I wasn't sure where to post this question but where is a good place to begin if you want to work in elearning development? What markets need this service?
Are you looking for a full-time job in a company or full-time work for your own business?
You call yourself an E-Learning Professional and you have a portfolio site but I'm still unclear as to your exact meaning. You want to focus on eLearning (electronic learning) more?
Advice on both would be wonderful. I am in a certification program now in Distance Education at UMBC and will be laid off in January of next year. I am in need of tips on finding work in elearning. I have 14 years of video production experience and samples can be viewed at http://efunlearning.com.
Hi Doug - Are you looking for remote or onsite? Where are you located? For me, I find the most difficult part is really finding consistent work, and my best bit of advice (at this point in my career as an independent contractor at least) is to hustle, hustle, hustle - but make sure you can ship! Being able to ship (or deliver) will separate you from other ICs who waffle a bit more on their deadlines. You may luck into something right away or it could take you two years to find consistent work or a FT contract - just keep hustling.
Have to agree with Nick here - same answer as last time.
There are no "formulae" unfortunately. Investigate every fulltime option, every contracting option, every freelancing option.
Do you want to work for yourself, or for others - that is probably the first huge question.
If you want to go freelance or contractor, you are a lot luckier than most, as you have 9 months to plan a transition and get work while working fulltime.
Have to agree with Nick here - same answer as last time.
There are no "formulae" unfortunately. Investigate every fulltime option, every contracting option, every freelancing option.
Do you want to work for yourself, or for others - that is probably the first huge question.
If you want to go freelance or contractor, you are a lot luckier than most, as you have 9 months to plan a transition and get work while working fulltime.
Agree completely,
As Bruce knows I've started on this process and have made some brilliant in-roads however you need to keep options open, you need to have a considerable portfolio with some top-drawer pieces.
There are many things that need to be in place before you can consider going freelance - including a client base. There is no golden ticket to this and the best advice is to keep grafting, seek out opportunities and never close doors. You have an interesting approach to development but you need to ensure you can still cover the basics of what organisations are going to ask of you.
Maintain a strong online presence, build your portfolio and attempt to pick up small jobs whilst you are still receiving a salary is my advice. You aren't going to stumble across an area that has no competition neither will you be able to comfortable set a stance of working in one particular area, the projects that come through are incredibly varied and you need to have the ability to take on whatever comes your way. Especially if you want to be competitive in securing contracts.
Also, you might want to keep an eye on Mile Taylor's blog. He posts a weekly list of eLearning/ID/Training jobs that may give you an idea of what's 'out there'.
Just continuing this thread from where we left off three years ago. I have my certificates in distance education and instructional systems development online and in one year I will be done with the full master's degree.
I am still browsing for jobs in e-learning And kept the one I had because it has helped me to pay my way through graduate school. I'm just about ready to make the transition though.
10 Replies
@Doug,
Are you looking for a full-time job in a company or full-time work for your own business?
You call yourself an E-Learning Professional and you have a portfolio site but I'm still unclear as to your exact meaning. You want to focus on eLearning (electronic learning) more?
Please clarify.
Nicholas
Nicholas.
Advice on both would be wonderful. I am in a certification program now in Distance Education at UMBC and will be laid off in January of next year. I am in need of tips on finding work in elearning. I have 14 years of video production experience and samples can be viewed at http://efunlearning.com.
Thanks,
Doug
I think you asked this same question previously Doug:
http://community.articulate.com/forums/p/46961/253072.aspx#253072
(And got some great answers.) Have you made progress from that point?
Hi Doug - Are you looking for remote or onsite? Where are you located? For me, I find the most difficult part is really finding consistent work, and my best bit of advice (at this point in my career as an independent contractor at least) is to hustle, hustle, hustle - but make sure you can ship! Being able to ship (or deliver) will separate you from other ICs who waffle a bit more on their deadlines. You may luck into something right away or it could take you two years to find consistent work or a FT contract - just keep hustling.
Doug,
Have to agree with Nick here - same answer as last time.
There are no "formulae" unfortunately. Investigate every fulltime option, every contracting option, every freelancing option.
Do you want to work for yourself, or for others - that is probably the first huge question.
If you want to go freelance or contractor, you are a lot luckier than most, as you have 9 months to plan a transition and get work while working fulltime.
Agree completely,
As Bruce knows I've started on this process and have made some brilliant in-roads however you need to keep options open, you need to have a considerable portfolio with some top-drawer pieces.
There are many things that need to be in place before you can consider going freelance - including a client base. There is no golden ticket to this and the best advice is to keep grafting, seek out opportunities and never close doors. You have an interesting approach to development but you need to ensure you can still cover the basics of what organisations are going to ask of you.
Maintain a strong online presence, build your portfolio and attempt to pick up small jobs whilst you are still receiving a salary is my advice. You aren't going to stumble across an area that has no competition neither will you be able to comfortable set a stance of working in one particular area, the projects that come through are incredibly varied and you need to have the ability to take on whatever comes your way. Especially if you want to be competitive in securing contracts.
Also, you might want to keep an eye on Mile Taylor's blog. He posts a weekly list of eLearning/ID/Training jobs that may give you an idea of what's 'out there'.
Thank you, everyone!
Let us know in the community how it goes for you Doug.
Hi everyone,
Just continuing this thread from where we left off three years ago. I have my certificates in distance education and instructional systems development online and in one year I will be done with the full master's degree.
I am still browsing for jobs in e-learning And kept the one I had because it has helped me to pay my way through graduate school. I'm just about ready to make the transition though.
Any new Tips since three years ago?
Thanks,
Doug
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