Thinking About Breaking Into A Career In OD and/or Training? Here's Some Advice

Recently I facilitated a workshop on communications for Temple University.  Several ladies I used to work with attended my presentation, which was a pleasant surprise to me.  After the presentation, two of them walked up to me and asked, "Are you working in Learning & Development now?"  My answer was yes and no.  Why, because technically I had provided this workshop for the L & D department, but I still work for my regular job within the University.

So the next question was, "how do I break into that field?  How did you do it?"  I've asked these very same questions in the past and have gotten a variety of answers over the years.  This is what I've learned... there are some who want to break into Human Resources, Organizational Development, and Training fields with little or not experience, some want to change directions, and some want to add to their career portfolio.  Here's what I know, there are a variety of paths you can take to reach any one of these goals.  The most important of this is getting your name out there within the HR community and letting people know what you have to offer, that you are willing and able to provide these services.  This may include:

• Working with your present employer, offer your services - VOLUNTEER!
• Network, network, network then network some more.... you can't get your name out there enough!
• Join your local professional HR and allied HR professional associations (SHRM, ASTD, Toastmasters, ISPI, National Speakers Association, I to name a few).  Most have both international and local affiliations and local meetings and publications.
• Attend group meetings - become a regular and most importantly get involved - volunteer.
• Blog about it!  Post it to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, etc.  Use social media wisely.
• Contribute to the discussions that interest you in your group affiliations and others.  
• Read about the latest trends, learn the lingo, if there is a concept you don't understand or recognize - Google it.  Familiarize yourself with it and how it's used in industry. Read discussions groups, blogs, and industry articles to learn what terms are used, what issues are important, and what kinds of solutions to those are employed, suggested, and which do not work as well.  Basically, learn from your peers.
• Take a class, learn new software that be utilized in training and development.  Question what you've learned in your degree program or on the job with prior or current employers - what you know, theory and philosophies, management methods - balance this with what you observe happening in the "real world" daily operations of Human Resources.
• Get a mentor and utilize their expertise wisely.
• Just do it!  You learn more by doing than by reading or talking about it.  It's the best way to develop your own style and to strengthen your expertise.
• Never stop learning - there is so much information out there.  The more you know, the better you'll be prepared.
• Keep your skills current and learn new ones all the time.  Don't let your skills go unused.
• When you find out about local groups who do annual conferences - answer their "call for proposals" solicitations.  Don't know of any, again - Google it.
• Check out your connection's and others' reading list - pick a book or two and read them.

This list obviously is not intended to be all inclusive.  I'm positive you will have great ideas as well about how to get your name out there or find opportunities to gain experience.  You have learn tons to information already and you'll learn tons more overtime.  Most of all, just enjoy the journey and have fun in what you choose to do with your degree and employment.  Learn something from each experience you have and will have in future.  Good luck!  Hope to see you out there!