Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career
Thinking about becoming an Instructional Designer (ID) but have no idea how to get started? Instructional Design is a field that is high in demand, very flexible, highly lucrative, and provides you with a great work-life balance (say bye to being overworked and underpaid)! Join Jill Davidian, 21-year corporate Instructional Design veteran and host of Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career! Jill has worked in many different industries including finance, health care, oil and gas, manufacturing, and even with the United Nations. She has helped over 500 new Instructional Designers launch their ID careers with corporate giants like Google and Amazon, as well as smaller companies. Each week she brings real talk, advice and inspiration, and interviews to help budding IDs stand out from the crowd and get that first job. Whether you are trying to figure out if Instructional Design is right for you, or you are ready to create a portfolio and rework your resume, you are in the right place to jumpstart your Instructional Design career. jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
Episodes
Money and time are the two biggest things holding people back from starting their ID transition and I get it, it’s a frustrating catch-22. In this episode, I’m sharing exactly what you can do when both are working against you, including a budget-friendly, time-friendly tool that employers genuinely want to see on your portfolio.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
* Discover why Rise is the budget-friendly, time-...
You've put in the work on your portfolio, but are employers even making it past the first page? After reviewing portfolios from my community, I kept seeing the same mistakes come up over and over. In this episode, I'm sharing the top five things that cause hiring managers to close a portfolio within the first ten seconds so you can fix them before it costs you the job.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Find out the fiv...
Every summer, people say they're going to make progress on their instructional design transition, and then August comes and nothing happened. In this episode, I'm giving you the exact nine-week plan I would follow to learn Storyline and build a portfolio sample that actually impresses hiring managers. No more dabbling. No more overwhelm. Just a real plan.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Get the full nine-week breakdo...
If you've been staring at a blank screen trying to figure out what to create your portfolio sample on, this episode is for you. I'm sharing a simple AI hack that flips the script, instead of you feeding AI all the context, you let it ask YOU the questions. The result? Way better output, and a portfolio topic you're actually excited about.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Learn the simple AI prompting shift that helps ...
You've seen the posts — experienced IDs saying they can't find work. But does that mean you don't have a chance as someone new to the field? I'm giving you the real story behind what's going on, and why new IDs are still getting hired every day.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Find out the real reasons experienced IDs are struggling — and the lesson it holds for you at any stage of your career
- Learn why a ...
After two and a half years away from the mic, I'm back — and this isn't just a podcast comeback. There's so much more coming, and this episode is where it all starts.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Find out where I've been, why the podcast had to pause, and what's coming next
- Learn about the brand new Instructional Design Transition Knowledge Hub launching on Substack — and why you need to be there
- Discove...
Will AI Replace Instructional Designers?
It's the question I hear more than almost any other right now and I'm not going to give you a vague non-answer. I'm sharing my honest take on whether AI is going to replace instructional designers and what you actually need to be focused on right now.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- My honest answer on whether AI will replace instructional designers in our working lifetime back...
You know you need to have a portfolio, but what the heck do you put in it? The truth is, if you're not already an experienced ID, you'll have to start from scratch.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Understand how to create a portfolio that speaks to the job you want
- Learn exactly which deliverables you need in your portfolio to help you stand out with hiring managers
Resources and Links M...
Have you started the hunt for a corporate instructional design position? Finding your first ID job can be overwhelming and confusing, especially with the various titles that pop up when searching online job platforms. In this episode, I'm discussing what to search for when looking for a job in corporate instructional design.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Understand how to successfully search for corporate instructi...
Is the current economy making you hesitant to start your career in instructional design? Despite the possibility of a recession, the eLearning industry is booming - and I'll tell you why.
In this episode, I'm shedding light on why the instructional design industry is recession-proof, so you can feel more at ease as you embark on or continue your journey in corporate instructional design.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
How well do you handle constructive criticism? While receiving feedback can be scary and deflating, it's critical to the instructional design process.
In this episode, I discuss how proper feedback will set you up for success as a new instructional designer.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Learn why feedback is essential during the learning process and how it helps to prepare you for your career
- Understand ...
You've been assigned your first ID project. Now what? First, you'll want to establish the project's direction and develop the learning solution. To do this, you'll conduct a kickoff meeting.
In this episode, I'm reviewing instructional design project kickoff meetings and what you can expect during the process. You'll learn the details of your role in these meetings and the critical questions you should ask to ensure a confident star...
In this episode, I'm reviewing the hiring process for corporate instructional design. We'll go through each phase of the process and what happens after receiving an offer so that you can level set your expectations as you apply and work to get your first job in corporate ID.
Top reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Understand how long the hiring process can take and why applying is a numbers game
- Explore the multiple steps of ...
How long does it take to become an instructional designer? Transitioning careers requires thoughtful planning, especially if you have a time-bound job like teaching.
In this episode, I'm discussing the timeline of becoming an instructional designer. You'll learn the three phases of the transition process and what you need to consider when preparing for your career change to have as smooth of a transition as possible.
To...
Are you thinking about joining an instructional design academy? Instructional design programs will help you develop the practical skills needed to build your portfolio and stand out in the industry. But with multiple academies to choose from, how do you know which one, if any, is best for you?
In this episode, I'm sharing the questions to consider when choosing an instructional design academy.
Top reasons to liste...
Should you get a master's degree in instructional design? While having a degree can look good on paper, if you're planning to go into corporate ID, then a master's degree may not be the best option.
In this episode, I'm going over why you don't need a master's degree to succeed in corporate instructional design. I'll share the pros and cons of having a degree and what you should do instead to land your first job.
Top re...
When you’re just starting in corporate instructional design, having a portfolio is crucial to help you stand out, but nothing compares to having experience with an actual client. So how do you get this experience if you’ve never had a job in the field?
In this episode, we’re going over how to use volunteer projects to gain experience in corporate instructional design. I’ll share the benefits of completi...
How do you get hired as an instructional designer for the first time without any formal experience? You may be looking at job postings, seeing hundreds of applications, and thinking there is no way to compete with everyone. But the truth is, most people applying for jobs in instructional design will never be hired simply because they aren’t doing the prep work.
Top reasons to listen:
- Discover how to get hired as an instruct...
The two most-used eLearning development tools in corporate instructional design are Articulate Storyline and Articulate Rise. While both tools come from the same company, they have quite a few distinctions and serve very different purposes.
In this episode, we’re comparing Articulate Storyline and Rise. You’ll learn the primary purpose of each program, the learning curves, and other significant differences so that you ca...
As instructional designers, we have the unique advantage of submitting portfolios to potential employers - yes, advantage! While it may seem daunting to create, a portfolio allows us to showcase our skills and is especially important when you’re just starting in the field.
In this episode, I’m reviewing why you need a portfolio as a new corporate instructional designer. I’ll share the benefits of having a portfolio...
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