Visuals -september-2012

Who Links the Learning Team
and the People We Serve? A
Preliminary Report of a CSTD
Study of the Job of the Learning
Consultant
Saul Carliner
Chantal Castonguay
Ofelia Ribeiro
Hiba Sabri
Emily Sheepy
Chantal Saylor
Andre Valle

Objectives
• Using research-validated information as a
guide, differentiate a performance
consultant from other jobs in workplace
learning and performance.
• Using a research-validated job description
as a guide, identify specific hiring and
performance management strategies for
working with or as a performance
consultant.
• Using the job description and the CSTD
Competency Model as guides, identify
specific professional development
strategies for aspiring performance

For a copy of the slides, visit
http://saulcarliner.wordpress.com.

Opening activity—part 1

Have you heard the term, performance
consultant?

Opening activity—part 2

1. Form small groups.
2. Briefly describe the job of a performance
consultant.
– In a sentence, what is the job?
– What skills does this consultant perform?
– What qualifications does this consultant
bring, such as experience? Education?
Technology?

Debriefing—part 1

In a sentence, what is the job of a
performance consultant?

Debriefing—part 2

What skills does this consultant perform?

Debriefing—part 3

What qualifications does this consultant
bring, such as experience? Education?
Technology?

Does the performance consultant
fit into the CSTD Competency
Model?

That’s what we studied.

• What competencies are sought in a
performance consultant?
• How do these competencies align with the
CSTD Competency Model?

Foundations

• Practical foundations: Competency
frameworks
• Theoretical foundations:
– Theorized as the central role of HPI and HPT
in the work of training and development
professionals
– But the empirical evidence suggests
otherwise.

Methodology

• Solicited job descriptions through CSTD.
• CSTD staff stripped out identifying
information.
• Determined which ones really met the
criteria.
• Coded by at least 2 people for key
responsibilities and other characteristics.
• Analyzed findings.

Analysis

• General background

• Job responsibilities

• Qualifications

Awareness of the Role

Only 53 of 129 job descriptions submitted are
usable for this study.

Background: Job Title

Learning Consultant (strong pattern—28
mention the word ―learning‖ in the title‖)
About patterns:
Dominant (48 or more instances). Weak (18-27 responses (33-49%)
Strong (28-47 responses (50% or more)) Interesting (10-17 responses) (20-
33%)

Within that group of job titles, Consultant
was most commonly used. Advisor is the
second most commonly used.

More Background on the Job
Title
Learning Advisor (Client facing) President
Learning Advisor Manager
Learning Advisor Business development manager
Learning Consultant Relationship Manager
Learning and Development - Specialist
Learning and Development Manager Senior Advisor
Learning Consultant
Senior Learning Consultant Account Manager
Senior Learning Partner
Learning Program Consultant
Learning Resource Consultant
Learning Services Coordinator
Learning Specialist
Preliminary conclusion: Job is actually called ―Learning Advisor‖ (strong
pattern) or some variation

Background: Reporting
Relationship
Learning Manager of some sort (maybe an
HR manager) (only mentioned in 32 job
descriptions, but it may mean the job is in
more than 1 department)

Terms Used in Job Descriptions

Background: Focus

Primarily internal (weak pattern for solely
internal, interesting patern for both, only a
few are solely external—really consistent
with stats on the field
• External 8
• Internal 21
• Both 15

Overview of Job Responsibilities

Job Responsibilities: Interface
with Client
Yes—strong pattern (30) primary job
responsibility; but in 9 cases, a secondary
responsibility).
Not a responsibility in 6.

Job Responsibilities: Develop
Project Plan
Yes—strong pattern (45, no in just 6, not
sure in the rest).

Job Responsibilities: Project
Management
Yes—strong pattern (mentioned in 45 job
descriptions).

Job Responsibilities: Personnel
Management
No—strong pattern
 Not mentioned in 35 job descriptions.
 Interesting pattern—yes mentioned in 16
job descriptions.

Job Responsibilities: Client
Relationship Management
descriptions).

Job Responsibilities: Market the
Services of the Learning Group
Probably not.
 Not mentioned in 30 of the job
descriptions (strong pattern).
 But is a responsibility in 18 of the job
descriptions (lowest threshold for a weak
pattern)

Job Responsibilities: Analyze
Needs
descriptions).

Job Responsibilities: Design
Programs
descriptions).

Job Responsibilities: Facilitate
programs

descriptions)

Job Responsibilities: Assist with
Transfer
No.
 Strong pattern: no or not mentioned in 39
job descriptions.
 Yes is an interesting pattern (mentioned in
17 job descriptions)

Job Responsibilities: Evaluate
Programs
Yes—strong pattern (38 yes)

Job Requirements: Education
• Yes—strong pattern (41 yes)
• Degrees sought: Bachelor’s preferred but
intensive post-high school study in adult
ed is desired. Limited need for master’s
degree.

Job Requirements: Previous
Experience
Needed. Strong pattern (mentioned in 33
job descriptions).
Amount Type

Amount varies from as low as 2 years to Dominant pattern: Do not require
as many as 10+ years. Median is 5 company experience (dominant by its
years. absence in the descriptions).
Not an entry-level job. 5 job descriptions mention where the
experience should be.
Some employers are requesting industry
experience in lieu of degrees. The most
common type of experience is training
experience. (Interesting pattern)
Just a few wanted in-company
experience.

Job Requirements: Technology

Requirement was weak pattern (only
mentioned in 25 job descriptions).

Job Requirements: Specific
Technology Experience Sought
 Primarily MS office. Within that family,
Powerpoint is named most frequently.
 A few mentioned familiarity with
educational technology, but not frequently
enough to be an interesting pattern.

Job Requirements: Certification
Interesting pattern (mentioned in 11 job
descriptions).
Credential Mentions

CTDP 1 mention

ASTD 1 mention

CHRP 1 mention

PMP 1 mention

General HR, L&D certification.

Others Actually certificates: Adult Learning,
Train the Trainers, Instructor
Development

Job Requirements: Language

 Interesting pattern.
 Languages vary—but include French and
Portuguese.

Job Requirements: Other

 Tact when dealing with clients.
 (Only mentioned in 1, but we thought
worthy of a mention.)

Next steps for this project

 Conduct focus groups with individual
contributors in the job and managers who
oversee the responsibilities to:
– Validate the emerging job description
– Expand upon it
 Make final recommendations for the
Competencies

Does this sound like the job we
described earlier?
 If not, what differs?
 How do we bridge the gap?

What are the implications to the
CSTD Competency Model?

Implications to the Competencies for
Training and Development
Professionals
Preliminary data suggests that these
competencies are not addressed by our
Competencies guide:
 Marketing of the training function
 Client relationship management
 Managing clients
 Project management

Question: Are these Training and Development
competencies or do they represent
competencies for other jobs?

What does this mean for setting
expectations now of Learning
Consultants?

What does this mean for setting
expectations now of Learning
Consultants?
 Revisit expectations regarding
competencies with:
 Non-instructional interventions
 The ―businesses‖ of Training clients
 Marketing and promoting the Training
function, especially high-end services
 Technology, especially enterprise learning
technology but also e-learning technology

If you want to become a Learning
Consultant, what should you do?

Consider these suggestions for
professional development through
certification maintenance
Continuing Education Self-directed Learning Teaching and Presenting

 Workshop on project  Be mentored by an  Workshop to local CSTD chapter
management experienced consultant on linking instructional design to
 Workshop on strategic  Take a Massive Open business needs
planning Online Courses (MOOCs)  Guest lecture on careers in
 Self-study course on on finance Training and Development at a
statistics and applied  Organize a study group local university
research methods on preparing business  Pre-conference workshop at the
 Workshop on cases ISPI Conference on working with
consulting skills  Evidence supporting the clients
 Sessions on enterprise learning project including  Session on performance
systems and advanced description and notes consulting at the CSTD
e-learning approaches Conference
 Workshop at the eLearning Guild
conference on selling e-learning to
skeptical clients
 Guest lecture on needs
assessment to a class at the local
university

Consider these suggestions for
professional development through
certification maintenance
Leadership, Professional and
Research and Publishing Volunteer Activities
 Publish an article in the Canadian  Serve on a CSTD committee in your
Learning Journal about the area in area of expertise
which you plan to specialize.  Serve on a Chamber of Commerce
 Copy of article, table of contents, or committee in your area of expertise
any other material as evidence of  Serve as a consultant to a nonprofit
published material. in your area of expertise
 Letter from the organization
acknowledging your participation

Take-Aways

What insights about the job of the learning
consultant will you take away from this
presentation?

Visuals -september-2012

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