Pre-Training Survey Questions: The What, Why, and How

Most training programs suck. Not because the content is bad or the trainer isn't good. They suck because you're teaching the wrong things to the wrong people at the wrong level.

Your beginners sit through advanced concepts they don't understand. Your experts sit through basics they mastered years ago. Everyone leaves feeling like it was a waste of time.

And here's the worst part this happens because nobody bothered to ask participants what they actually needed before designing the training and it's almost too easy to avoid this. So what to do? 

Pre-training surveys. 

They're literally just asking "What do you need to learn?" before you plan anything. Simple, right?

Yet according to a Harris Poll, 80% of employees feel "on their own" with career development, even though 98% of companies offer training. That gap exists because companies skip this crucial first step.

In this guide, you'll get pre-training survey questions (plus a free template) that ensure your next training session is actually useful.

• Understand what a pre-training survey is
• Explore a ready-to-use pre-training survey template
• Make note of oft-asked pre-training survey questions
• Uncover tips & tricks to get the most out of your pre-training survey

 What is a Pre-Training Survey?

True to its name, a pre-training survey is sent out before conducting a training session to:

1. Identify your respondents’ prior knowledge and understanding of the topic
2. Determine what your participants are hoping to learn through the session
3. Note down their requirements
4. Gauge how they rate the pre-course process
5. Make amends to the course content to meet the participants’ levels

Thus, pre-training survey questions help organizations gather information regarding employees' expectations and subsequently conduct the training session in a way that actually matches their needs and delivers measurable results.

💡 Companies using pre-training surveys report higher training satisfaction scores and better knowledge retention compared to those that skip this step.

Why Pre-Training Surveys Matter?

You are not the first person to think "Can't I just send a general training curriculum and be done with it?" and fair for you to do so as well. 

But here's what you're missing out on: 

1. Avoid Training the Wrong Things 

Imagine spending 3 hours teaching Excel basics to a team that already knows pivot tables. Pre-training surveys prevent this costly mistake.

2. Increase Training ROI 

When training is tailored to actual needs, employees retain more information and apply it faster in their work.

3. Boost Employee Engagement 

Employees who feel heard are more likely to actively participate in training. A simple survey shows you value their input.

4. Identify Hidden Skill Gaps 

You might think your team needs sales training, but the survey reveals they actually struggle with time management. Target the real problem.

5. Measure Training Effectiveness 

Pre-training data gives you a baseline. Compare it with post-training results to prove ROI to leadership.

Free Pre-Training Survey Template

When it comes to staying on top of your training game, nothing beats a conversational survey that feels like a real conversation, not a boring form. Lucky for you, we've created exactly that a ready-to-use survey template that gets you up and running in minutes.

Want to make it your own? You can easily customize every question, add your branding, and even include conditional logic without writing a single line of code.

Here’s how SurveySparrow can help with effective employee training: we go beyond survey creation and sharing. With our no-code platform, you can easily collect, organize, and manage your form data. Plus, our report builder automatically turns that data into visually appealing, live reports.

Get free access. Sign up with your email and start using the template already

 

Preview Template

Use This Template

You heard that right. Sign up and start your survey in minutes. There’s no catch, we promise :) 

You can always continue with the Forever Free plan if that suits your needs.

Pre-Training Survey Questions: 15+ Examples

1. How would you rate your current understanding of [topic]?

This question is particularly useful for measuring your respondent’s knowledge. This will help the planning committee and course instructor to decide what type of content and materials to offer.

This question is essential for measuring your respondents' knowledge. This will help the planning committee and course instructor determine what type of content and materials to offer.

• No knowledge (I'm completely new to this)
• Basic knowledge (I know the fundamentals)
• Intermediate knowledge (I can perform basic tasks)
• Advanced knowledge (I'm proficient and use it regularly)
• Expert level (I can teach others)

This helps you segment participants into beginners/intermediates/advanced groups and tailor content accordingly.

2. What level of expertise do you expect from this training?

This question will help you uncover the delegates' expectations and give you clarity in idea of how comprehensive your course/training needs to be designed. This way, you can meet their objectives and, at the end, identify misalignments between the course you're offering and the value that participants expect

Answer options example

• Basic familiarity with concepts
• Ability to apply knowledge in my daily work
• Advanced proficiency and troubleshooting skills
• Certification-level expertise
• Ability to train others on this topic

Pro tip:

If expectations are unrealistic (e.g., expecting expert-level skills from a 2-hour workshop), address this proactively before training begins.

3. Have you taken any course within [industry] prior to this one?

By asking this question, you can determine if the participants have had any specific training to validate their understanding and expertise on a certain topic. This will help training planners understand what each participant knows and more importantly, what they're working on and hoping to build on.

Answer options example

• Yes, I completed [specific course name]
• Yes, I took a similar course [X months/years ago]
• No, this is my first formal training in this area
• No, but I have self-taught knowledge
• I have on-the-job experience but no formal training

Follow-up question: If yes: "What did you find most/least valuable about that training?"

4. What made you choose THIS course?

Asking this question will help you find why delegates chose this specific course over the other ones available. Is it that a particular module that you offer holds great interest to them? Does a majority of them favor your course because they find your learning instructor offers more strategic learning than your competitors’? Whatever it is, these learnings can be instrumental in figuring out what you’re doing right and continuing to do it.

• The specific topics covered align with my role
• Recommended by my manager/colleague
• The instructor has a strong reputation
• Flexible schedule/format
• Required for my job/certification
• Other: [open text field]

Why this matters?
Understanding motivation helps you emphasize the right aspects during training and identify what makes your program stand out.

5. What specific skills or knowledge gaps do you hope to address?

This open-ended question reveals the real "pain points" participants want to solve. You might discover issues you hadn't anticipated.

Answer format

• Open text field
• Or provide a checklist of common skills with "Other" option

Example responses you might get

• "I struggle with creating pivot tables in Excel"
• "I need to learn how to handle difficult customer conversations"
• "I want to understand our new CRM system better"

6. How do you learn most effectively?

Not every people learn the same. Thus, it is crucial to know the preferred learning styles of your participants to help them absorb information more readily and make the learning experience a lot more fun and enjoyable. This way, you can also tailor your content delivery to match their learning style and adopt a process that will benefit them.

• Visual learning (diagrams, videos, demonstrations)
• Hands-on practice (exercises, simulations, role-play)
• Reading materials (guides, handouts, articles)
• Group discussions and collaborative activities
• One-on-one coaching
• Self-paced online modules
• A mix of the above

7. What are you looking to get from this training?

The success of any training program depends on meeting the expectations of your trainees. Thus, by asking this question prematurely, one can gather valuable insights into the type of effective training that needs to be implemented.

Answer options examples:

• Practical skills I can use immediately
• Certification or credential
• Networking with other professionals
• Confidence to tackle new challenges
• Career advancement opportunities
• Better understanding of company processes
• All of the above

Use these responses to set clear learning objectives at the start of training, then measure against them in your post-training survey.

8. Do you have any questions about the course?

Never let delegates walk into your training with unanswered/unaddressed questions. Hence, it is vital to give them a space to clarify their doubts related to training, equipment, location, pre-requisites, or logistics. It’s a simple question, but one you’d be wise not to leave out.

Answer format

• Open text field
• Consider adding common FAQs with checkboxes:
  • What materials should I bring?
  • Will food be provided?
  • Is this training recorded?
  • Will I receive a certificate?
  • Other: [text field]

9. What is your primary goal for attending this training?

This helps prioritize your content based on your trainees expectations and ensures you address the most important outcomes first. 

Answer options:

• Solve a specific work-related problem
• Meet a job requirement or compliance need
• Prepare for a new role or responsibility
• Stay current with industry trends
• Personal/professional development
• Network with peers

10. Which specific topics are you most interested in learning about?

Let participants rank or select their top interests from the curriculum.

Answer format:

• Ranking question (drag to order by priority)
• Or checklist: "Select your top 3"

Example topics:

• [Topic A: Basics and Fundamentals]
• [Topic B: Advanced Techniques]
• [Topic C: Best Practices and Case Studies]
• [Topic D: Troubleshooting Common Issues]
• [Topic E: Tools and Software]

11. How much time can you realistically dedicate to this training?

Understanding time constraints helps you set realistic expectations.

Answer options:

• I can attend all sessions and complete homework
• I can attend sessions but have limited time for extra work
• I may need to miss some sessions due to other commitments
• I'm worried about time constraints but will do my best

12. What format do you prefer for training materials?

Answer options:

• Digital documents (PDFs, Google Docs)
• Printed handouts
• Video recordings
• Interactive online modules
• Combination of formats

13. Will you be attending in-person or virtually?

This applies only if you offer hybrid training. Asking this helps you be ready for resource allocation and plan your course execution accordingly. 

Answer options:

• In-person
• Virtual (video call)
• Undecided
• Would like to switch between formats

14. How do you plan to apply this training in your role?

The reason to ask this question is to understand how they would practically apply this in real-world scenario, and thus you can modify your syllabus accordingly with relevant examples.

Answer format:

• Open text field

Example responses:

• "I'll use these skills to improve our customer onboarding process"
• "I need to train my team on this after I complete the course"
• "This will help me prepare better quarterly reports"

15. What would make this training most valuable for you?

Answer options (select all that apply):

• Real-world examples from my industry
• Hands-on practice exercises
• Templates and checklists I can use immediately
• Networking opportunities with peers
• Q&A time with the instructor
• Follow-up resources and support
• Certificate of completion

16. How clear was the course description and objectives?

Answer options:

• Very clear - I know exactly what to expect
• Mostly clear - I have a good idea
• Somewhat unclear - I have some questions
• Very unclear - I'm not sure what this training covers

Tips for writing pre-training surveys that snap!

Before you start employing these pre-training survey questions, here are some pointers to get more people to complete your survey –

Be conversational

A good pre-training survey should feel flowy, effortless, and conversational. So remember to use an engaging survey software such as SurveySparrow that helps you create highly interactive surveys through a mix of images, texts, buttons, video, and audio files.

Example comparison

Be casual

The last thing your participants would want is to be struck with a barrage of repetitive and unintelligent questions that do not apply to them. Don’t scare them away with poorly-formed questions and avoid jargon altogether.

• Keep it short: Aim for 8-12 questions max (takes 3-5 minutes)
• Use skip logic: If someone says they're a beginner, don't ask about advanced techniques
• Avoid survey fatigue: One long matrix question is exhausting—break it into smaller questions
• Use plain language: Say "training" not "professional development initiative"

Be varied

Make sure not to stick to the same ‘ol multiple-choice questions throughout your survey. Instead, play around with different question types such as Yes/no, picture-choice questions, matrix questions, etc. This will keep the fun intact and your respondents answering :”)

Question type guide:

Send It at the Right Time

Timing matters a lot while you are sending surveys out.

• Too early (3+ weeks before): People forget or their situation changes
• Too late (1 day before): Not enough time to adjust training content
• Just right (5-7 days before): Fresh in mind, enough time to adapt

Wrapping Up

Pre-training surveys are more than just your regular surveys that you send out. Make it stand out as they're the difference between training that feels like a waste of time and training that actually changes how your team works. 

Here's what you need to be doing:

1. Choose 8-10 questions from this guide that fit your training
2. Set up your survey using SurveySparrow's free template
3. Test it with 2-3 colleagues
4. Schedule it to send 5-7 days before training

Before Training: 

5. Analyze responses and identify patterns 
6. Create a one-page summary for your trainer 
7. Adjust content based on skill levels and preferences 
8. Send a "we heard you" email to participants

After Training: 

9. Compare pre-training vs post-training data 
10. Calculate improvement in skills/confidence 
11. Share results with leadership to prove ROI 
12. Refine your survey for next time

The best part? Once you have a template that works, you can reuse it for every training program with minor tweaks.

Ready to Create Training Surveys That Actually Work?