Work samples

Hi Karen -

Congratulations on your new career direction. You've selected a great time to go freelance.

The first thing I'd say is to post whatever samples you already have if you have permission to show them. Having something older to show is always worth more today than waiting weeks to put something newer up. And don't write off older work because you think it's stale and outdated... You never know where potential clients are in their needs.

I see a lot of folks hold off posting samples because they feel what they have isn't good enough. That's not the case. Go with what you have.

There's nothing wrong with posting older work today, and then updating or rotating samples as you create new ones.

Another thing to consider is posting your older samples now and then doing makeovers to show how you'd approach the same project today. Clients love before and after examples.

Tom has some good posts on elearning portfolios. I'm also confident some of our community freelancers will have some helpful tips for you.

• http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-why-you-need-an-e-learning-portfolio/
• http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-why-you-should-enter-the-articulate-guru-awards/
• http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-how-you-can-change-the-world/ (available every year)
• http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/why-looks-matter-in-e-learning-courses/

Karen: Welcome to the forum.

I've been freelancin' for a few years now. What to design for your portfolio and just basic marketing material? What helps me is to think about what other e-learning pros need. Create valuable assets and give them away. The good vibe will be returned. A couple of super smart dudes a few thousand years ago said that.

Here's what I've done lately:

1. created a blog post on helping clients figure out how to figure out what a training course is generally going to cost

2. created a short Storyline presentation on writing e-learning voiceover scripts (should be done in a few days)

3. created a short Storyline presentation called my top 8 things about Storyline

Feel free to go to www.brighamcommunications.com and steal any ideas I've come up with. That's what essentially what creative people do. Congratulations on charting your own path. And, geez, I almost forgot--you gotta check out the "Freelancing Heroes" thread. That's where many of the Articulate freelancers hang and discuss.  http://community.articulate.com/forums/t/16452.aspx

Thanks guys! I am glad I am not alone in this. 

Anderson:

You have helped me before with my portfolio setup. I shall continue forth. just curious to know as to why you say that NOW is a good time to go freelance? 

Daniel: Thanks for your advice. I will check out the blog and steal some ideas

I am just trying to figure out how I would put my newly found skill into a little presentation project to show case?????? Just telling my neighbor that I have creative block and motivation :(

I am always looking for help.  We get enough jobs at times that we can source them all.  Can you send me some samples???

jcollins@boxwinginteractive.com

I decided to make a few mini courses for my portfolio and started out with a few things I knew a lot about from my interests. E.g. I looked at some of my past academic work and did a mini course on business ethics. I took my knowledge from music and made a course about microphone placement on a drum kit. I used my knowledge of photography to make a module about appertures, shutter speeds and ISO settings.

Start with what you know and are passionate about and your writers block will be out with window. 

Rich

This is a very helpful thread. Thank you for the resources, David and Daniel! I've been reluctant to showcase any of my past work due to the "It's not good enough" excuse.

Lately, I've been toying with the idea of creating courses from in-person trainings and guidebooks I've developed in the past. Because I am essentially my own client, it gives me a little more freedom to experiment with ideas with which I might not be so bold for a paying client. Of course, an added benefit is that I can hide the files away and pretend it never happened if the courses turn out too bad!

Welcome to the forum, Raye. Creating elearning is an art and science, so it's totally natural to feel the finished product isn't good enough. I almost always feel that way.