When searching for a new opportunity, especially as an entry-level candidate, you want to develop an understanding during the interview process of how in-depth and practised an organisations learning and development programme is.
Now, this can vary depending on the type of role you’re interviewing for as well as the size of the organisation - so there is definitely an element of nuance when broaching this in the conversation!
Let’s get into the reasons as to why it’s important to understand L&D when searching for a new role…
We all have different needs at work - some of us don’t require as much training and prefer to learn on the job, whereas, for some of us, structure and organisation are important; otherwise we’d go crazy.
Because the world of work is so multifaceted, we’re lucky to have so many organisations that offer variety - meaning that we can, in essence, pick the organisation that fits our learning style, progression trajectory, and personality the most. But, a lot of the time in an interview scenario - we forget that one of the most vital parts of thriving in an organisation is the training that they offer. It can (quite literally) make or break your experience.
Especially as a junior, knowing how to interview (when you, yourself, are being interviewed) can feel pretty daunting - and that’s because it is. But, it doesn’t mean that you point-blank shouldn’t do it.
Ultimately, as much as you’re being interviewed to see how fit you are for an opportunity, you are well within your rights to ask questions to check whether you want to work for someone.
What questions can you ask to assess how good the L&D is in relation to what you need from an organisation?
Question |
What it allows you to decipher |
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How many individuals at my level have you trained, and what have they achieved? |
This question is particularly useful because it allows you to see how many individuals at your seniority (or entry-level if you’re a junior) have gone through the training programme. This doesn’t mean that if it’s an organisation with a new L&D programme that it’s bad - but it’s a good way to gauge how much experience they have with training and who else has had success from it. |
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How does your L&D programme enable employees to reach their progression goals? |
The whole point of learning and development is to work toward something better - whether that is a promotion, improved communication skills, or building technical knowledge. Understanding how the L&D programme facilitates this gives you this information! |
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How do you accommodate to different learning styles? |
We all learn best through different mediums and not all of us progress through an L&D programme at the same rate. If the organisation you’re interviewing with delivers their training in a way that doesn’t sound exciting to you - it’s important to take note of this. A great L&D programme will be varied and will have options for those who may struggle - for example if you’re dyslexic, or if the language spoken in the organisation isn’t your first. Variety is important. |
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What area of your L&D programme do you receive the most positive feedback on? |
What do people actually like about the training and development? Real-life feedback is crucial to understand how engaged employees are in an L&D programme. You want to ensure that there’s evidence of enjoyment - this is so important when needed to absorb information, particularly as a junior candidate. |
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What differentiates your L&D from competitors in the space? |
This gives your potential employer not just the opportunity to sell themselves, but to really decipher what makes their L&D programme different. What do they do that their competitors don’t and why? |
But, what happens if I still don’t have the answers?
Don’t worry about memorising everything about an organisation’s L&D plan word for word in an interview. You can always ask for a follow-up of information or even email after the interview to ask any questions you may have forgotten to ask.
And finally, you don’t need to have all the answers right away or even have to make a split decision. As long as you’re asking questions - and figuring out what would work best for you, that’s all you can really ask for.
We are currently hiring at Orbis for entry-level recruitment consultants to join our training academy. To learn more, apply below!
