You know that you deserve a promotion. Now, your New Years resolution is to convince management of that. I spoke to a few training experts in the field, and gathered their advice on how to get that coveted promotion. So, here is your 9-step guide to push your own personal boundaries in 2016 to finally turn your resolution into a reality.
1. Create a Personal Blog
Even if you don’t realize it, you have a personal brand. To strengthen your online reputation, create an online blog on a free platform like WIX or WordPress. Begin writing short 500 word blog posts about hot topics in the training world. Follow the blogs of well-known training experts in the field; they might follow you back. This will take you a long way in establishing yourself as a leader in the industry.
2. Join Professional Networks
Expand your professional networks to better collaborate and share ideas with fellow professionals. Meet as many other professionals as possible and increase your name recognition in the market.
3. Identify Knowledge Gaps Proactively
Talk to different departments and identify knowledge gaps amongst employees. Are employees using complicated software platforms like Salesforce, MS Dynamics, MS Office, SAS, correctly? Are they using these platforms in the same way? Are they taking advantage of all of the features offered? If not, report to management exactly what types of training are needed.
4. Take on Influential Projects
Take on projects that will make the biggest splash. Spearhead training efforts that have the greatest ROI. What projects are on your plate that will save employees the most time? Are there any efforts you could push forward that would drastically cut time-to-competence, perhaps using automated programs? Are there any projects that directly impact sales?
5. Invest in your Own Training
Make sure you’re constantly learning by taking courses and workshops to better yourself. Take advantage of the success of digital learning and put together a successful e-learning strategy. If you’d like to implement training in departments that currently don’t offer it or if employees aren’t showing up to training sessions, enroll in a course on how to market your training internally. If you don’t have a business background and you’re juggling several projects, take a “project management for trainers” course.
6. Stay on Top of the Latest Trends and Strategies
Training models and strategies are constantly evolving.
New research often reveals findings that shake common perceptions about learning behaviors and training effectiveness. Published case studies from other organizations will often shed light on what training strategies work and what doesn’t. New technologies are developed to answer business needs. Is your training team stay up-to-date?
7. Strategically Manage your Training Budget
Make the most out of your budget. Use your budget to invest in new training strategies. Hire external experts to come in and speak about various topics. Make sure that you budget follow-up training sessions or practices, after formal training has ended, in order to ensure knowledge retention. If you have a larger budget, consider investing in more sophisticated e-learning programs such as personalized Systems, like AI systems & Online Guidance Systems.
8. Use Blended Learning
Try out blended learning, where you combine traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning. Use apps and online courses that support your agenda. Embrace technology and social media to engage employees in the training at hand, using Smartphones as a learning tool and not a classroom distraction. Apply real-life scenarios that employees will encounter on the job as examples.
9. Track your KPIs
Show the ROI on your efforts by tracking your KPIs. Make sure that your training KPIs are in line with yearly business goals and objectives. Your KPIs should include the number of employees trained, topics they were trained in, time-to-competence. Ask direct managers their level of satisfaction with the training received and their perceptions of how training impacted productivity. Consider presenting this information in an infographic to make a strong statement.
So, take the advice of the experts and be proactive about getting your name out there, updating your training strategy an staying on top of the latest trends in the learning world. You’re going places; you just need to make sure you’re in right gear.
