Look at your employment agreement for any specific details regarding giving notice. Contracts or agreements may include language regarding how far in advance you give notice, and what medium is appropriate. If your company does not have their own language regarding resignation, know that the standard is to give your employer two weeks notice before you leave, and that it’s appropriate to both meet with your supervisor to discuss your departure, as well as give them a written statement regarding your intent to leave the company.
Ask your supervisor if there is a template for standard operating procedures in your company. Using a template will help keep things consistent for your trainee and make the writing process easier for you. Begin by detailing your daily duties. Explain, step-by-step, what you do each day when you come in. Once you have the daily routine established, detail larger processes and projects your trainee will be expected to pick up. Map locations for anything stored digitally, and use charts and screenshots liberally so that the trainee can pair your instructions with helpful visual aids for each step. Screenshots are especially helpful for anything you use that may be proprietary, such as databases, content management software, business to business software, or anything you would consider “in-house. ”
Make sure your trainee’s space is set up with what they need to fully perform their position. This includes getting them any permissions they may need for computer, software, and phone access, any keys they may need, or anything else pertinent to the specific position.
Remember to include time in each training block for your trainee to review the process and ask you questions. Talk with your supervisor about their plans for the trainee to make sure your schedule fits theirs. If, for example, they plan on taking the trainee out to lunch one afternoon, make sure your training calendar is mindful of that time. Have a flexible attitude when it comes to your training schedule. If something unexpected comes up in the course of your job, bring the trainee along even if the time was slotted for a different task. This allows them to see the position in action and start applying what they have already learned.
Do not assume anything about your trainee. Their experience or background may be impressive, but they may not adapt quickly to the position. Likewise, their experience may be different than what you would have considered for the position, but they may still be very capable and quick to learn.
Let your trainee know that you will act as a resource for them as they figure out the job. You may want to say, “I helped develop this database, so if you have any questions even after training, you can always give me a call. ”
Assist your trainee by offering to break down a process as you’re doing it or after you complete it. Let your trainee go over their notes with you, and help them fill in blanks or parts that they have missed.
If, for example, you had a project that involved research and a summary of your findings, have your trainee repeat the research and the synthesis. Then, go over their work with them, paying equal attention to what they did well and what needs improvement. If you have an active project, find a task within that for your trainee to try. This not only engages them actively with the position, but prepares them for what they will actually be working on moving forward.
Try to set aside 15 minutes every morning to talk with your trainee about what they will be working on that day, and help them set goals for the day ahead. Set aside another 15 to 30 minutes at the end of every day to talk with your trainee about what they accomplished and to answer any questions they may have.
There is no set time frame for when any one trainee should be taking lead on anything. Look at what your training schedule will allow. If you have a few weeks to work with your trainee, you may want to focus the last week on getting them independent. If you only have a few days, this may need to happen faster. Allowing them to take lead should mean that you are removing yourself from the process. Offer to assist your trainee if they want or need it, but otherwise leave it to them to perform the job functions.
Make sure your trainee has the phone numbers, email addresses and any other contact information they may need to get in touch with these new contacts on their own. If possible, try to arrange coffee or lunch so that your trainee can really get to know the person and their job functions, rather than just stopping by their desk.
Let your trainee know well in advance when you plan to have them fully assume the position. Explain to them, “I will be there if you need help or if something comes up that we haven’t covered yet, but otherwise you are going to be taking on the job completely. ” Let your supervisor know in advance, as well, and have them communicate with trainee first starting that day.
Ask your supervisor if they would like to sit in on this process to offer their praise and constructive criticism, as well. If you do talk to your trainee about areas where they may need to improve, do so through constructive criticism. Let them know that they are on the right track, and give them specific points of improvement on which to focus. Talk to your trainee about where they can seek additional training if they feel there is any area they want to strengthen. Provide them with names and contact information of resources both internal and external to your company.
If you move to a different position in your current organization, talk to your new supervisor and let them know that you are being asked to perform tasks from your old position. See if they can speak with your old manager about transitioning responsibilities to your trainee. If you are leaving your organization, you are likely under no obligation to continue performing work them. Simply let your former employer know that while you appreciated your time with their company, you are not in a place to complete those job functions anymore.
