Is it always hard to get the first instructional Designer job? For discussion and advice

Jun 04, 2023

Ahmed Jendeya
By Ahmed Jendeya

Hi all,

I wanted to share that I recently completed my last eLearning project with the company I have been working for over the past few weeks. Over the past five years, as Independent Contractor, I have held various roles within the company, including eLearning Developer (involving needs analysis, storyboarding, and Articulate Storyline), Video Developer, Artist, and SME.

After successfully wrapping up the challenging and complex Course Development project, I felt the urge to explore opportunities outside of my current company. I have gained extensive experience and proficiency in Articulate Storyline and truly believe I can create wonders with this amazing software.

With this in mind, I decided to explore platforms like Upwork and LinkedIn to apply for jobs and showcase samples of my work. However, despite my efforts, I haven't received any responses so far.

In an attempt to enhance my chances, I have developed a focused portfolio using Articulate Rise. This portfolio highlights five interactive designs that I created as parts of complete lessons. However, even with this improved presentation, I am still facing the same outcome: no response.

I would greatly appreciate advice from experts on the best strategies for securing job opportunities. I firmly believe that I am fully qualified to work as a full-time eLearning Developer, and I am eager to learn about any such opportunities available. Additionally, I would like to know the most effective way to present and market myself to potential employers.

Thank you for your help!

5 Replies
Bianca Woods
11 months ago06/05/23 at 5:53 pm (UTC)

Hi Ahmed. It's definitely tricky to figure out what exactly to put in a portfolio to grab the attention of hiring managers. But while there isn't one portfolio format that works perfectly for every e-learning developer, there are some common themes that most portfolios include. This article shares several to consider including in yours.

As for your current portfolio, it feels like a good start. But deepening the content could help it answer more questions for hiring managers. For instance:

  • Include more about who you are and what your e-learning development specialties are to make it clear why you stand out from other candidates and what's special about your skill set.
  • Include full courses or lessons rather than just a single interaction so managers can see how you approach an entire project.
  • Add information to each example about what learning challenge you needed to solve and how the example addressed it. This helps managers see how you connect project goals to your finished e-learning project.

Also, if you're looking for examples of strong portfolios for inspiration, check out this thread for a bunch of links as well as information about what makes each one work well.

Bianca Woods
11 months ago06/06/23 at 1:41 pm (UTC)

Personally, I think both options are good ways to host a portfolio. A website may offer more layout customization, but typically takes longer to build. A Rise 360 course tends to have fewer layout options, but they're all responsive (so they'll look great on any device) and fast to put together. Also, while websites are still what a lot of people use to create portfolios, Rise 360 portfolios are growing in popularity, You can see several examples of them in this portfolio E-Learning Challenge. So it's really up to you to decide which option you like best and you have the capacity to produce.

What's more important than the way you host your portfolio is the content in it. Given you're looking for work now, it may be best to stick with your Rise 360 course since you've already started it and build out the content there. That's the fastest way to improve your portfolio. And there's no reason you couldn't move all that updated content to a portfolio website if at some point in the future you want to make that change.

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