Training is a part of almost any job, which makes being a corporate trainer a pretty safe bet as far as job security goes! So, if you are looking to become a corporate trainer, the opportunities are unlimited. Corporate trainers also say they get a lot of pride out of their work when they realized they’ve helped a team grow, learn, become more efficient, etc. It’s also becoming more frequent for organizations to hire third-party corporate trainers, which also makes it appealing to those looking to freelance or be otherwise self-employed.
With the COVID pandemic, as most people know, many employees had to work from home due to shelter-in-place orders and similar legislation aimed at slowing the spread of the disease. Remote work is expected to continue for many businesses, even after COVID is a thing of the past, as companies realized their employees can be successful from the home office, and it saves businesses money on brick-and-mortar office space and allows employees to have more flexibility and family time.
Due to this win-win, a big shift to digital training is taking place, and anyone looking to get into the corporate trainer game should also be prepared to adapt to the remote work workspace. Here’s a look at 5 qualities you need to become a corporate trainer.
1- Strong Social Skills
Successful trainers, bluntly put, cannot be boring. So, if you want to become a corporate trainer and struggle with public speaking or any other kinds of social ineptitude but are very driven by wanting to educate people in the workplace, making a conscious effort to build your social skills is a must.
Just like any other skill, social skills can be worked on and improved upon if you’re willing to put in the time. For a job like corporate training, it’s simply a must to be an expert communicator. Develop hard skills and soft skills that can help you become a good trainer.
2- Tech Savvy
Especially those trainers who are looking to freelance or build a small team to provide training services to other companies, being able to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of post-pandemic digital communications is a must. Not only should you self-educate on how to contact and converse with potential clients via Zoom/Skype/etc., but given the uptick in remote work, it would also be wise to create a business model that allows you to train from afar.
Many evolutions in digital communications were sparked by the pandemic, and many of those were created with education in mind. Utilize them and you’ll be a staple of the modern corporate trainer.
3- Social Media Prowess
Whether you’re an in-house trainer or work for a training business, social media can be a tool that can help you achieve your goals. Creating pages your team can access with random facts or articles relative to what training is being focused on is a great way to give them a non-intrusive pathway to some quick learning.
For those who want to do business with other businesses, a social media presence across all platforms is a must-have to succeed in the modern workforce.
4- Good Analytical Skills
To become a corporate trainer and be good at it, you have to be able to customize your approach to each and every subject you’re employed to educate. With that, being able to digest and analyze the strengths and weaknesses (relative to training) of your team member is very important. As a trainer, you are also a leader, and a great leader helps themselves by setting their team members up for success.
5- Being Passionate
It’s no secret that some corporate training is boring, no matter how you convey it. However, when you’re tasked to be a corporate trainer, you will almost certainly be given vague assignments that you can mold, ultimately allowing you to train your team members on things you care about. Maintaining the balance between mundane and exciting is a win-win for both you and your trainees, and it can help you stay passionate about your job.
So, Should You Become a Corporate Trainer?
There aren’t many cons to pursuing this career. It’s a good paying career, job availability is high, and trainers report high levels of self-worth relative to their work. If these 5 traits describe you, or you have the willingness to work on them, then you can surely become a corporate trainer and corporate training could definitely be a great career path for you!
