Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make better hiring decisions with training consultant companies

Work with training consultants to set up a testing program that you can use for new hires. An employee development consultant can introduce you to hiring practices that could increase your retention rate and help you to recruit more qualified candidates.

I recommend: Retention is a huge issue for most businesses, so look for a company such as TrainingTime to learn better hiring strategies to get the right employees. New hire training and hiring and other programs might be provided from one consulting group that knows your company like HR Design Solutions, a full-service firm.

Bring in training and development consultants for your sales and management team

You need to make sure that all of your staff are operating at maximum efficiency with the training and coaching they need to succeed. Look for sales training that has proven training solutions as well as reports to track results. Executive leadership training can be very useful to your management team, particularly those just promoted in new positions.

I recommend: If your management team needs training and coaching, it often takes a specialized firm such as Schneider Sales Management. Bring in experts that can provide a variety of management-related training for project managers or technical teams from a firm such as The Rothschild Corporation that doesn't lump all management training into one course, .

Contract for continued services with training consulting firms

You may reduce some of your costs by outsourcing some or all of your hiring and employee reviews to a training and development consultancy. They can set up your new training and coaching systems and remain on call as your staffing needs change.

I recommend: When you need to get referrals for consultants to work intensely over a long period of time with your staff and get to know all your proprietary information, look to a group such as the Independent Human Resource Consultants Association to find a consultant. Get referrals and make other important contacts through the group. The more versatile the agency, the more choices you'll have when you need services. Look to build a relationship with a full-service firm such as SESCO Management Consultants.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Hire corporate training consultants for a small project first to see how your staff gets along with the consultants before committing to longer and more in-depth assignments.

Guide to Employee Training Consultants

Increase your bottom line with the help of training and development consultants

By Heather Topham Wood

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate training consulting companies

In many ways, you'll find the field of consulting overcrowded. You need to find the best of the group and see the programs offered by the firm. Ideally, the firm's training consultants will give your employees the tools needed to show improvement in their leadership and development abilities.

I recommend: With the Rothschild Corporation website, you can see an overview of the different employee training and development programs offered. You can also find an employee consulting firm through TrainingTime.

Hire a professional for employee training consulting

Once you find a group of professional development consultants and get a reference from one of their past clients, you can proceed with the hiring process. Bring in the professional to assess your company and offer advice on which types of programs to implement.

I recommend: Contact the Business Training Experts to get a quote on the consulting services they offer small business owners. If you hire one of the professionals from Consultants for Innovative Instruction, you’ll get expert advice on team planning, training and evaluation.

Utilize training and development consultancy programs online

If you're looking for a cost effective method to work with training consultants, you may want to consider virtual training consulting firms. With this method, you'll have access to many of the same programs offered by an in person employee development consultant.

I recommend: You can work with an online consultant on eLeap to design your own employee training program. Their online tools help you manage the different corporate training programs you wish to use. Through the TrainingDepartment.com, you can access consultants online for your employees’ training.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you hire training and training development consultants, research the firm's background. Find out the type of accreditation program consultants must complete and ask for the credentials of the consultant you use.

Guide to Employee Training Consultants Education and Training

Strengthen your skills and prospects with educational tools designed for training consultants

By Lea Terry

1. Certification for corporate training consultants.
2. Employee development consulting seminars and workshops.
3. Publications specializing in training and development consultancy.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Seek certification as an employee development consultant

If you're just getting started in employee training consulting services, you'll probably want to seek certification. Not only will you get the basic education you need, clients may be more likely to hire you.

I recommend: The Certified Training Consultant Institute at Ball State University offers a series of seminars to prepare its students to serve as consultants and trainers for corporations, government agencies and nonprofit groups. The International Guild of Professional Consultants and Coaches offers seminars and certification courses for consultants.

Enroll in a workshop or seminar for professional development consultants

Even if you've undergone the initial training and received certification, workshops and seminars can help you keep up with the latest trends in the industry, and strengthen existing skills or learn new ones. You'll be more versatile, better able to solve unfamiliar problems, and possibly more attractive to potential clients looking for a knowledgeable and well-rounded professional.

I recommend: The American Management Association offers seminars for trainers, while Langevin Learning Systems offers both general and certification workshops for trainers, in addition to self-study tools.

Learn about employee training consulting through books, magazines and other publications

Create your own continuing education program by subscribing to magazines and reading books in the field. These cover both the basics and more advanced topics or new issues.

I recommend: Consulting Magazine, published bimonthly, offers general and industry-specific information for consultants. Training Magazine offers in-depth training management information, as well as special reports and free e-mail newsletters. For more extensive guidance, consider books such as "Creative New Employee Orientation Programs" from The Management Advantage.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking for employee training consultants education and training tools, seek recommendations from fellow training managers and consultants. Ask them not just what products or tools they liked, but specifically why those resources were helpful.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Strategic management training

Strategic management training encourages the development of skills in leaders that enables them to deal with crises and other unexpected events.

I recommend: Go to Training Path to learn the specific skills that a typical strategic management training program focuses on. Find out how leaders are taught to improvise their responses to crises and also expected outcomes of these programs.

Change management training

With change management training, employee training consultants strive to teach managers how to prepare for and respond to customary changes that affect how businesses are run.

I recommend: Employee training consultants are Peak Performance Solutions identify the advantages of a change management training program that helps executives predict possible changes to work schedules, department reorganization and employees' responsibilities.

Employee recognition and retention strategies

As the name implies, employee recognition and retention strategies aim to reduce employee turnover.

I recommend: Sesco explains a distinctive approach to employee recognition and retention strategies, such as discerning what causes employees to lose interest in their employers. Find out why consultants also consider it essential to know what employees like about their present employer.

Needs assessment

Because employee training consultants design training programs, many take the approach that they should base those programs on an accurate needs assessment analysis of the employees who will receive the training.

I recommend: Innovative Instruction points out the five specific goals of needs assessment as a first step towards training program design.

Leadership development

The term leadership development refers to the specific, well-organized approach many employee consultants believe is critical to molding successful business leaders.

I recommend: Consultants at Key Group Consulting focus on developing thirteen critical characteristics of effective leadership.

Cultural competence

Cultural competence goes hand in hand with diversity training, the emphasis on helping employees work well in an environment where their co workers come from different cultures.

I recommend: Diversity Training University International explains why its focus on skills, knowledge, attitude and awareness form the basis of its diversity training program.