E-Learning Development is an exciting and growing field. If you have been thinking about starting a career in e-learning development, you may be worried about your lack of experience. It can certainly be intimidating as you begin to look at job postings. You may even be tempted to give up. Before you do, though, consider that you may have more experience than you think and there are many steps you can take to gain even more.
I\’ve been developing e-learning throughout my 20+ year career for companies big and small. In this article, I\’ll share ideas and resources you can use to build up your own experience.
1. Take a skills inventory
One of the first things I recommend you do is to take an inventory of your existing skills. What do I mean by that? Basically, it\’s a brainstorm where you write down skills that you have which are transferable to an e-learning job.
(By the way, if you aren\’t sure what all an e-learning developer does be sure to check out my Career Spotlight: How to Become an E-Learning Developer article.)
For example, one skill area that an e-learning developer should have is the ability to find or create a graphic that can be used in an e-learning course. It\’s possible, you have done this or something similar as part of a past or current job or in some other capacity.
Often, we don\’t even realize all of the skills and experience we already have. We fill ourselves with so much self-doubt that we can end up talking ourselves out of even pursuing something.
Now, I\’m not saying that brainstorming on existing skills is going to magically make you fully qualified for every e-learning job out there. It won\’t.
At a minimum, though, it should help you to see at least one or two (or more) things that you CAN use as examples of your experience in a resume or interview.
Oh, and guess what? I have created a FREE Resource to help you with this!
[convertkit form=2023615]
You\’re welcome.
2. Your current job
One of the best opportunities to get experience is within your current job.
The reason I am such a fan of this method is because that is how I got my start.
My career path looks like this:
\”Regular job\” —-> Department Trainer —-> Full time Trainer —–> Trainer/Instructional Designer —-> Trainer/Instructional Designer/E-learning Developer —-> Instructional Designer/E-Learning Developer
My first \”regular\” jobs were at Walt Disney World and then CarMax. I was a department trainer in Character Entertainment and then at Disney Vacation Club. I also taught Walt Disney World Traditions (new employee orientation) a couple of times a month. At CarMax, I was in sales but then also mentored/helped train new sales people.
Initially, my main interest was in training and facilitation. That is why my path started there. The principle is the same, though, if you are mainly interested in e-learning design and development.
Basically, you look for and/or create opportunities for yourself to get experience.
Let\’s say you work at a school. What is something you could create that would help others in your department? A quick video that explains how a new process works? A short e-learning course that covers a safety procedure?
There are probably several opportunities you could take advantage of and help with.
If you aren\’t sure where you should start, check with your boss. He or she will probably have lots of ideas for you. They will also appreciate your initiative for taking on this project.
3. Volunteer Organizations
Another great way to start getting experience is through organizations that you volunteer at. Your kids\’ school, your church, the local community theater, the zoo…. Any place that you or your family are involved with could be a candidate.
When my son was in Boy Scouts, I wanted to help out there. They needed a webmaster to run the Troop website. At the time, I had never had a website or been involved with any kind of website development but I volunteered anyway because I DID have an interest.
I taught myself WordPress and became the webmaster. It was a great learning experience for me and it helped the Troop. A true win/win.
Similarly, you can look for opportunities where you could create an e-learning module. Do the volunteers need a course that can be taken remotely? Does the PTO need a refresher on some new COVID policies? Could the Little League team use a series of short video demos on how to pitch?
Check with the head of the organization and see what you can do to help.
4. Join a Professional Organization
There are several professional organizations that are learning and development focused. These can provide some good opportunities to learn more about the profession while also meeting and networking with people who are already in the profession.
I go into detail on several in this article. Even though the title says \”for Corporate Trainers\”, a couple of these (ATD and The Learning Guild) apply to e-learning development as well.
There are also usually plenty of volunteer opportunities which could help with getting actual experience you can put on your resume\’.
5. YouTube
While watching a YouTube video isn\’t going to give you actual experience, they can be good for learning some of the basics. This will then help you to \”talk the talk\” when you start interviewing. Of course, you have to be careful since not all YouTubers are created equally when it comes to quality of information.
Start with the Your Learning Career channel where I have a variety of helpful videos with more on the way. (and don\’t forget to SMASH that subscribe button or whatever it is the kids are saying these days…)
6. Take Online Courses
The internet is a gold mine for people who enjoy self-paced learning. There are quite a few e-learning and software related courses you can take through sites like Udemy, SkillShare and LinkedIn Learning.
You do have to pay for these, though. With Udemy, you pay for each individual class. Prices can go up to a couple hundred dollars but Udemy has sales all the time where you can buy just about any class for a lot less. Usually $10 – $13.
Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning have an \”all you can eat\” approach where you pay a monthly or annual fee and then you have access to all the courses.
I have not taken \”how to build e-learning\” courses specifically on these platforms but I have taken/purchased several other types of classes like various software courses and some related to blogging, for example.
The quality varies with these platforms but you are able to preview courses on Udemy before you buy. With Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning, you already have access to everything if you got the subscription so if you don\’t like a course you\’ve started, you can move on. They also have free trials so you can try before you buy.
If cost is an issue, be sure to check out your local library\’s website. Many libraries offer LinkedIn Learning access for FREE! Here is an example from a library near me: https://www.hcpl.net/services/digital-media
All you need is your library card and you are able to access all of the courses at NO COST. Pretty sweet!
7. Build a Mock Portfolio
Nowadays, it\’s pretty much expected that you have some kind of a portfolio when you apply for e-learning jobs. (For more information on portfolios, see my Ultimate Guide to Getting a Learning and Development Job)
This being the case, you might as well start creating some things that you can use for it. You don\’t have to get all fancy. Just start creating some assets that could be used in a portfolio.
Examples could include an e-learning storyboard, a short e-learning course built in Adobe Captivate or Articulate Storyline, or a short explainer video built in Vyond.
If you need inspiration, go look at some job postings to see what employers are looking for. Then, get a free trial of a software you want to learn and build something. (Speaking of free software, check out my How to Get Adobe Captivate for Free article)
Worst case, if something doesn\’t turn out good enough to use, at least you\’ve built up your experience. As you get better, though, you will probably end up with at least a few things you can use in an actual portfolio. If you\’ve also been creating things at your job or a place you volunteer at, you can use those too.
8. Certificate Programs
If you are looking for a little more formal option to get some experience, there are several certificate programs available through various organizations.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when looking at certificate programs.
First, is it from a reputable source? If I were looking for a certificate program, I\’d start with some known entities.
ATD, for example, has an E-Learning Instructional Design Certificate. They also have certificates for specific e-learning authoring software like Storyline. Most hiring managers in a training or learning department will know who ATD is so when you list that certificate on your resume\’, they will recognize it.
Similarly, many colleges and universities offer certificate programs in e-learning development. Seeing a certificate from a higher education institute can resonate well with an employer.
I\’ve also seen different individuals and businesses offer up their own certificate programs for e-learning development.
I don\’t necessarily have anything against these. I think many of them probably have some really good information that would be helpful. I would just make sure to research them and make sure they are going to meet your needs.
If your main goal is to get some specific knowledge or learn a specific skill and they can do that with their program, great. If you are expecting their certificate to be instantly recognizable on your resume\’, I\’d maybe rethink that aspect. I wouldn\’t assume that employers know all about \”Bob\’s E-Learning School\”. Not to say Bob\’s program isn\’t a good one. Just that it may or may not be the resume\’ gold you think it is (or that they say it is).
9. Degree Programs
If you want to go the really formal route, there are degrees you can get in Instructional Design or e-learning. Do you need a specific degree to get an e-learning job? No, not usually. Can they help? Sure.
I talk more about degrees in Do You Need a Masters Degree to be an Instructional Designer?
Personally, I got a Bachelor\’s in Advertising when I graduated from college. And then proceeded to never work in Advertising.
Point being, I\’ve had many jobs where I developed e-learning and my degree was never an issue. A lot of jobs do like to see a college degree of some sort but it doesn\’t necessarily have to be e-learning focused.
Later in my career, I got a Masters Degree in Educational Technology (which had a heavy emphasis on instructional design). This was a personal choice, though, and was not required by my employer. I noticed, though, that when I started applying to more Senior level positions, they listed Masters degree as either a requirement or a preference. That is something to keep in mind for future but I wouldn\’t worry about it at this point.
If you have the desire, time and means to get a degree, there are definite benefits. You get a really good foundation and you will likely have several pieces you could use in a portfolio. I also think it could give you the edge against another candidate who has a more general degree, all other things being equal.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are a lot of ways for you to gain e-learning experience. If you think e-learning development is the right career path for you then I would definitely encourage you to start taking steps toward getting more experience.
You might also be interested in:
9 Pro Tips for How to Get Experience in Instructional Design
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