Instructional Design Careers and Freelancing Presentations
A collection of my presentations and podcasts on instructional design careers and freelancing, including transitioning from teaching to ID.
While most of the the presentations, webinars, and podcast interviews that I do relate to scenario-based learning, I have also spoken with multiple groups about instructional design careers and freelancing. This post is a collection of all of my presentations and podcasts about instructional design careers and freelancing. Note that most of the links below are to my blog posts rather than directly to the presentation or podcast recordings, since that makes it easier for you to find the links and notes associated with each recording.
Presentations on instructional design careers
Transitioning from Teaching to Instructional Design
Transitioning from Teaching to Instructional Design
In this presentation for UC-Irvine, I shared my story of moving from teaching to instructional design, as well as tips for finding a job. This presentation from five years ago is one of my most popular presentations on YouTube with over 12K views.
Get Paid What You’re Worth
How do you get paid what you’re worth? It starts by knowing the benchmarks and understanding what others are paid for similar roles. In this session, I reviewed data from multiple sources on pay in the learning and development field, for employees and freelancers. I also talked about the factors that affect salaries and hourly rates, as well as how to advocate for yourself. While organizations also bear responsibility for closing the gender pay gap, we as individuals can make a difference by knowing what we’re worth. This was a brief formal presentation followed by a longer discussion as part of TLDC’s Women of L&D 2023 event.
Instructional Design: Career Pathways & Trends in a Thriving Industry
Instructional Design: Career Pathways & Trends in a Thriving Industry
This was a joint webinar with UCI Division of Continuing Education and USD Professional and Continuing Education about pathways to career success in instructional design and the trends driving the industry forward. My co-presenter for this webinar was Valerie Quezada. We both talked about our journeys into instructional design and shared insights based on our experience.
Presentations on freelancing
Getting Started in Freelancing
Getting Started in Freelancing
This is the recording of a panel discussion with myself, Lisa Crockett, Kimberly Scott, and Nicole Papaioannou, hosted by Kayleen Holt. We all shared our journeys into freelancing, what we wished we knew when we started, and our advice to others who wish to start or grow their own freelancing business.
Blogging to Build Your Business
Blogging to Build Your Business
In this presentation, I shared what I have learned about blogging to build a reputation as a consultant. I discussed the mistakes I made, compare platforms, and share tips. Because this is an older presentation, some of the references are a little dated. However, most of my recommendations still hold up, and some of this is relevant to the idea of growing your brand on any social media platform (YouTube, podcasting, etc.).
How Freelance Clients Find Me
I don’t do very much to actively seek out clients; most of my clients find me. This presentation explains my recommendations for becoming visible to clients.
Podcasts on instructional design careers and freelancing
From Band Teacher to Freelance ID: EdUp EdTech Podcast
Holly Owens interviewed me for her EdUp EdTech podcast. We talked about my transition from band teacher to freelance LXD consultant. Holly asked about the “feast or famine” cycle in freelancing, and I talked about strategies to address that. We recorded this conversation shortly after Eduflow announced their list list of top 100 most influential people in learning, so we talked about that top 100 list. In addition, we discussed my career trajectory and how I became well-known in the field of instructional design. Holly and I had a wide-ranging conversation on technology from historical changes through ChatGPT, AI, and future shifts in the field.
Everything Freelance: Podcast with Luke Hobson
Everything Freelance: Podcast with Luke Hobson
I had a lovely conversation with Dr. Luke Hobson for his podcast. We talked about everything freelance: when to start, time tracking, finding clients, creating an LLC, pricing projects, making sure clients are the right fit, and more.
How I Became an ID
In this podcast interview with Dr. Robin Sargent, I discuss how I transitioned from teaching to instructional design and provide tips for new IDs.
Freelancing and Consulting
Podcast Interview on Freelancing and Consulting
Kristin Anthony talked to me about moving into freelancing and consulting, positioning yourself in the market, finding clients, pricing strategies, and managing my business.
Instructional Design Certificate or Master’s Degree
Instructional Design Certificate or Master’s Degree
I spoke Luis Malbas and TLDC about whether it’s better for your career to get an instructional design certificate or a master’s degree. This is part of their Certificates and Certifications playlist (members only for the videos for the whole playlist). We also talked about portfolios, as your portfolio is often as important (maybe more so) than your formal credentials.
Looking for more?
If you’re looking for more about instructional design careers, check out my page on ID careers and freelancing with numerous posts categorized by topic. If you want more to watch and listen to, try my presentations on scenario-based learning or my full collection of podcast interviews.
Upcoming events
Morning Buzz: Designing and Developing Scenarios. Tuesday, April 23, 7:30-8:15 EDT. I will be facilitating an open-ended discussion about designing and developing scenarios at the Learning & HR Tech Solutions Conference.
Generating Plausible Choices and Consequences for Scenarios Using AI Tools. Thursday, April 25, 10:00 EDT. This is a hands-on session to learn to use AI tools to generate draft scenario questions, choices, and consequences. Practice refining prompts, recognize the limitations of AI tools, and know when to rely on AI versus manual content creation. Part of the Learning & HR Tech Solutions Conference, April 23-25 in Orlando. Save $500 your registration with my exclusive promo code SPEAKER129.
This blog is a treasure trove of valuable insights for anyone interested in transitioning to instructional design careers or exploring freelancing in the field. The diverse range of presentations and podcasts offered here covers a wealth of knowledge, making it an excellent resource. From practical tips for career transition to deep dives into freelancing strategies, it’s clear that the author, Christy Tucker, is dedicated to helping others succeed in the world of instructional design.
The presentations and podcasts offer a unique blend of personal experiences, industry data, and expert opinions. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on understanding one’s worth in terms of compensation and the focus on gender pay gap advocacy. It’s clear that these resources go beyond just career advice; they also provide an empowering message for those navigating the instructional design landscape.
Thank you, Christy Tucker, for sharing your wisdom, experiences, and valuable insights with the community. Your dedication to helping others succeed in instructional design is evident in this blog, and it’s a valuable contribution to the field. It’s no wonder that your presentations have garnered thousands of views on YouTube – they’re a testament to their quality and relevance. Keep up the fantastic work!
Hey Christy, I want to say thank you for putting this together. It’s been super helpful! The presentations on blogging for your business and your suggestion on joining ONILP gave me great action items for growing my freelance business.
I’m so glad these have been valuable for you!