The holidays have me feeling a bit mushy and reflective, I have to admit. So, I thought it only fitting that I take some time to reflect on what it is I do, and why I love doing it.
What DO you do?
A lot of people ask me what I do for a living, and when I tell them, I’m often met with blank stares. Fewer than I did when I first started, but there are definitely still some. I’m an Instructional Designer and E-Learning Developer – most days I also consult, so I’d throw Consultant in for good measure.
Within these capacities, I have a few obligations: one to the university I work at, where I am their lone Instructional Developer, and another to the clients I work with on the (independent) e-learning development side. Often times these paths cross, but they’re usually operating in silos from one another.
I am a(n):
- Instructional Designer
- E-Learning Developer
- Consultant
- Small Business Owner
- Published Author
- Presenter
- Professor (WHAT?)
It’s interesting, because at the beginning of my Instructional Design journey, I worked for a small(ish) company where I felt like all Instructional Designers wore all of the hats. This has not changed, but the hats that I wear have. My parents still probably think I’m a rocket scientist, and sometimes I feel like one.
You sound busy. Why the heck do you enjoy what you do?!
- As an Instructional Designer and E-Learning Developer, I work with faculty members and clients to craft learning experiences that are drenched in pedagogy, are creative endeavours that will address their needs, and that will create learning experiences. I LOVE this.
- As a consultant, I get to speak with a lot of different people, advising them and providing recommendations based on industry best practices. I get to hone my experience and expertise to help them address their business, organizational, and institutional needs. Operating in this capacity has brought upon some interesting experiences that have been both challenging and complimentary to my current competencies.
- As a small business owner, I have learned so much. SO MUCH. Every year I’m learning more and more, and I’m sure that this year will be no different. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how important it is to invest in yourself.
- My current roles and expertise have afforded me many exciting opportunities:
- Each year I get to speak at several Learning and Development Events, sharing my knowledge with the greater commonwealth of Learning and Development professionals. As someone who once took zeroes on any assignment requiring an oral presentation, this has been an incredible opportunity for me to both hone my presentation skills and work on a fear of public speaking. I also get to meet so many fantastic people at these events, individuals I’ve connected with via social media – and putting faces to names, distributing hugs, and providing support to my colleagues feels incredible!
- When working with clients, you never really know who you’re going to meet. One of my clients put me in touch with Packt Publishing, allowing me to author two books for them, Articulate Storyline Essentials and Mastering Articulate Storyline. These books also serve to facilitate sharing my knowledge to a broad audience…and my parents get to use them as coffee table books.
- Working at the university allows me to be a part of something bigger. I get to promote our delivery methods to faculty members, facilitate professional development for faculty members, and even be asked to teach students. This year I taught a course for our M.Ed program, Introduction to Instructional Design. It was a fairly small class, but having a once a week commitment to stand up in front of students and deliver information on a topic I feel well-equipped to discuss was a totally new experience. Prior to this, I had been given 30-60 minute speaking slots at conferences and roadshows, but this was a 2.5 hour a week affair, and I truly think I peaked my student’s interest in Instructional Design as a prospective career path. This year, I became a professor…and just typing that feels bananas!
So yeah, I am busy, but 99% of the time I am head over heels in love with what I’ve chosen to do with my life, and I can only hope that each and everyone of you finds your Learning and Development dream job too! Okay…I’ll stop being a mushball now…
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