Corporate Trainer Interview Preparation Guide

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Finding out training needs includes communicating with managers and supervisors, conducting surveys, talking to the employees and observing on the job performance. Analyzing performance management feedback and organizational, departmental and operational needs. Give a specific example in your interview answer.

I see myself advancing or progressing in my career. I hope to have achieved my goals and aim and also to impact in people.

My training method is a combination of visual demonstration, Q&A discussion, presentation of information, and practice. I engage my students in the lesson, providing them opportunity to engage with the information or skill themselves through discussion, practice, and questions.

I have attended multiple workshops such as coaching to performance, motivating for results, taken college course work in business management and I am certified in Microsoft Office 2010.

After each class I submit any changes and corrections so it is ready for print and assembly. I delegate the assembly of the manual to folks on the phone that have down time.

Be ready to give some examples of the kind of team player you are. If you are not into office politics and have harbored good relationships at work, mention it. And remember that the interviewer may ask your references the same question. I strongly suggest contacting your references before the interview stage in order to talk through your career goals and how the reference can best support them.

The basic difference between training and development is:

Training helps to make the employee of a company to be more effective and efficient in the present role and responsibilities of the job i.e. fulfill short term needs of any company but development helps to improve the overall personality dimensions of an employee to take up any future assignments if any and better equipped to handle any critical situations might occur i.e. fulfill long term needs of any company.

The role of a trainer is to develop a competency and skill sets in an individual to perform his/her effectively and efficiently in the work place. The trainer should communicate to the trainees about what is expected out of training in a simple and professional way.

The trainer plays a pivotal role from start to end of the training that includes the following:

☛ Training plan
☛ Timing of different training sessions
☛ Choosing the relevant training methods
☛ Preparing the training materials and aids
☛ Conducting training sessions and
☛ Evaluating the post training session

Communication plays an extremely important role in the process of implementing change. Resistance to change occurs because of:

☛ Fear of change
☛ Not being a part of the change process
☛ People moving away from their comfort zones
☛ Low level of trust In being able to manage change
☛ Wrong information about the need for change

However, all these problems can be better managed with open and clear communication.

A disciplinary action can invoke a feeling of mistrust among not only the employee against whom the action is being taken but also his fellow employees.

In order to avoid this feeling of mistrust against the employer, it is important to:

☛ Document the disciplinary procedure and communicate it to all the employees
☛ Provide a clear reference to the activities and the disciplinary action they call for according to the guidelines.
☛ Ensure that the employee against whom the action is being taken understands and accepts his behaviours against which the action is being taken.

And, all these can be achieved only if you have clear communication system in place.

You may not have a lot of experience in the field yet, but make sure you have researched and are ready to discuss current trends – particularly what's happening in the U.S. and in your home country. It's also extremely important to refer to specifics from internships or work experience you've had in the past or topics you've recently studied in school.

This is a good way to get a sense of the how the company operates and what each department does so that you can see how your role as an intern/trainee would fit into this organization.

Trainers do not often have the opportunity to sit down. Because they are facilitating the program in one way or another, they stand during all presentations and during most discussions. Even when the participants are in small groups, trainers move from group to group ready to answer questions, address problems, or know when to move on to the next subject.

Although it would be nice to have all the training materials, supplies, and equipment just magically show up at the training site, it is more likely that you will be the person responsible for getting it all there. Packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking (and then doing it all over again) is simply a part of a trainer’s job.

Refer to the essential skills and behaviors that every successful trainer needs.

These include technical skills such as knowledge of adult learning principles and business core competencies such as knowledge and understanding of basic business principles and organizational behavior.

Include personal competencies such as planning and organizing skills, information gathering and analysis, communication and presentation skills, coaching skills, adaptability, creativity and resilience.

Support your answer with work related examples.

When answering trainer interview questions about effective training relate it to actual examples. Effective training means the employees are engaged in the training, learn new skills, ideas and knowledge. The process enhances employee self esteem and instills confidence and motivation.

The participants are able to transfer effectively what has been learned into the work environment. The training meets the employee's development and training needs and helps fulfill the organization's goals and objectives.

Training is helping someone understand a concept from the scratch. And development is more about coaching someone to do a task on their own.

Its all based on customer requirements. Any task where a customer requirement comes into picture is a high priority. A priority is also based on project deadlines. For example, the launch date of the product.

Indicate that you can and ask the interviewer how much pressure is involved in the position. Learn what the interviewer means by pressure. The definition can vary significantly from person to person and company to company. If you are a pro at pressure jobs, describe a few accomplishments.

Your reply could be based on their reputation for products, management, international scope, technology, or as a nice place to work and grow. The most important thing is to avoid generic answers. Know their products, policies, and potential for growth.

There are different training methods like on –the – job techniques, off-the-job techniques, role playing, simulation, internship, apprentice ship, lectures, case analysis, laboratory training methods etc.

Communication within an organization is one of the key elements responsible for its success and congenial atmosphere. Better communication in an organization brings following results:

☛ 1. Better employer – employee relationship
☛ 2. Lesser confusions within the employees and with the management
☛ 3. Better productivity as the goals are clearly stated and conveyed with a clear work path
☛ 4. Better communication helps in implementing changes easily
☛ 5. Its boosts up the confidence level of the employees
☛ 6. The employees in an organization with clear communication are better motivated
☛ 7. Employees will have lesser grievances in a clear communication environment

The major difficulties faced by the organizations in implementation of an effective internal communication system are:

☛ Gap in receiving the information
☛ Geographically divided work force
☛ Using ineffective and inefficient way of communication
☛ Message falling on deaf ears and blind eyes

☛ it's all about the flexibility. I'm a self-admitted planner & possess slight, um, OCD tendencies. That's okay - there's a need and a place for us - in every company, in every department, in every field. But, we must learn that nothing can be prepared for 100% and that the unfortunate by product of our technology, our long commutes, and our complex society and our large organizations is the need for flexibility. Don't sweat it and don't take it personally. If you are like me, trust me you are valued for what you bring and what you do - even if you think you never hear it or are fairly compensated for it. That's fine. Even if you make a mistake and leave a position or company because you weren't valued - you still will always need to recognize that flexibility can endear you very much to those who fly by the seat of their pants.
☛ The saying goes "no man is an island". And in the training world that's never been more true than today. You may know Photoshop, or Illustrator, or Captivate, or Lectora, or your company's LMS like the back of your hand. Trust me though, unless your a programmer who works on that program, you don't know everything - and you will get a request that you cannot fulfill - either in time and/or budget requirements. But, that's okay - deviation is expected. All those project plans you fill out, all your hours you've tracked, all those fancies spreadsheets or Microsoft Project timelines you've seen - everyone is late with work, every project cuts corners, skips steps, or somehwere along the way causes anxiety, anger or sleepless nights for a manager. You are not alone. So, when this question comes up - focus on what you did right, how you fixed it, not on the problem or casting blame.
☛ As a side note, this may be a great and opportune time to include a comment or story than demonstrates your ability to learn a business/industry - it's not just about you and your reaction - it can also be about your ability to conceptualize, organize, and maybe even evaluate a situation clearly and that's what a business needs.

☛ Here we see another place where your analysis skills are tested, but you cannot afford to get bogged down in theory or in details. Be specific, be precise, and be positive. Again, you will learn the company's process with enough practice and time, but they won't want you if you make yourself out to be a professor locked in an ivory tower, or a schlep with little refinement.
☛ Another big part of training, especially for you newbies, is the ability to see and/or make connections. Going back to that panel discussion I mentioned earlier, (it was on the difference between training and education) even when you don't consciously realize it - your brain is designed to compare and contrast things. If you can master the process and your subconscious thoughts - or you meditate/reflect on a regular basis, you can do yourself and your career a huge favor. Good training departments, like good teachers or professors, know it's not about one thin- it's about the learners & about the "company" - which for professors is the subject matter. Outside of upper management, you are one of the few areas that really gets to learn and see and spend time in many areas of a the business - especially as the company size gets exponentially larger. So, use that opportunity to your advantage and also discuss your observations - again in a positive manner, with a prospective employer. But - be prepared. If you didn't act or didn't have a chance or didn't feel comfortable approaching people about things - be prepared to discuss why and what you would have done or would do differently next time.