Learn what skills and qualities interviewers are looking for from a learning and development consultant, what questions you can expect, and how you should go about answering them.
Do you have experience in designing and delivering training? Are you knowledgeable in adult learning principles? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you may be perfect for a learning and development consultant job.
In this position, you would be responsible for designing and delivering training programs that help employees learn new skills and improve their performance. You would also be responsible for assessing the needs of the organization and designing programs that meet those needs.
Before you can be hired for this position, you will need to go through a job interview. To help you prepare, we have listed some of the most common questions that are asked during a learning and development consultant interview. We have also provided sample answers to these questions to help you prepare for your interview.
Interviewers may ask this question to see if you have the necessary knowledge and experience to be successful in their role. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a few of the most common learning and development strategies and how they apply to your work.
Example: “I’ve worked with several different types of learning and development strategies throughout my career. I find that training is one of the most effective ways to help employees learn new skills or information. It’s also important to me that any learning and development initiatives are measurable so we can track progress over time. Another strategy I like to use is coaching because it allows for more individualized attention and feedback.”
Interviewers may ask this question to gauge your ability to evaluate the success of a learning and development program. They want to know that you can use data to determine whether or not a training initiative was successful, which is an important part of being a consultant. In your answer, try to list some specific metrics you would use to measure success.
Example: “I believe there are two main ways to measure the success of a training program. The first is by looking at how much knowledge employees gained from the training. I would do this by asking them questions about what they learned during the training and seeing if they could apply it in their daily work. Another way to measure success is by looking at employee engagement. If employees feel like the training helped them perform better in their jobs, then I consider the training a success.”
Learning and development consultants often work with teams that have different learning needs. An interviewer may ask this question to understand how you would approach a situation like this one. In your answer, try to highlight the steps you would take to ensure all team members receive the training they need.
Example: “I would first assess each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. I would then create a customized training program for each person based on their unique needs. For example, if someone has trouble communicating effectively, I might include public speaking workshops in their training plan. If another employee struggles with time management, I might add a course on time management techniques to their training plan.”
Interviewers may ask this question to understand how you prioritize your work and determine which projects are most important. Your answer should include a step-by-step process for determining the needs of an individual or team, including how you measure success.
Example: “I start by meeting with the client to learn more about their goals and challenges. I then use my research skills to find out what information is available on the topic. For example, if I was working with a company that wanted to improve its customer service training, I would look at existing data on customer satisfaction surveys and call center metrics. Next, I would analyze the information to identify any trends or patterns. Finally, I would develop a plan based on these findings.”
Learning and development consultants often work with multiple stakeholders, including managers, employees and other members of the organization. Interviewers ask this question to learn more about your communication skills and how you collaborate with others. In your answer, describe a specific situation in which you successfully collaborated with multiple people to create an effective training program.
Example: “In my previous role as a learning and development consultant, I worked with a large company that had many different departments. The company hired me to develop a new employee orientation program for all new hires. To do so, I met with each department manager to discuss their needs and expectations for the program. Then, I created a comprehensive training program that included information on company policies, job duties and best practices.”
This question can help interviewers understand your priorities and how you would spend their company’s money. Use examples from previous projects to explain what you would prioritize in a budget, such as the cost of hiring outside trainers or developing training materials yourself.
Example: “I would first use the budget to hire an expert trainer who could develop high-quality learning programs for employees. I would also invest in quality technology that makes it easy for employees to access training materials and learn new skills. Finally, I would create a plan for regularly updating training materials so they’re relevant to current business needs.”
Learning and development consultants often work with employees who are resistant to change. Employers ask this question to make sure you have strategies for overcoming resistance in the workplace. In your answer, explain how you would handle an employee’s resistance to learning initiatives. Explain that you would try to understand why they were resisting. You can also mention that you would use different methods of communication to help them overcome their resistance.
Example: “I’ve encountered resistance from employees before when I was a learning and development consultant. If an employee is actively resistant to my learning initiatives, I first try to understand why they’re resisting. Sometimes it’s because they don’t know what our company’s learning initiatives are or how they benefit them. I always take time to educate employees on our learning initiatives so they feel more comfortable with them.
If an employee is still resistant after I’ve educated them, I will try to communicate with them differently. For example, if they prefer written communication, I’ll send them emails instead of having one-on-one meetings. Or, if they prefer phone calls, I’ll call them rather than sending an email.”
Learning and development consultants often work with human resources professionals to ensure that their organization’s learning and development programs are in compliance with local, state and federal laws. Your interviewer may ask this question to understand how familiar you are with these regulations and whether you can help your organization stay compliant. In your answer, try to show that you have a good understanding of the legal requirements for your industry and that you’re willing to follow them.
Example: “I am very familiar with the legal and compliance requirements of my industry. I regularly attend seminars on HR best practices and employee rights. I also worked as an HR manager at my last company, so I was responsible for ensuring our training programs were in compliance with all relevant legislation.”
Learning management systems are software programs that help businesses manage their training and development needs. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using these types of tools, as they want someone who can use the system they currently use or learn a new one quickly. In your answer, share what learning management system you’ve used in the past and explain why it was effective for you.
Example: “I’ve worked with several different learning management systems throughout my career. I find that each system has its own benefits, so I try to understand how each one works before diving into projects. For example, when I worked at XYZ Company, we used a learning management system called LearnDash. It had many features that made it easy to create engaging courses and assessments. I also found that it was easy to integrate other tools like Google Drive and Dropbox into our courses.”
The interviewer may ask you this question to assess your ability to evaluate an employee’s readiness for learning a new skill. Use examples from past experiences where you assessed employees and determined their readiness for training or development programs.
Example: “I use several factors when determining an employee’s readiness to learn a new skill, including the employee’s attitude toward learning, their willingness to take on challenges and their confidence in performing the task at hand. I also consider how much time they have left before they can apply what they learned to their job. For example, if an employee has only six months left until retirement, it might not be worth my time to train them on something that won’t help them perform their job better. However, if they have another five years of work ahead of them, then I would definitely want to invest in their development.”
Interviewers may ask this question to understand how you can encourage employees to take advantage of the company’s learning resources. Use your answer to highlight your ability to create effective incentives and reward programs that encourage employee participation in training sessions and online resources.
Example: “I would start by creating a rewards program for employees who complete training courses or use online resources. I would also incentivize them with small prizes, like gift cards or coupons, for completing certain tasks or milestones within the learning platform. For example, if an employee completes five training courses, they could receive a $50 coupon to use at the company store. If they complete 10 courses, they could earn a free lunch from the cafeteria.”
Learning and development consultants need to be able to create training curriculums that are effective for their organization’s employees. This question allows the interviewer to assess your ability to plan out a curriculum, as well as how you prioritize different elements of it. In your answer, explain what steps you take when creating a curriculum and highlight any specific skills or techniques you use in doing so.
Example: “I start by researching the company’s goals and objectives. From there, I identify which learning styles best suit each employee group. Then, I develop my course outline based on the information I gathered from these two steps. Finally, I write up the training materials and schedule them according to the needs of the organization.”
Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications for the role. They want to know what makes you a good fit for their company and how you can contribute to their success. Before your interview, make a list of reasons why you are qualified for this position. Think about your education, experience and skills that relate to this job.
Example: “I am an ideal candidate for this position because I have extensive knowledge in learning and development strategies. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with many different companies to develop training programs and employee onboarding processes. I also understand the importance of creating a positive work environment for employees. In fact, I have helped several organizations implement fun activities into their daily routines.”
This question can help interviewers learn more about your teaching style and how you implement learning strategies in the workplace. Your answer should include a list of learning strategies that you enjoy using, along with an explanation of why you prefer them.
Example: “I find that I am most effective when working one-on-one with employees to teach them new skills or concepts. This allows me to provide personalized feedback and ensure that my trainees understand the information I’m presenting. Additionally, I like to use group training sessions as a way to reinforce what employees learned during our individual meetings. These two methods allow me to work with different types of learners and present information in multiple ways.”
This question can help interviewers understand your perspective on the role of a learning and development consultant. Use this opportunity to highlight your understanding of what it means to be a learning and development consultant, as well as how you plan to support an organization’s growth.
Example: “I think that one of the most important things learning and development consultants can do is create a culture of continuous improvement. By encouraging employees to reflect on their work and offering training opportunities, we can help organizations grow by developing their people. I also believe that learning and development consultants should focus on creating a positive experience for everyone they work with. This includes collaborating with managers to develop effective training programs and working with employees to ensure they feel comfortable asking questions.”
Learning and development initiatives are often implemented to improve employee performance, increase productivity or reduce turnover. Employers may ask this question to understand how frequently you recommend implementing learning initiatives in your organization. Use your answer to highlight your ability to create a plan that supports the needs of an organization while also being cost-effective.
Example: “I believe it’s important to implement learning initiatives regularly so employees can continue to apply new skills and knowledge. However, I also know that frequent training can be costly for organizations. To balance these two factors, I typically recommend quarterly training sessions. This allows employees to learn new information without feeling overwhelmed by the frequency of training. It also gives them enough time between trainings to practice their new skills before needing to use them again.”
An interviewer may ask this question to understand how you would approach a learning gap in an organization. Your answer should show that you have the skills and experience to develop strategies for closing the gap between what employees know and what they need to know.
Example: “I’ve worked with many organizations where there is a learning gap, so I am familiar with the best ways to address it. In my previous role as a learning and development consultant, I helped close the gap by creating training programs that were relevant to each employee’s needs. For example, if I noticed that some employees needed more help with customer service than others, I would create additional training on that topic.”