Dreaming of Becoming an HR Trainer? What Key Qualities Should You Develop?

I am very much interested in the training field. I want to become an HR trainer. What qualities do I need to improve to become a trainer? Please provide me with a list of qualities that trainers need.

At the outset, let me compliment you on deciding to be a trainer. Atul has already shared a useful document that will enable you to have a preliminary assessment of your aptitude and ability to be a trainer.

You would notice that in the above-mentioned questionnaire, the focus is on communication skills, which are critical to becoming a trainer. The heart and brains of the training still remain the domain knowledge, but even the most knowledgeable person would fail miserably as a trainer without effective communication skills. If you are a good communicator, particularly a good public speaker, half your problem is solved. To further improve your communication skills, find a local Toastmasters club in your city and join them.

To get the academic inputs on training, you can take a course from the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD), headquartered in Delhi. Alternatively, you can also attend some Train The Trainer (TTT) programs offered by private institutions.

Focus on topics that you are familiar with, confident about, passionate about, or have a good grounding in. Keep updating yourself by reading extensively and start outlining the broad course contents, keeping in mind the type of audience you are likely to address. Pay particular attention to the type of exercises, examples, and activities that you will use during the program to reinforce a point or make the learning relevant. I would also suggest that you attend some corporate training by professionals on topics of your interest to get a feel of how it is structured and delivered.

If you have no corporate training experience, ideally, take a few sessions for postgraduate students in colleges or for social service clubs like Lions and Rotary so that you gain experience and can fine-tune your material. Once you are confident, approach a few corporates, and the first few training programs are vital for future reference and for your confidence.

I would also invite you to visit the following Inspirational and Motivational Blogs which can also assist you in improving your vocabulary and communication skills:

- www.actspot.wordpress.com - Over 84,000 views and 575 followers
- www.poweract.blogspot.com - Over 25,000 views and 160 followers

Best Wishes

One Train the Trainer Programme is being conducted by Arthur F. Carmazzi at Lonavala during December 2011. I am attaching the brochure. One has to invest some time and money, but 9 people who had done it with him last year felt it was worth it.

Regards,
Deepak Dutt

Hi, I am currently pursuing a Master's in HR, and it's my last year—just six months left to go. I am also very interested in training.

With respect to Atul sir, could you please send me that PDF file in another format? I am unable to download it from here.

I would like to share that I recently met a freelance trainer who mentioned that training has become global recently, and trainers have a very bright future. If that is indeed the case, then it's a "Thumbs Up" to all the present successful trainers and to all the budding trainers.

Regards,
Samarth