Project Management Example

Project managers need to balance stakeholder expectations, team capabilities, and project constraints. This plan outlines key milestones across the critical first three months.

First 30 Days – Project Initiation:

• Complete project charter with clear scope and deliverables
• Identify all stakeholders and establish communication plan
• Assemble project team and clarify roles/responsibilities
• Create preliminary budget and timeline estimates

Days 31-60 – Planning and Organization:

• Finalize detailed project schedule with milestones
• Develop risk management plan with mitigation strategies
• Secure necessary resources and confirm availability
• Establish tracking mechanisms for budget and timeline

Days 61-90 – Execution and Monitoring:

• Complete 30% of project deliverables
• Conduct mid-project review with stakeholders
• Adjust timeline or resources based on actual progress
• Document best practices and lessons learned

This template provides structure while allowing flexibility to adapt to changing project conditions and stakeholder needs.

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Team Reorganization Plan

30 Days: Transition & Clarity

• Complete team training on new software/systems
• Finalize and communicate revised roles and responsibilities
• Establish new communication and reporting structures
• Hold individual meetings with all team members to address concerns
• Create documentation for new workflows and processes

60 Days: Implementation & Adjustment

• Implement new team structure fully
• Review and optimize workflows based on initial feedback
• Conduct mid-point assessment of progress and challenges
• Provide additional training or resources as needed
• Begin cross-training for critical functions

90 Days: Stabilization & Improvement

• Achieve operational stability with new structure
• Measure productivity and compare to pre-reorganization metrics
• Document best practices and lessons learned
• Develop long-term team development strategy
• Present results to leadership with recommendations for further refinements

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Promotion Readiness Plan

30 Days: Skill Development

• Complete skills gap analysis for target position
• Begin relevant certification or training program
• Shadow senior staff for 5 hours to understand advanced responsibilities
• Meet with manager to establish promotion readiness criteria
• Take on one project that demonstrates leadership potential

60 Days: Experience Building

• Shadow senior staff for additional 5 hours (10 total by day 45)
• Lead a cross-functional initiative or meeting
• Develop solutions to 2-3 department challenges
• Take on additional responsibilities aligned with target role
• Gather feedback from peers and stakeholders on leadership abilities

90 Days: Demonstration & Validation

• Complete required training or certification
• Create and present case for promotion with tangible achievements
• Demonstrate proficiency in key skills required for advanced role
• Develop 30-60-90 day plan for success in the new position
• Meet with leadership to discuss career progression timeline

Key Components of 30-60-90 Day Plans

A well-structured 30-60-90 day plan contains several important elements that help new employees navigate their first three months on the job. These components work together to create a roadmap for success.

1. Setting Specific Goals

Effective 30-60-90 day plans include clear, specific goals that can be measured and achieved within each time period. These goals should follow the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

• For the first 30 days, goals might focus on learning: “Complete training on company software and systems” or “Meet with each team member individually.”
• In the 60-day period, goals could become more action-oriented: “Develop three proposals for improving customer response time” or “Identify bottlenecks in the current production process.”
• By the 90-day mark, goals typically involve delivering results: “Implement new customer feedback system” or “Reduce processing time by 15%.”

These specific goals help new hires understand exactly what they need to accomplish and when.

2. Objectives and Milestones

Objectives serve as the broader aims that connect daily tasks to long-term career goals. Each time period should have 3-5 main objectives with corresponding milestones to track progress.

First 30 days objectives might include:

• Understanding company processes and systems
• Building relationships with team members
• Learning product details and customer needs

Middle 30 days typically focus on:

• Contributing to ongoing projects
• Suggesting improvements to current processes
• Taking on more independent responsibilities

Final 30 days often emphasize:

• Leading initiatives independently
• Demonstrating measurable impact
• Aligning work with long-term departmental goals

Regular check-ins with managers help ensure these objectives remain on track and adjust as needed.

3. Performance Targets

Performance targets provide concrete ways to measure success in each phase of the plan. These targets should be realistic yet challenging, with clear metrics for evaluation.

Quantifiable targets might include:

• Number of client meetings conducted
• Percentage increase in productivity
• Revenue generated or costs reduced
• Projects completed on time and within budget

Qualitative targets could involve:

• Quality of work as assessed by supervisors
• Team feedback on collaboration skills
• Customer satisfaction ratings
• Demonstrated mastery of required skills

You can track these targets using simple progress charts or weekly review notes. Comparing actual performance against targets helps identify areas for improvement and highlights achievements worth celebrating.

Building an Effective Roadmap

You might want to include culture-specific elements such as:

• Team communication preferences – Does the company value formal documentation or casual check-ins?
• Decision-making processes – Are decisions made by consensus or through hierarchical channels?
• Work-life balance expectations – Do employees work strictly business hours or maintain flexible schedules?

Schedule meetings with colleagues from different departments to gain insights into unwritten cultural norms. This approach shows respect for established practices while allowing you to identify where your strengths align with company values.

Clear Expectations

A roadmap without defined goals lacks direction. Your plan should outline specific, measurable objectives for each time period.

You can structure expectations using the SMART framework:

• Specific: “Learn the customer relationship management system” rather than “Understand company systems”
• Measurable: “Complete training on three core software platforms” with verification methods
• Achievable: Set realistic targets based on your background and the position requirements
• Relevant: Connect each goal to broader team or organizational objectives
• Time-bound: Assign clear deadlines within each 30-day segment

Seek feedback on draft expectations from your manager before finalizing your plan. This collaborative approach ensures alignment between your goals and organizational priorities while demonstrating your proactive mindset.

Integrating 30-60-90 Day Plans in the Onboarding Process

Onboarding Plan Structure

A well-designed onboarding plan combines standard company procedures with role-specific goals. The structure typically includes:

First 30 Days (Learning Phase)

• Company orientation and training sessions
• Meeting key team members and stakeholders
• Understanding basic job functions and tools

Days 31-60 (Contributing Phase)

• Taking on small projects independently
• Providing input in team meetings
• Receiving initial performance feedback

Days 61-90 (Leading Phase)

• Managing projects with minimal supervision
• Proposing improvements to existing processes
• Setting long-term development goals

These phases can be customized based on the position level and department requirements. For technical roles, you can include specific training milestones. For management positions, you can add team-building objectives.

Collaboration with the Hiring Manager

Effective collaboration includes:

Pre-start Planning

• The hiring manager outlines critical skills and knowledge areas
• Both parties agree on achievable milestones
• Resources needed for success are identified early

Regular Check-ins

• Weekly one-on-one meetings to discuss progress
• Adjustments to the plan as needed
• Documentation of achievements and challenges

Creating a shared document that both the employee and manager can access and update promotes accountability and helps track progress against the original goals.

The hiring manager should also connect new hires with mentors who can provide guidance beyond the formal onboarding process.