When selecting employees to move into management trainee positions, you have options. You could hire an employee with ample experience from outside the company and hope they can fit the needs of the business properly. On the other hand, many companies are focusing on moving employees up within the company instead. If you are ready to fill a management position with an employee you already have, it pays to know what to look for to ensure the process goes well.

Focus On Personality First

Before you consider any job candidate for a management position, you need to think about personality traits that could help to make or break this position. For example, is the individual short tempered and unable to focus enough to get job tasks done on time now? If so, that personality trait will affect your management trainee throughout this process. Look for personality traits that contribute to your success such as self-monitoring, motivation and professionalism.

Implement A Key Training Program

If you do not have a management training program in place yet, now is the time to develop one. This management training program should be something designed by a hiring manager with ample on the job experience. The program should encompass all aspects of the job that the job candidate needs to perform well in order to move up. It should have a stepped learning system that teaches the individual information and then tests those skills. It should include both book learning as well as on the job training.

Teach Communication

In order for your manager trainee to do well, communication has to be a successful component of this training process. That’s a two way street, though. You need your employees to communicate with you and you need to communicate with your trainee. You also need to ensure there is a feedback method in place to encourage communication. Then, you need to teach your management trainee the proper way to talk to those who will work under them, including teaching the basics of instruction. Don’t assume that great employees have the interpersonal skills to manage.

Management trainee programs need to be effectively designed by a hiring manager or a human resource manager with ample on the job experience within the company. At the same time, there is a key component to focusing on the development of a management trainee program that can accomplish the goals of the organization. After all, the time and money you are putting into managing your staff is critical to the success of your company.