by Doug Walker

Guest Post

If you are training another person to take over your job, it’s important for them to learn what they need to know so they can do as well as possible. The training has to be done in the right way for them to learn quickly and retain what they’ve learned. Here are 10 tips on how you can help that other person be successful at their new job.

1. Make sure the person is qualified for the job before training them. It is important to make sure they have the qualifications to do your job effectively. If they do not, it will be more difficult and time-consuming to get their knowledge and skills where they need to be.
2. Make a list of what they need to know and teach them one thing at a time. List the skills and knowledge they will need for each task. Start with the most basic tasks before moving on to more complicated ones that depend on previous knowledge or skills. Teach them one skill or piece of information at a time, with careful attention to what has already been taught as you move on from one topic to another. This is important because people can only learn so much before their minds become overloaded.
3. Be enthusiastic when teaching them and make sure they understand that this job is their responsibility now. Your enthusiasm will help them be positive about what they’re doing, and it will make them want to learn more. Be excited about teaching this person so they can do your job better than you ever could. If it’s managing your company’s website, impress upon your trainee the importance of using a plagiarism checker for originality and brand voice. Likewise, if their job is selling a product, encourage them to see the value of the products and services your company offers – so they have a sense of ownership and pride in what they’re selling. Positivity is infectious.
4. Give them an outline of what needs to be done for their specific role. Create a plan with goals and deadlines for each step of the process. Have a clear understanding of what you need the person to do and be specific about how you want the job done. The more information a your trainee has up front, the better equipped they’ll feel going into this new position. Giving them clear expectations of what’s expected of them ensures that everyone understands both sides of the equation, which means fewer headaches down the road.
5. Give feedback regularly so they know if they are on track. If a person is struggling, give them specific feedback and tell them how to correct the issue. If they’re doing well, positive feedback will let them know and boost their confidence. Feedback opens the way for your trainee to ask questions and improve their skills.
6. Make sure there is enough time in your schedule for training and follow up. Show them the ropes but don’t do their work for them. Review everything together until your trainee can confidently stand on their own. Be there for moral support. Be available for them. If they see you are too busy to give them direction and feedback, they might be uncomfortable approaching you even if they feel lost in their task. If you are a remote worker, connect with them via cloud calling so they can see your face and you can show them that you are a real person who is there for them.
7. Allow time for them to ask questions. When training someone, we often find ourselves talking at the person and not waiting for their feedback. Specifically ask if they have questions about what you just said. Not only will it help them learn more quickly, but they’ll also feel like their opinion matters and that you’re listening to them. Keep communication open and provide the right tools for your employees to communicate internally. 
8. Make sure they have the right tools for the job. Have you ever started a new job but your workstation wasn’t prepared and you didn’t have access to company software? Without the proper access to equipment, your trainee won’t be able to work at all. This slows down training. Make sure your trainee has all the equipment and software to do their new job. Add them into all pertinent email lists so they will not miss out on any information. 
9. Offer praise when it’s deserved, but don’t overdo it; be firm when needed. Praise might make an employee feel good about themself, which can have a lasting effect both physically and mentally. On the other hand, corrective feedback will usually push the employee to do better. Too much corrective feedback can make your trainee feel like they aren’t doing anything correctly. This might make them give up or seek other employment. However, if praise is given too generously, it can make an employee less motivated because the praise stops being meaningful.
10. Be patient and don’t push too hard – let them work at their own pace. Don’t forget that you were once in their shoes, so be understanding of any mistakes they make. Some excellent workers might take longer to grasp new tasks than others, or maybe your teaching style does not coincide with their learning style. Let your trainee work at their own pace. Your trainee should also feel comfortable taking some initiative when they are working on something new; if they stumble upon difficulty or need clarification, they can always ask for help instead of feeling like they’re bothering you all the time with questions.

In the end, if you feel you are not training someone properly, you might need some training on how to train others! You can also consider having the training process designed for you.

About Doug Walker

Doug Walker is an Online Marketing Expert that has built successful eCommerce businesses from the ground up, worked with enterprise-level organizations such as Dell, Intuit, Coldwater Creek, and FindLaw/Thomson Reuters, and consulted for small law firms and businesses. Over the past 13 years, Doug has taken a customized, proprietary approach to digital marketing and has written several articles to help maximize revenue and dominate online niches.