Making a Career Shift to Training After 20 Years in Sales – Any Advice or Resources to Share?

Hi all, :icon1:

This is Ashok. I am making a career change after 20+ years in sales to training. I would appreciate any inputs that would help me get started as a trainer. I have joined an HR solutions company as a trainer and am in the process of going through basic induction training and other coaching programs to bring me up to speed as a trainer. However, any external assistance, however big or small, would be most welcome. Any suggested reading or advice?

Thanks, Ashok

Dear Ashok,

After years of hardcore training with MNCs and Training Consulting firms, I suggest the following:

Do not look down upon your participants. They may not know about the subject you are teaching today, but they are champions in their own fields. Use their experience. Ask them to demonstrate how they would handle a situation. Involve them in discussions as much as possible. The best trainers are the ones who use discussions rather than powerpoints.

Lastly, remember the advice my guru gave me, "Be friendly with participants, but don't be friends."

All the best for your training career.

Regards,

Hi Ashok,

Welcome to the show!

Few important things:

1. During our sales career, we used to be focused on our numbers. Sometimes, we tended to be selfish, hardly cared for others, and always made fun of the trainers.

As a trainer, we need to care for people. We can't be selfish, and we need to accept the fact that salespeople will never be satisfied with what we say.

Regards,
Anoop

Dear Ashok,

Great news! You are moving to the training vertical. All the dos and don'ts you will learn over time. However, one crucial thing that is mandatory for all trainers during the delivery of sessions is PASSION and INVOLVEMENT in the training process. Once you embrace this, you will be able to deliver power-packed sessions.

Thanks!

Rajeev
Head of Training
Archies Ltd

Dear Ashok,

A couple of months ago, there was an article on training. I am attaching the article to this email. It will give you a good idea before you enter into the training function.

I have also written an article titled "Why Employee Fails?" and have submitted it for publishing to The Economic Times. I cannot say when it will be published as it is pending at the editorial board office in Mumbai. This article will also give you a clear idea of what is expected from a trainer.

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar
Freelance Soft Skill & Behavioral Trainer

Dear Rajeev,

Thanks for your inputs. This is just the kind of advice that I was looking for, not bookish knowledge. By the way, do you know a guy called Youhan Aria at Archies? Say Hi to him if he is there.

Thanks and regards,
Ashok