a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to pu

For a training course to be effective you need a good trainer. But that's not the end of the story. As someone attending the course you also have a key part to play in its success. If you want to get the most out of the experience here are seven things you should avoid doing.

1. Go to bed late the night before.
Please don't do it. Training days need 100 per cent of your concentration and that demands a good night's sleep. Remember, if the course is any good, you'll be put through a challenging experience. To gain the maximum benefit from this you'll need all your wits about you.

2. Arrive late on the day
Treat your training course like a job interview. Leave home early and allow time for unexpected travel difficulties. Those opening minutes of a course can be crucial for setting the scene and introducing you to the other participants. Missing them could put you at a disadvantage for the rest of the day.

3. Waste time by trying to impress people
A training day is about gaining skills to help you further your career. It is not about showing off to the other delegates. When you ask the trainer a question, be sure you are asking it because you genuinely need to know the answer, rather than because you want to impress others in the room with your knowledge and wit.

4. Sit next to your best mate
Firstly, you are likely to be distracted. Secondly, part of the benefit of a training course comes from interacting with new people and learning from their experiences. There will be plenty of chances in the future for you to talk to your friend, but the opportunity to share ideas with the others on your course may never come your way again.

5. Respond to phone calls or text messages during the course
This is not just bad manners but damaging to you. While you are composing a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to pu

any good, you'll be put through a challenging experience. To gain the maximum benefit from this you'll need all your wits about you.

2. Arrive late on the day
Treat your training course like a job interview. Leave home early and allow time for unexpected travel difficulties. Those opening minutes of a course can be crucial for setting the scene and introducing you to the other participants. Missing them could put you at a disadvantage for the rest of the day.

3. Waste time by trying to impress people
A training day is about gaining skills to help you further your career. It is not about showing off to the other delegates. When you ask the trainer a question, be sure you are asking it because you genuinely need to know the answer, rather than because you want to impress others in the room with your knowledge and wit.

4. Sit next to your best mate
Firstly, you are likely to be distracted. Secondly, part of the benefit of a training course comes from interacting with new people and learning from their experiences. There will be plenty of chances in the future for you to talk to your friend, but the opportunity to share ideas with the others on your course may never come your way again.

5. Respond to phone calls or text messages during the course
This is not just bad manners but damaging to you. While you are composing a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to pu

of the day.

3. Waste time by trying to impress people
A training day is about gaining skills to help you further your career. It is not about showing off to the other delegates. When you ask the trainer a question, be sure you are asking it because you genuinely need to know the answer, rather than because you want to impress others in the room with your knowledge and wit.

4. Sit next to your best mate
Firstly, you are likely to be distracted. Secondly, part of the benefit of a training course comes from interacting with new people and learning from their experiences. There will be plenty of chances in the future for you to talk to your friend, but the opportunity to share ideas with the others on your course may never come your way again.

5. Respond to phone calls or text messages during the course
This is not just bad manners but damaging to you. While you are composing a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to pu

be distracted. Secondly, part of the benefit of a training course comes from interacting with new people and learning from their experiences. There will be plenty of chances in the future for you to talk to your friend, but the opportunity to share ideas with the others on your course may never come your way again.

5. Respond to phone calls or text messages during the course
This is not just bad manners but damaging to you. While you are composing a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to pu

a text message you could be missing valuable tips. There are exceptions. If you are expecting important personal news, most trainers will be sympathetic, especially if you warn them at the start that you may have to take an urgent call. But if you do this, be sure your phone is on vibrate mode and when the call comes step out of the room immediately.

6. Pop out to a meeting
Your employer is paying good money for you to be trained. It's crazy to put that investment at risk by excusing yourself for an hour to attend to some other business. Once you have booked a course you need to plan your schedule around it, so there are no clashes. Otherwise you are likely to mess up the trainer's plans for the day and in the process miss career transforming advice.

7. Think the course ends the moment you leave the training room
In fact it's just the start. You only benefit from a course when you take the trainer's recommendations away and put them into action. That means you need to think about the lessons you've learned and find practical ways of applying them to your everyday work.

Conclusion
Most of these tips are plain common sense, but it's surprising how many people fail to follow them. A training course is an opportunity to boost your career prospects and earning potential. It doesn't occur every day, so when it does be sure you make the most of it.