If you hear this question during your interview, lucky you. It’s actually your golden ticket to create a positive impression.
This question is usually asked by recruiters to help them determine how fast you can adjust to the working environment. Remember to take your time before answering and consider the overall expectations common to the type of work you’ve applied for.
Here are some tips to help:
Never make empty promises. Avoid committing to providing immediate results unless you’re completely confident that you will be able to deliver. Failing to live up to any claims of immediate results will hurt your reputation and may even cause your termination.
Avoid simply saying yes or no. Sharing your thoughts, and showing how organized your thoughts are displays your critical thinking skills, forethought and genuine interest in the job.
Create a plan. Discuss your outline for your 30-, 60-,or 90-day plan to answer the question effectively. Ninety days should be enough to transition from a brand- new employee to a fully functioning member of the team.
Your first month should focus on training and learning the company’s procedures and systems. By your third month, you should be able to initiate a few projects on your own. Include important details in your plan — you’ll stay in the recruiter’s mind.
Why Make a Plan?
Creating a plan shows you’re a well-prepared and knowledgeable candidate. A concrete plan demonstrates that you have the enthusiasm, drive, initiative and goal-setting traits important to employers. You will be perceived as someone that will benefit the company in a variety of ways.
So the next time you’re considering how you can make a significant contribution, avoid stating a deadline. Instead, start by saying, “I’ve put together a preliminary plan for what I can do to get started.”
