Teaching
This week (and probably next week as well) I am teaching another employee how to do my job. I applied for another position within the same company and was "hired" over 4 months ago, but it took this long to find someone to replace me. She too is changing positions. That's the good part. She's not learning everything from scratch--she's actually worked for the company longer than I have.
I haven't trained anyone since I was in high school working at the ice cream shop. It's sort of interesting. I'm a shy person and I'm used to working fairly independently in this job. (At the ice cream shop I had to be outgoing. It was part of the persona.) It's kind of odd to have someone sitting next to me all day, waiting for direction. I wonder if I'm doing a good job with her. Am I explaining things enough? Am I giving her enough to do? Am I watching her too closely? Training has got to be stressful for her too, though she doesn't let it show.
Today I looked back at my teaching technique from yesterday and decided that she needed to be doing more. So I showed her things and had her do them right away. I didn't do much except answer questions, dictate what we'd do next and attempt to explain ongoing projects. I think that will be the hardest part of all, passing on the current projects.
Oh well. Tomorrow is another day and I am exhausted! Must get to bed early tonight.
I haven't trained anyone since I was in high school working at the ice cream shop. It's sort of interesting. I'm a shy person and I'm used to working fairly independently in this job. (At the ice cream shop I had to be outgoing. It was part of the persona.) It's kind of odd to have someone sitting next to me all day, waiting for direction. I wonder if I'm doing a good job with her. Am I explaining things enough? Am I giving her enough to do? Am I watching her too closely? Training has got to be stressful for her too, though she doesn't let it show.
Today I looked back at my teaching technique from yesterday and decided that she needed to be doing more. So I showed her things and had her do them right away. I didn't do much except answer questions, dictate what we'd do next and attempt to explain ongoing projects. I think that will be the hardest part of all, passing on the current projects.
Oh well. Tomorrow is another day and I am exhausted! Must get to bed early tonight.
Labels: the day job
posted by Cherry Red at 9:41 PM
4 Comments:
Congrats on the new position! I can understand your stress over training too, when I quit a job I had to make sure I had everything in order for the next person to take over, I had three ring binders filled with detailed information, and am told they use them to this day, LOL You can do it, and I'm sure you are doing a great job!
On Bear's tests? The results said that he was delayed but in order to diagnose anything, we would need to bring him back for a full evaluation and twice weekly sessions. Of course, we'd have to pay for this, much more than we already had, and we live just under 2 hours away. The results we did get did no one any good, since we couldn't read them. Sigh. We're still looking, but the tutor is amazing and Bear actually loves to go there.
Luvs
Exactly, Char. You totally get the job thing.
On Bear, I'm sorry the tests didn't solve anything. Good news on the tutor though. If he likes going, I think it'll really help him improve. Half the battle, you know?
Hugs,
Kim
I think that "training" people is either something that you really LOVE or something that you have to be prodded to do. Personally, I'm one that LOVES it. Really, really LOVES it. I've done it at every single job I've ever had. My goal was to one day be a teacher in a school, but I've got my own classroom here at home for my kids, so that's even better.
The best thing to do is what comes natural. Encourage her to ask ANY question that comes to mind. Show her even the most mundane tasks, including how to do things like run the particular printer or shredder in your office, or even the coffeepot. I know that sounds silly, but those are the practical things that many people forget, and also some of the things that people are too embarrassed to ask once they've "graduated" from training.
You'll do great though. You're such a warm and caring person that she's very lucky to have you there to help her transition into this new job.
Thanks Dee! I can see you being a fabulous trainer. If course, you homeschool 6 kids, so that's a no-brainer!
I do enjoy teaching to tell you the truth. It's a little difficult though, since so many people call me with "emergencies" and such. I do a lot of various, seemingly inrelated things that are kind of hard to teach. But she is doing fantastickly. ;)
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