When a company doesn’t have an organized training program it can often feel like you’re going through a trial by fire or that you have been thrown to the wolves. No matter what figure of speech you use to describe the situation, your training can be traumatic for a number of reasons. However, there are many ways you can improve your chances of success in these types of environments. Here are four ways you can survive in a sink-or-swim training situation.
- Make friends quickly. Other people can be a great lifeline. Make friends with other trainees, other employees, and management. They can rely on you and you can rely on them as you go through the training process. Humans are social animals and most people understand that two heads are better than one. Success in this situation may be a result of building the right relationships.
- Put in the extra effort. Training is all about understanding if you are capable of doing the job once you are let out on your own. Put in the extra effort to ensure that your skills will be recognized on the job. Go the extra mile. Ask to take on aspects of the project you already feel comfortable with. The trainers will see your success and report that to your managers as you transition into the job.
- If you can’t find what you need, just ask. They say there are no stupid questions so don’t be afraid to ask. Going through training assuming you know the answer can be a problem when you are faced with a real working situation and discover your information is flawed. If you don’t know the answer, ask. No one will see this as a negative. They will be glad you want to understand everything.
- Jump right in. Many people learn best by doing. Jump right in when you believe that you understand the concepts and the procedures. This will also look good to the people in charge of your training. If they see that you are able to work on your own sooner in the process than anticipated they will have excellent feedback for your managers.
Are you looking for your next opportunity to train and show a company how you can work for them? Contact Harvard Resource Solutions to learn more!