Recruiting Trainers Who Can Actually Train

Have you ever been in a training session where it became painfully obvious that the trainer couldn’t actually train? Same here. I’ve sat through sessions where the trainer simply read the bullet points on the slide show—a double whammy of a terrible presentation and a terrible trainer. I’ve also endured sessions where the trainer regaled us with stories of their vast experience but completely failed to teach the content they were meant to cover.

I still remember one session where I had to guess most of the answers on the assessment. Not that it really mattered, because the trainer had already printed out Statements of Attainment for every learner before the course had even begun. Either they had supreme confidence in their training abilities, or they didn’t care whether we were actually competent. (Spoiler: I wasn’t.)

So, how do we avoid recruiting trainers like this? One effective approach is to require short-listed candidates to deliver a short training session on a topic they’re comfortable with. This allows you to evaluate their ability to actually train—not just their credentials or work experience.

I implemented this process while recruiting trainers for an RTO I was part of, and it was worth every effort. One memorable candidate taught us a clever hack for dicing onions, and I still remember it to this day!

By making this practical demonstration a key part of the recruitment process, we ensured that the trainers we hired gave us confidence in their ability to deliver quality training to our students. And they absolutely delivered.

If you’re in the process of recruiting trainers, consider adding a demonstration session to your hiring process. It’s a simple step, but it makes a world of difference in ensuring you recruit trainers who can actually train.