Why are you worth it?

• 1). Begin with yourself. Sit down and think about the expense which will be incurred if you get this training. Don't just think about the fee your employer will pay, but also consider the time lost when you're out of the office or the factory attending the training. Once you've got the idea straight in your head ask yourself "Is this good for my employer as well as me?" If the answer is no, don't go ahead because if you can't justify it to yourself then you're unlikely to win your boss over and you might weaken any future cases.
  
  
• 2). Build your argument carefully. Essentially, you're asking your employer to make an investment in you and you have to show them why you're worth it. Will you work quicker? Will you make better decisions? Will you interact with other personnel and departments better and improve their performance? Your employer will have to expect to see a noticeable difference to sign off on your training, so tell them where they'll see it. Give a concise explanation how your performance will improve.
  
  
• 3). Talk about money. Many people hold back on talking about the "dirty" subject of money, but it's definitely on the mind of your employer, so you should address the situation. Research how much your training will cost you and how much down time you'll have while you're training. Once you have an estimate of how much your training will cost and it's impact on your attendance you can begin to formulate your financial argument. If you can reasonably argue that your performance will be improved you can reasonably argue how much that improvement is worth.
  
  
• 4). Use your own track record and that of others. You may have already had training and seen your performance improve significantly. If this is the case, point out to your boss that you have a track record of reacting well to training and that they've already seen good returns on previous investments. If another member of staff has already had this training, talk to them about the benefits and their improved performance. Don't be afraid of using their successful experiences as a valid reason in your argument.