One of the questions you often get asked during a job interview is what you'd do in your first 90 days in the role. I think it's a great question because it gives you the opportunity to explain your methodology and assess whether you're a good cultural fit for the organisation based upon their reaction. I strongly believe that if you want to hit the floor running in your new role, your first move should be to learn about, and engage with, your new organisation - your colleagues, stakeholders, customers, suppliers, systems and processes. You need to earn the right, by understanding the business, before you can make informed decisions, provide support and propose changes. My tried and tested approach is a variation on Deming's Plan, Do, Check, Act but with an additional Check at the outset. I've captured my 90-day plan on a couple of slides - I hope you find them useful. Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/job-hunting-check-out-plan-first-90-days-new-role-jon-stephenson

1. • Hit the floor learning – about colleagues, stakeholders, customers, suppliers, systems, and processes
• Earn the right first – before you attempt to make decisions, provide support, or propose changes
• Apply Deming's Plan, Do, Check, Act with an additional Check at the outset:
 Check – understand your objectives, organisation, and current performance
 Plan – share your findings and proposals, seek buy-in, and make refinements
 Do – communicate your plan, agree the milestones, and deliver the changes
 Check – confirm changes are embedded and identify any causes of variation
 Act – address areas of concern, make adjustments, and take corrective action
• Tailor your 90-day plan for each role
– consider the size, complexity, and culture of your organisation
• Follow the steps in sequential order
– some of the stages and/or changes might be shorter or longer
• Bring it to life during your interview
– give examples of previous discoveries, changes, and outcomes
Job Hunting – Check out this plan for the first 90 days in a new role!
Jon Stephenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon

2. Job Hunting – Check out this plan for the first 90 days in a new role!
Jon Stephenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon
30 60 90
Act
- on the causes of variation
• Fine-tune measures and processes
• Implement the identified changes
• Make any necessary adjustments
• Address the areas of concern
• Lead, coach, develop, collaborate
Do
- implement the plan
• Communicate the plan
• Agree milestones and metrics
• Provide support and guidance
• Achieve the quick wins
• Deliver the planned changes
Check
- progress and performance metrics
• Seek feedback from stakeholders
• Ensure changes are fully embedded
• Identify areas of variation
• Undertake root cause analysis
• Learn fast - agree corrective action
Plan
- course of action
• Summarise my main observations
• Share draft findings and proposals
• Refine and reshare the plan
• Agree the measures of success
• Seek buy-in and engagement
Check
- what and why of current performance
• Discuss and agree role objectives
• Identify and meet key stakeholders
• Engage with my direct reports
• Attend team meetings and events
• Observe, speak, listen to the team
• Liaise with the client(s)/customers
• Read the business policies
• Understand the core systems
• Review the main processes
• Analyse the current metrics
• Dive into the detail
• Confirm the current state of play
• Benchmark other teams/businesses
• Explore new initiatives
• Build product/service awareness
• Undertake market research
• Complete a SWOT analysis
• Embrace the culture and values
• Expand my knowledge base