Creating a 30/60/90-day plan is one of the most effective things you can do to impress a hiring manager and win a job offer. It shows knowledge of the position, initiative, energy, enthusiasm, the ability to focus, written communication skills—all of which you definitely want to demonstrate to your interviewer and potential new boss. But when do you bring it up?

The interview model that most people envision is that of a job seeker passively answering the questions put to him, focusing on delivering the "right" answers. Not a bad model, but you want to do a little better than that—you want to stand out. You want to be exceptional. And the chances of your interviewer asking about your 30/60/90-day plan so that you can answer are pretty slim. This is "above and beyond" stuff…not expected, and so not asked about.

So what do you do?

• The ideal time to introduce your 30/60/90-day plan is when your interviewer asks something like, "How do you see yourself in this job?" With a softball like that, you’re set.

• If you don’t get an obvious lead-in, you can segue from talking about your relevant job experience to how that’s enabled you to create your 30/60/90-day plan for this one. You know what you’re talking about, and you know how you’ll transition into this position with efficiency and effectiveness.

• If your experience is a little light, and your skills are what got you the interview, focus on finding an appropriate time to point out that you researched this position extensively, and your 30/60/90-day plan is how you see yourself spending your time in the first 90 days of employment to bring yourself up to speed. This is an especially good way to alleviate any doubts a hiring manager might have—you’ve already answered the question of how you’ll transfer your skills into this job, and shown how you’ll take ownership.

If no opportunity falls in your lap, be assertive and make one. At least bring up your 30/60/90-day plan before you go. Your job search is too important for you to be so passive that you miss a chance to show such a great document. Taking some (polite) control over your interview conversation is another sign to the hiring manager for how you’ll interact with customers and clients. They want to see someone who knows how to lead.