The ultimate 30-60-90 day plan for launching your IT career

A comprehensive guide for IT job seekers

Introduction

Embarking on a career in IT is an exciting journey that requires a strategic approach to job searching. In this guide, we will walk you through a personalized 30-60-90 day plan, tailored to your unique circumstances and goals. Whether you are just starting out or looking to advance your career, we have outlined actionable steps to help you navigate the competitive IT job market.

It’s important to write down your goals, being as specific as possible. Grab our IT Job Hunter download package which includes our customizable 30-60-90 day job search plan that will make it easy for you to lay out your job search strategy, break it into digestible tasks and follow through.

Understanding the 30-60-90 Day Plan

SMART Goals: Setting the Foundation

Before diving into the plan, it's crucial to set SMART goals:

• Specific: Clearly define your objectives.

• Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for tracking progress.

• Attainable: Set realistic and achievable goals.

• Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your career aspirations.

• Time-bound: Set deadlines to stay on track.

Personas and Customization

Recognizing that everyone has a unique situation, we've crafted three personas to guide your approach. It is important to take these types of considerations into your strategy. For example, if you’re a working professional already, your 30-60-90 job plan will look a little different than someone beginning a career for the first time.

1. Persona A: The Working Professional

• Works full time.

• Holds an A+ certification

• Seeking remote opportunities

2. Persona B: The Entry-Level Enthusiast

• Unemployed

• No certifications yet

• Open to diverse opportunities

3. Persona C: The Help Desk Veteran

• Prior experience or currently employed at Help Desk

• Aiming to move up in the career ladder

The 30-60-90 Day Plan: Entry-Level Enthusiast

The following outline is to help guide an entry-level career starter through the plan. We’ll include considerations for other job seekers below.

30 Days: Obtain a Certification

Example SMART Goal: Achieve the Security+ certification within 30 days.

Actionable Steps:

• Dedicate focused study hours each day.

• Use online resources and practice exams.

• Schedule the certification exam.

60 Days: Expand Professional Network

Example SMART Goal: Apply to 100 positions within 60 days.

Actionable Steps:

• Update LinkedIn profile.

• Search for jobs aligned with your qualifications.

• Attend virtual industry events and network with professionals.

90 Days: Secure Job Interviews

Example SMART Goal: Land three job interviews within 90 days.

Actionable Steps:

• Establish alerts on job boards for relevant positions.

• Regularly make new connections and introduce yourself.

• Apply to a specified number of positions per week. Use our job search tracker (see below) to help with this.

Company Engagement

In the 90 day portion of a job search, you will be engaging with companies/potential employers. Here are some of the steps to include in that section of your job search tracker.

Actionable Steps:

• Follow companies on LinkedIn.

• Stay active with their posts.

• Conduct thorough research before interviews.

Considerations for career changers or mid-level job seekers

A mid-level career job seeker would obviously be able to swap out some of the tasks on this form. Examples might include:

• Update your LinkedIn profile

• Network with colleagues from previous roles

• Decide whether additional certifications or skills might help you make the next step

Tracking Progress: The Job Search Tracker

At ACI Learning Tech Academy, our career resources team members have developed a 30-60-90 day job search tracker that is fully customized for every job seeker. This guide helps turn the daunting and sometimes overwhelming process of looking for a new job or starting a career into micro-tasks that are much more digestible. You should implement a job search tracker to monitor:

• Applications submitted.

• Companies contacted.

• Interview invitations.

• Follow-up actions required.

Soft skills matter

In the competitive IT landscape, soft skills play a crucial role. Think about the soft skills you already have that will help position you to succeed as you transition to this new career. Some examples of soft skills are:

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Customer service

• Adaptability

• Lifelong learning

• Critical thinking

• Problem-solving

Company Engagement

Actionable Steps:

• Follow companies on LinkedIn.

• Stay active with their posts.

• Conduct thorough research before interviews.

Conclusion

Launching your IT career requires dedication, strategy, and continuous improvement. Use this 30-60-90 day plan as a roadmap, adapting it to your unique situation. Remember, the journey is as important as the destination. We’ll be with you every step of the way.

For many seeking to start an IT career, the first step is to get trained. If you’re ready to start your training journey, ACI Learning Tech Academy can help you with accelerated classes, support from an instructor mentor, and personalized career services as you seek employment. Click here to learn about our training programs.

*Note: Access our IT Job Hunter Package, which includes this comprehensive plan and more. Fill out the form at the bottom of the blog to receive your customizable toolkit.

Disclaimer: Adjust the timeline, goals, and actions based on individual circumstances. Career services staff can provide additional assistance.*