Question for the Community
Jun 01, 2014
Greetings everyone,
Let me first start out by saying thank you. This community has been so helpful (blogs, forums and tutorials). Yesterday I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a Masters of Education in Instructional Design. I currently work as an Instructional Technology Coordinator, but plan on making a career in the ID field eventually. In the meantime I feel I should develop my ID technical skills and build a portfolio up. Below I've listed a few skills I want to tackle right away.
- Improve Storyline skills (consider myself novice)
- HTML/CSS
- Javascript
- PowerPoint
- Graphic Design (Photoshop, Illustrator)
My questions for the community.
- How do I get entry level work?
- Do I offer my skills pro bono to non-profits?
- Are there online sites looking for volunteer ID work?
- What should my online portfolio contain?
- If I do freelance work, should I form a business entity right away or wait?
- What technical skills do you recommend I start developing?
I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Thank you all.
13 Replies
Hi Chris,
Congratulations on your brand new Masters! Very exciting. I love that you've got so much skill building and other goals in mind. Just take your time and you'll do fine.
You probably saw Tom's post this week - as a new ID there are tips in there that are worth checking out: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/3-things-every-new-instructional-designer-needs-know/
You'll get loads of advice here, but I'll just speak from my own experience. I've been an independent ID working directly with clients for 10+ years.
Congratulations again, Chris, and I hope to keep seeing you here in the community!
Chris,
Echo Jackie above, however, (as is my current mantra here...), what business skills do you have, for both running your own business, and going into businesses and doing ID work that is going to make a difference?
Ignore that side of your development at your peril!
Jackie and Bruce I appreciate you responses. I've been following both of you for some time, so I value your input. Jackie please feel free to add any additional skills you recommend I develop. I'm an avid reader also, so any books you recommend would also be helpful. I already have quite the library.
Bruce in regards to business skills, I've managed businesses in the past, taken courses on Small Business, read lots of books and blogs. I'm currently reading "E-Myth Revisted". I also done side work in the past as a Computer Technician and Slide Show Montage Creator. My plan is to work in the industry for a while and also do freelance work at the same time. I'm not prepared or experienced enough to make the leap to full-time freelancer. My goal is to own my own E-Learning Business with a small reliable crew of ID's. I know I have a long ways to go, but I'm driven. My background for the past 10 years has been Information Technology in the Higher Education realm. I manage all campus Instructional Technology. I have a wide array of technical skills and experience.
You sound as thought you have a very sound, and well-considered plan. Good luck to you.
My only other advice is to not wait "...until you are ready". You will never be/will never feel as though you are.
There are too many skills to develop - which is where a lot of people go wrong. They spend so much time learning the tricks of the trade they never learn the trade. Focus on a few, and develop the rest rapidly when you need them, to the level you need them.
Shout on or off-forum if you need any advice, and once again - good luck achieving the vision - I have a feeling that with your attitude and experience you will do just that, and you have the beauty of your surroundings in which to thrive.
Any ideas on how to go about finding an E-Learning mentor?
Hi Chris -
Ashley is right on the money with her advice. So here is my 2 cents to add to what she has already said - when you are first starting out everyone asks to see samples of your work so I would focus my efforts on building a portfolio of really good examples instead of doing the pro bono work. You can do the pro bono once you are successful. You might want to target a specific subject or vertical market that you have some interest in and build some examples that showcase your skills in that area. Then target your efforts to find work in that area.
There are about a million people in the eLearning space so the last thing you want to do is create some ho-hum examples that anyone and his or her dog can create.
You should also spend some time building up your professional credentials by answering questions here in this forum and in the groups on LinkedIn, and building a network on Twitter (something I have managed to fail to do by-the-way).
Great advice Nancy. Can you provide some examples of niche areas to develop eLearning? I work in Higher Education currently, but I don't want to limit my options to just that environment. What areas are in higher demand?
I wasn't thinking so much about what is in the highest demand but more about targeting a niche market that you are really interested in or have some knowledge.
For example, I developed most of my ID experience within the Defence sector, so I was all Defence-sector'ed out in my interests. I knew I wanted something different. I was really interested in the Higher Education market, so that's where most of my clients are. Start where you feel comfortable and let it align with where you want to go
Chris,
If you do not want/need to start immediately, this is always an opportunity to create a NEW niche area. Fin out an area with low/no demand - YET...and use that as your focus of operations. Demand can be satisfied, or it can be created. The second takes more work but will often yield better results.
You guys rock! Thanks for all the awesome advice.
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