eLearn: So You Want to Be an E-learning Consultant...
5 Simple Ways to Get Started with E-Learning Development - The Rapid eLearning Blog
Good advice for getting started by doing simple projects using rapid development tools. Includes good resources for people just starting out in e-learning (or hoping to get into the field).
Online Programs that Offer Training in eLearning? : eLearning Technology
Bookmarking an old post of Tony Karrer's since I had to hunt for it today--check the comments for suggestions on online programs for elearning and masters degrees
Here’s Why You Need an E-Learning Portfolio - The Rapid eLearning Blog
Benefits of a portfolio plus tips on what to include and what to do if everything you do is proprietary
A.J. Hyman’s blog » Conferences & Jobs
A collection of conferences & events for ed tech & e-learning, plus some job boards
Volunteer Opportunity to Build Your eLearning Portfolio | onehundredfortywords
Info on an organization looking for volunteer instructional designers/developers to create content for job seekers. They are OK with content being used in a portfolio, so this is a good place to gain some experience and get something to show for a portfolio.
Custom E-Learning Training & LMS Solutions Kineo - New Skills for Instructional Designers
Slides from a presentation on ID skills, specifically at the intersection of instructional design and IT. Especially interesting were the comparisons of word clouds from descriptions of graduate programs in ID with word clouds from ID job descriptions.
Interviews with Designers - Christy Tucker
My interview with the UW-Stout ID certificate students in March 2010. Students contributed possible questions on a wiki, then decided as a group what the top questions would be for me to answer.
Joining The eLearning Tribe: The eLearning Coach
Tips on how to enter the field of e-learning or instructional design, with ideas for networking, job searching, and improving your skills
Online Education for Instructional Designers: Picking the Right Program by Lorna Collier : Learning Solutions Magazine
Learning Solutions Magazine article on online education programs for instructional designers. Compares certificates to masters degrees and PhDs. Includes ideas on how to pick a program that is the right fit for you. The table at the end with a list of schools, programs, and costs is very helpful.
The 2011 Non-Official Global eLearning Guild Salary & Compensation Calculator — Travis's Thoughts
Calculator based on the data from the eLearning Guild salary survey report. Choose your variables and see the average salary.
elearn Archive: So you want to be an e-learning consultant...
Harold Jarche on freelance e-learning work. Includes a table of types of work and a range of fees. (Updated from previous link since the site was reorganized.)
The eLearning Guild Publishes 2012 Global eLearning Salary & Compensation by Bill Brandon : Learning Solutions Magazine
Summary of the salary report (salaries declined slightly) and a calculator where you can enter variables and see a baseline salary.
Definitely Not One-Size-Fits-All: Learning and Development Job Titles — TheWorkSocial
A large list of job titles in the L&D world. This might be helpful for people job searching to have some other phrases and terms to look for.
Updated list 2014: http://theworksocial.com/blog/2014/4/25/learning-and-development-job-titles-2014
Articulate - Word of Mouth Blog - 5 Tips to Launch Your Career as an E-Learning Freelancer
Summary of tips from the Articulate freelancer community
1. Find your focus.
2. Save some money first.
3. Set up an online base of operations.
<strong>4. Create an online portfolio.</strong>
5. Track your time.
KeelWorks - Learning to live: Living to Learn
KeelWorks is a non-profit that regularly engages ID interns. Right now it's a 12-14 week unpaid program for 5 hours a week. It's a good way for people to get some experience before their first ID job.
7 Questions You Need To Answer Before Becoming A Full Time eLearning Freelancer - eLearning Industry
Things to consider for those wanting to make the leap to freelance work
10 Great Jobs Where You Can Work Completely from Home - Business Insider
Curriculum developer, online teacher, and SME are on their list. If we're designing learning that can be delivered virtually, there's no reason that we shouldn't be working virtually too. I wish more companies would see the benefit of this and allow more WFH.
Women in the eLearning Field: Was Your Father a Programmer? by Mark Lassoff : Learning Solutions Magazine
Issues of gender discrimination in the e-learning field (and tech as a whole)
Survival Tips for Learning Professionals | LinkedIn
5 tips from Alexander Salas for how to get a job as an instructional designer or elearning developer (although these apply to other fields too):
- Have a website
- Continuously develop new skills
- Have daily social media presence
- Develop work samples
- Keep up with your industry
Go Design Something: Building Your Job-Winning Portfolio
Kristin Anthony's free course on building an instructional design portfolio
Finding Your Place In an Instructional Design Career
"Instructional design" is a big umbrella that can mean different things in different organizations. This post describes a number of options for the focus of instructional design and related roles.
Instructional Design Hiring Manager Report 2021
Devlin Peck summarizes and analyzes responses from 101 hiring managers surveyed about what factors influence their decisions when evaluating instructional design and elearning candidates.