You’ve got your qualification, you’re keen to get started—and then reality hits. Being a new trainer can feel overwhelming. You want to make a great impression, but without some practical experience, it’s easy to fall into common traps. Here are the biggest mistakes we see new trainers make, and how you can sidestep them with confidence.
1. Talking Too Much, Too Soon
It’s tempting to prove you know your stuff by talking at your learners non-stop. But talking doesn’t equal teaching. If you’re doing all the talking, your learners are switching off.
Instead:
✔ Ask questions early and often
✔ Encourage discussion and group work
✔ Give learners time to reflect and respond
The best trainers know it’s not about how much you say, it’s about how much your learners understand.
2. Overloading Slides with Text
If your slides look like a textbook, your learners will spend more time reading than listening. Or worse—tune out completely.
Keep It Simple:
✔ Use key points or keywords only
✔ Include visuals, diagrams, or short videos
✔ Talk around your slides, don’t read from them
Slides should support your training—not do the job for you.
3. Sticking to a Script
It’s great to be prepared. But clinging too tightly to a script or running order can backfire when the session doesn’t go to plan (and trust us, sometimes it won’t). Especially if your schedule gets derailed by a disruptive person, or you get inundated with questions.
Instead:
✔ Know your content well enough to adapt
✔ Leave room for learner questions and side discussions
✔ Be comfortable going off -track if it helps the group learn
4. Avoiding Difficult Learners
Difficult learners aren’t going away. Ignoring them, or worse, shutting them down, only disrupts the group more. You need strategies to manage challenging behaviour without losing control of the session.
Try This:
✔ Speak to them privately if behaviour continues
✔ Redirect negativity into discussion: “That’s an interesting point—let’s explore that.”
✔ Set clear ground rules from day one
✔ Be adaptable. Pivoting strategy mid session can save the lesson
It’s not about winning arguments, it’s about keeping the room focused and respectful
5. Rushing Through Content
You’ve got a lot to cover. But rushing to tick off every item in your session plan means learners may not absorb anything properly.
Try This Instead:
✔ Prioritise core content over less important extras
✔ Allow time for practice and questions
✔ Check for understanding regularly
Slower sessions with strong takeaways are better than fast sessions with blank stares.
6. Not Tailoring Content to the Learner Group
Not every group is the same. What worked for one session might fl op with the next if you don’t adjust your delivery. And from experience, it will happen.
Think About:
✔ Age and experience levels
✔ Job backgrounds and learning goals
✔ Language and cultural diversity
Training isn’t one-size-fits-all. Get to know your learners and shape your delivery around them.
7. Forgetting to Review and Reflect
When the session ends, you pack up and move on. But without refl ection, you miss the chance to improve.
Make This a Habit:
✔ Ask for feedback from learners (even anonymously)
✔ Reflect on what went well—and what didn’t
✔ Keep a running list of tweaks for next time
You’ll grow faster by learning from each session than by reading another manual I recently ran a resume writing course for a group of 30 people. I knew my topic well, had a template ready, and thought, this will be a breeze. I was so wrong! The first 10 minutes was a struggle, the rest, a real uphill battle. By the end of the lesson, I wondered what on earth I was doing and where did it all go wrong? I thought long and hard, and pivoted strategy for the next lesson with the same group. The 2nd session went so much better than the 1st. It didn’t matter that I knew the topic, what mattered was the delivery, and selecting the right method to get that information across to the audience in front of me. It can be hard to make assessments on the fly, so having a backup delivery method can help to avoid the unhappy students, and keep those 5-star reviews coming in.
Final Take
You don’t need to be perfect to be a great trainer. You just need to be present, prepared, and open to learning. Avoiding these common mistakes doesn’t mean never making them, it means noticing when they happen and doing better next time. That’s how real trainers get better, and grow their skills.
Hi. I’m Dee, trainer and HR Consultant at Halcyon HR Consultancy. I’ve been in this game long enough to know that coffee solves most admin problems, and preparation solves the rest. If you’re just starting out as a trainer or assessor: breathe. You will survive your first group, you will misplace a USB stick at least once, and you will improve faster than you think. You’ve got this, and if not,send me an email: let’s talk through the issue.
