Prepare for the Job Interview, Have a 90-Day Plan Pt. 2
In my previous job, we were scaling, hiring key personnel for a department function. As part of the management team, I was part of the interviewing process, no job candidates had to interview with me, even though it wasn’t my department. I would interview candidates, who did have good job interviewing, and didn’t have a 90-day plan for the position, if there were hired.
For one particular candidate, our COO wanted to talk to me again about the guy we interviewed. He told me the hiring VP was still interested in the interviewee for very specific reasons. He wanted to know my other thoughts on the issues I had previously identified. The COO still agreed with me. I ended the discussion with,
“Anyone who’s interviewing for this position, has to be serious in managing their career as a knowledge worker. This guy didn’t have a clue, yet he wants to start a new department for us?”
The hiring VP, my peer, finally came to visit me, wanting to know my thoughts directly. I could tell by his body language that he was a little closed to my perspective, but he was committed to listening. I always admired this about him. I carefully expressed my concerns. Midway during our talk, he agreed with me and said, “We can’t have that, they have to do what you’ve done in creating the Marketing department and positions.” This was high praise from my colleague. I was flattered.
Job Interviewing and Career Management
But this situation did make me think, “How much do knowledge workers really manage their careers?” I’m sure most knowledge workers are prepared, but as we move up the ladder, gunning for management positions, we must know how to interview. You have to be self-aware, understanding your strengths and weaknesses and how to package your accomplishments, so you’re a clear fit for the job you want. After my discussions with the COO yesterday, I realized the COO hadn’t thought about process or career management for that matter. What does this mean? He’s a COO in a startup. That tells me he’s naturally gifted and was able to interview well and had the management and leadership expertise to secure his job. But what about job hunters, who are rough around the edges?
The Exception, not the Norm
It’s not the norm, but the exception. Most knowledge workers don’t think about career management. In my last two jobs, I’ve nailed both interviews because of the packaging of my experience, demonstrating how I fit into each prospective company with my portfolios and 90-day plans. I think in strategic terms, as I approach job opportunities, then drill down to the tactical level, so I can identify my accomplishments and provide the correct context. Interviewing skills are good, but reflecting and knowing how to approach your job opportunity is very effective. There’s a lot of preparation that goes into, but it pays off. Trust me, not everyone is as prepared as you might think.
See Yourself in the Job, Have a Plan
For example, if you’re a product manager or marketing manager that’s ready to take the next step to director, then put yourself in those shoes. How would you approach the job if you were in it? What would you do in your first 90 days? After you think through these types of questions, it will be easier to get through the interviews. Trust me, interviewees don’t always come from the perspective of, “If they were in the job, here’s what I would do in the first 90 days.” They remain distant from the job transition into the company, rather than articulating what they would do if they were in it.
Trust me, it gets easier after your first big interview in moving up the food chain. Prepare for the job by seeing yourself in the role, complete with a transition plan. It demonstrates that you’ve seriously considered the position and really want it. Be the exception. Don’t be like other knowledge workers who “sort of” know how to interview and “kind of” manage their careers.
Two things come to mind reading this.
First, you say; “Anyone who’s interviewing for this position, has to be serious in managing their career as a knowledge worker.”
In normal times that would be true some of the time but not all the time. Right now it would be true a considerably smaller percentage of the time. If you’ll excuse the link to my web site, people everwhere are
Sliding down Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Second, what’s so special about 90 days? Is that a number plucked from the air? I usually have short term objectives and long term objectives, but I’ve never thought in terms of a fixed number of days.
As someone, who’s been a hiring manager, I was shocked that the job seeker didn’t appear to manage their career. Perhaps, they weren’t able to articulate how they got to where they were, where the wanted to go, and how they were a fit with us, based on their past, present, and future. I encountered this problem 75% of the time. The remaining 25%, who were able do convey this in interviews, were hired. Part of career management is connecting the dots in your career, then explaining those dots and trends to your prospective employer, based on my personal experience. Thanks for the link to your site, I’ll check it out.
Excellent question about why the 90-days is so special. The 90-days is special because it’s a way for your transition into the new company to be measure, reflecting that you have a plan to get the job done. There are some jobs that require you to hit the ground running, because the employer needs quick wins or results. The best way to demonstrate that they hired the right person is to have a 90-day plan, one that’s been formalized by your new boss, complete with goals, projects, tasks, and deadlines. It’s a common frame of reference for your 1:1 with your new boss, and it’s the perfect tool that measures your results. It also keeps your boss honest, as they try to pile on more work. You can work with your boss to re-prioritize your plan on the fly.
While not all jobs require a fast transition plan into the company, the 90-day plan demonstrates that you take results seriously. It’s the best sales tool that demonstrates the value you add to the company. My last few jobs required 90-days plans. I always had more work than resources, so the 90-day plan allowed me to align my this plan with the department and company priorities.