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Published on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on June 6, 2010
Take control of personal growth, ask for training on the job
By Lynette M. Loomis, MA, MBA, APR

If you want something, you have to ask for it.

So even though your employer may have limited internal training opportunities because of budget cuts, don't hesitate to step up and ask for more training.

"I see a lot of young professionals struggling with this," said Sharon Melville, director of business services at Career Development Services.

These days, Melville said, there's a mentality that now is not the time to ask for employers to spend on your training. "But actually this is an ideal time to come forth and at least put the request on the table. Most organizations are really struggling trying to figure out how to be a little more competitive in the marketplace," she said.

So march right down to your boss' office (after identifying what your needs are) and explain what training will mean to your career development and how that will translate into success for your company. Make sure your examples are measurable differences. For instance, will it make your department more efficient? If so, how? Will it cut costs? Will it reduce errors?

But don't get discouraged if you're turned down. Lynette M. Loomis, president of Your Best Life Coaching, said you will have demonstrated a willingness to commit time to your own development. That's something the boss will remember once a training opportunity surfaces.

And if you're feeling really gutsy, try following up your vetoed request with a second option. Offer to subsidize part of the training costs. Say you're interested in attending a workshop in New York City. Instead of asking for a free ride, offer to pay the tuition if your employer covers the travel.

Loomis warns, though, that sometimes employers are skeptical about paying thousands for employee training because retention after training isn't certain. To reassure your employer that the expense won't be lost on you, have a plan that ensures you don't lose your new skills. You can promise to take the information you've learned to host mini-seminars with other staffers or get on the agenda at a staff meeting and share a brief synopsis of what you've learned. This way you really stretch the company's training dollars.

Regardless of where you go for training or how you go about asking for it, Melville and Loomis agree it's important to take control of your personal growth.

"You don't want to put your career development on the back burner and wait for economic times to be better," Melville said.

Lynette M. Loomis is the owner of The Marketing Strategists and president of Your Best Life Coaching LLC. Contact her at www.yourbestlifecoaching.com or (585) 624-1300.