In this blog series, we’re drawing on the expertise of Skilljar’s very own Customer Success team. They’ve helped countless teams launch successful customer training programs, and have some great insights to share. Stay tuned for new Q&As each month!

“What traits should you look for when hiring a customer trainer?”

1. Strategic Thinkers

Sara Robba, Skilljar’s Manager of Customer Success, notes that it’s crucial for customer training professionals to understand the larger vision for their program, and the impact it will have on their overall organization. For someone to be successful in this position, they need to then let that vision drive the strategy they take on a daily basis.

To give one example, Hong Chao, Customer Success Manager at Skilljar said some of our best customers plan for future growth by breaking large initiatives up into more manageable project phases (i.e. launching five courses, rather than fifty at once).

2. Empathetic

According to Dania Lieberthal, Customer Success Manager at Skilljar, a great customer trainer should be able to put themselves in their learner’s shoes. They need to have a strong idea of what makes a good customer experience (and a not so good one).

A few questions to consider: Does your candidate have a background in instructional design? Can they explain what makes content engaging for users (i.e. optimal course length, learning pathways, and modalities)?

3. Resourceful

Matthew Allen, Customer Success Manager at Skilljar, mentioned that the best customer trainers have positive attitudes, and are open to new ideas.

During the interview process, it may be helpful to ask if they can describe a time in which they had to work cross-functionally. What was the result of that project? Were they able to tap into existing resources, and gain insight from other teams?

4. Lifelong Learners 

Customer enablement is a fast-growing industry. For this reason, it’s especially important for customer training managers to be invested in continuous learning.

If you’re not sure whether someone is the right fit for this role, try asking how they stay up to date with industry best practices. Ideally, they will have a demonstrated interest in networking with other training professionals, and reading up on the latest news from organizations like TSIA and CEdMA.

______________________________________________________________________

In this blog series, we’re drawing on the expertise of Skilljar’s very own Customer Success team. If you have a question you’d like them to answer, let us know in the comments!