In today’s corporate environment, companies are looking to maximize every dollar they spend, and that includes corporate training. Whether you work for a company’s internal HR department, or you work for a consulting firm or software firm, training third parties, it is more critical than ever before to demonstrate that you are the best and you’ll provide the most bang for a potential employer’s buck. As you prepare for your corporate training interview, be prepared to answer these four questions with answers that will set you apart.
“Corporate Training can be a challenge if you don’t have the right vision and strategy! Spend enough time with the executives and leadership teams to clearly understand the 3 and 5-year plan so you can modify your training to match those goals. Be a true HR Business partner to each manager that you are supporting. When you train their employees – you will ensure their success!” Says Amanda Haugh, Corporate Training Manager at Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
How Do You Go About Creating Objectives And Assessments?
Every company has its own methodologies for creating training objectives and assessments when it comes to instructional design. The interviewer isn’t necessarily interested in the specifics of your process, but rather, the way you approach complex problems like program design. They want to see if you are a “big picture” thinker or if you focus on the details, and whether or not you can move between both types of thinking. The key to answering well is to have a detailed example ready to go of a time you were successfully involved in developing objectives and assessments for a complex training.
Describe A Time You Worked With A “Difficult” Trainee
As a corporate trainer, you can count on the fact that in almost every group you work with, there will be someone who knows more than you do, or who thinks they know more than you do. You will also find someone in almost every group who, no matter how hard you try, they either just doesn’t catch on, or simply refuses to engage in the process.
These “difficult” people can quickly take over a training session and if you’re not careful, send it sideways. However, handling these types of people takes patience, finesse and tact. Be prepared with an example that shows that you do not look down on these individuals and that you do not blame others, and that you are able to keep things on track no matter what gets thrown at you. Focus on the approach you took to make the situation better for both you and the other members of the group.
What Is Your Favorite Part Of The Training Cycle?
This question seems innocuous enough, but there could be a bit of a “trick” in the subtext. Getting you to talk about something you’re passionate about gives some insight into who you are as a trainer, but it also can raise red flags if you’re extremely passionate about a part of the cycle you won’t be involved in. They want to know that your interests actually lie within the scope of the role, and this is a creative way to discern if you’ll be satisfied with the position.
How Will Your Previous Experiences Prepare You For This Role?
Whether you’re looking for your first job in corporate training or you’ve been in the game for some time, this question can provide the hiring manager with a great deal of insight. While it is true that every experience can provide you with transferable skills, you must be able to provide solid examples of how those experiences transfer. The key is to keep it brief, but self-aware. Cite specific ways in which you’ve learned and grown over the years and how you can apply that specific knowledge to the position.
If you are a talented human resources professional or corporate trainer seeking new opportunities, contact the professional recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today. Our recruiters can help you achieve your goals.