Seeking Career Advice in Learning-related Content Development

Aug 07, 2012

Hi Everyone,

I just joined this community and it looks like there's a lot of support and trust here!

I'm not sure how to articulate my question so I'll start with some background and hopefully this will help you get a sense of what I'm looking for.

Most of my background is in marketing but I've also spent several years in technical writing and training.

What I most enjoy doing is planning, creating, and testing learning programs that teach business people marketing skills. For example, I've recently created a presentation titled "Show Some Leg: How to Captivate and Convert Prospects into Paying Clients." The presentation is for my own business.

I love the planning, designing, and creation part. I like testing and refining. I don't like the sales and marketing part so much. If the world were perfect I'd focus on planning, designing, and creating and someone else would do the sales.

And I'd probably be happiest doing this freelance or even building a company around these services.

But I've been in the small business community for several years as a general marketing/branding consultant and I'm rather confounded by who actually hires people with the skills I enjoy using. 

And what do people who use these skills call themselves?

My preference is working as a freelance specialist or as a consultant because I like the freedom and opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects and to stay on top of innovations.

I appreciate your thoughts and advice here. I'm just getting started so I'm in learning "sponge" mode.

w/gratitude

Judy

10 Replies
Sheila Bulthuis

Judy –

This is definitely a great community!  J

It sounds like creating marketing-oriented learning is a great fit for you.  I think one thing you’re going to have to think about is whether you want to really specialize (“I know marketing really well, and I know learning really well, so all I do/market myself for is working on learning projects where the focus is marketing skills”) or whether  you want to be more of a learning generalist (“I can create learning even for topics in which I’m not a subject matter expert, and I offer/market my services far and wide.”  Just today I read an interesting article about this question:  http://freelancefolder.com/when-should-you-specialize-your-freelancing-business/

As far as who actually hires people like us, to use the types of instructional design/learning development skills you’re talking about, I think there’s huge variety.  For example, a lot of my work is for fairly large companies where I’m engaged by a learning department that doesn’t have the bandwidth for all the projects they have coming in; but I also do some work for a non-profit that has to do a lot of training and only has a one-person training department (and a total staff of only 11 people!) and over the past few years I’ve had a couple of projects with small businesses.  If you already have a lot of contacts in the small business community you might start there, although in my experience their need and budgets tend to be fairly small and a once-in-a-while thing.  (I’d be interested to hear from others who might have had a different experience!)

I think the key is to think about who you can reach out to in your network.  Tell everyone you know that this is what you’re doing/offering.  And if that won’t lead to enough business, a lot of folks I know contract under large companies that provide learning project “staffing” or project-based consultants.  Even if you eventually want to be completely independent, that can be a good way to get started…

I hope at least some of that was at least a little helpful…

Judy Murdoch

Hi Sheila,

Thanks so much for your response. You asked some good questions for me to consider and i really like your idea for tapping into my network. 

I just ordered What Color is Your Parachute 2013. Although it's aimed at job-hunters there is a great section on how to find work based on your favorite skills. I think this approach along with asking my network and giving thought to who my "Client Charming" may be will be a good start.

Curious whether other folks here have other thoughts or advice.

Warmly

Judy

Bob S

Hi Judy,

Welcome. There are some wonderful folks here to share with!

As for some of your questions....

When it comes to "what do we call ourselves",  you are going to find the labels in the training world are a bit squishy. Lots of terms for the same things and lots of crossover with gray lines. That being said.... the planning, creating and testing of content typically falls under the umbrella of an "Instructional Designer".

When it comes to finding the right situation to employ those skills, I think Sheila has asked the perfect question. You need to decide if you want to narrow and deep by being both subject matter expert (SME) and instructional designer (ID) in the field of marketing for small business. Or if you want to go broader and shallower and wear the ID hat for topics beyond your own subject expertise.

What I can tell you is that many of us first got into training through being a SME; myself included. However once we dipped our toe in the water we found that we loved the planning, creating and testing of content itself... and made the leap out of our subject expertise comfort zones to start designing and developling training with other SMEs on topics we knew nothing about personally. I can attest to the fact that doing that can be incredibly rewarding as you are continuously learning whileimpacting the succes off others. Once bitten with that bug it's hard to go back to anything else... 

Hope this helps and good luck in your endeavors,

Bob

Judy Murdoch

Thanks for your response, Bob. 

Funny, being a SME has no attraction for me I guess because knowledge is increasing at such a rapid pace who can ever truly be a subject matter expert these days.

And if I were to develop any expertise it would be around excelling at developing effective learning materials. I'd feel very proud if I could tell prospective clients that when people use the materials I've developed they enjoy learning and get great results when they apply what they learn. 

I suppose this puts me pretty squarely in the Instructional Design camp. 

If you were to point me to a few good places for learning more about instructional design: both theory and practice where would you send me?

Warm regards,

Judy

Bob S

Quite welcome, Judy.

Where to start hmm?  Well many folks will tell you to start with the formal route and seek out a college program. I would disagree...

Consider starting with an ID seminar/workshop where you can dip your toe in the water and connect with other IDs. There a bunch of learning conferences (ASTD, Articulate, E-learning Magazine, etc) where you can take workshops with your new peers. Obviously don't choose a seminar touted as an "advanced topic" just yet. But otherwise, try one that appeals to your curiousity.

From there.... practice your craft as much as you can and consider looking into a formal education program. And remember, you will be continuously learning so know that going in and embrace it.... and cut yourself a break that you don't know everything after your first month.... year.... or decade!  

Good luck and welcome to the club,

Bob

Judy Murdoch

"Consider starting with an ID seminar/workshop where you can dip your toe in the water and connect with other IDs. There a bunch of learning conferences (ASTD, Articulate, E-learning Magazine, etc) where you can take workshops with your new peers. Obviously don't choose a seminar touted as an "advanced topic" just yet. But otherwise, try one that appeals to your curiousity."

Whew, thanks for not telling me I need to go back and get a degree. Sometimes I think I may at some point get a PhD but only if I'm really passionate about the topic and feel I have something important to add to the conversation.

Excellent suggestions re looking for seminars and workshops as a way to get the basics and meet other ID practitioners. It's on my "to do" list.  

One more question for everyone: Does creating the learning "experience" figure into ID or is that a different area of expertise?

Thanks again!

Judy

Bruce Graham

Hello Judy

"Instructional Designer" is a good title, but remember - if you know (for instance) Storyline, you are "...a person that can write, create and help you deploy interesting, well-presented and engaging marketing experiences online".

You see..the technology and your skills go together to form.....what?
Answer - whatever you want them to...

I think you sound like a passionate instructional designer who needs some direction and a goal.

Not sure if you have spotted this thread already - but it might be some use - http://community.articulate.com/forums/t/14115.aspx

I also recorded the "shorter version" (6 minutes 40 seconds....) here.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

Judy Murdoch

LOL "passionate instructional designer who needs some direction and a goal"

"need direction" is the story of my 40-old year career. 

This is why I'm being slow on the draw and letting my heart have more of a say rather than my head. In fact I hired a coach to keep me from jumping at the next shiny opportunity.

The post you pointed me to is excellent. Thank you. I'm going to read it through for insights and ideas. See what feels "right" and on target.

Thank you very much!

Judy

Bruce Graham

Glad to help.

As "Instructional Designer" is not really something you often see advertised (certainly not here in the UK...), you will find that many of us here have arrived at this little career niche via a strange and odd collection of accidents!

With that in mind you are probably in the right place, you just need to figure out which door(s) you want to open and explore.

Beware - there are many.

Try and find the one where you feel comfortable 80% of the time, and challenged 20% of the time, as the challenges will keep you "on your toes", and will also spur you onto a greater and deeper understanding of where you want and need to go.

I almost sound as though I know what I am talking about

Keep posting and asking.

Bruce

Daniel Brigham

Hi, Judy and welcome. To get a decent feel for the world of e-learning ID, I'd suggest spending a few hours checking out some of the award-winning courses over on the Articulate Showcase site. http://www.articulate.com/community/showcase.php

I'd also recommend Julie Dirker's book Design How People Learn. If these get the motor running, then maybe that's a sign. There are so many cool things one can do to make money. E-learning is just one of them. --Daniel

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