Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast

Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career

Jill Davidian

Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career is a weekly instructional design podcast hosted by Jill Davidian, founder of Learning Strategy & Design. It covers becoming an instructional designer: portfolios, resumes, the job search, AI in instructional design, and how the career change really works.

jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com

35 Episodes

34: If Money and Time Have Held You Back From This Transition, Start Here
6/23/2026
15:02
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-friendly alternative to Storyline that employers genuinely want to see* Learn how to create a high-quality, professional sample within Rise’s 30-day free trial without falling into the “it’s easy so I’ll wing it” trapFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:* Sign up for the 30-Day Rise Sprint* Read the Substack article on planning your Rise sample before your free trial starts* Join the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
33: Why Hiring Managers Reject Your Portfolio in 10 Seconds
6/16/2026
21:17
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 five most common portfolio mistakes that send hiring managers running, including the Storyline newbie mistake that immediately signals you're new to the softwareLearn exactly which samples belong in a corporate ID portfolio and the five minimum pieces every portfolio needsDiscover why your portfolio is marketing, not just a collection of your work, and how that one shift changes everything about how you build itFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:Episode 27: What Needs to Be in Your ID Portfolio to Get HiredSubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
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32: The 9-Week Summer Portfolio Plan for Aspiring IDs
6/9/2026
19:55
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 breakdown for learning ID fundamentals, mastering Storyline basics and advanced features, and building a polished portfolio sample from scratchLearn why scaffolding your learning, and getting feedback at two key checkpoints, is what separates a portfolio that wows from one that falls flatFind out how to use AI as both a productivity tool and an accountability partner to stay on track all summer longFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:Sign-up for the Summer ID Roadmap MasterclassJoin the Articulate License GiveawaySubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
31: There's a Better Way to Prompt AI That Most People Aren't Talking About
6/2/2026
14:17
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 get unstuck and start your portfolio sample fasterDiscover how to turn your hobbies and everyday interests into a real corporate training topicGet the details on the Summer Instructional Design Roadmap masterclass and the Articulate Storyline license giveawayFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:Sign-up for the Summer ID Roadmap MasterclassJoin the Articulate License GiveawaySubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
30: The Hidden Reason 20+ Year IDs Are Struggling to Get Hired
5/26/2026
23:23
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 careerLearn why a portfolio and up-to-date tech skills are non-negotiable in today's job market, no matter how long you've been in the fieldDiscover why being new to the field might actually give you an unexpected advantage over seasoned IDsFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:Sign up for the Summer ID Roadmap MasterclassSubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupEnter the Articulate Storyline License Giveaway ContestConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
29: Should You Be Worried About AI Taking ID Jobs?
5/19/2026
19:55
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 backed by real data from 60 job postingsLearn what core ID skills still matter most and exactly where AI fits inUnderstand why the noise you're hearing about AI is not the full picture and what's actually happening in the field right nowFull Show Notes Here!Episode Mentioned:Episode 28: I'm Back! An Update and What You Can Expect Moving ForwardResources and Links Mentioned:Sign up for the Applied Instructional Design AcademySubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
28: I'm Back! An Update and What You Can Expect Moving Forward
5/19/2026
21:32
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 nextLearn about the brand new Instructional Design Transition Knowledge Hub launching on Substack — and why you need to be thereDiscover how to connect, get support, and never feel alone in this transitionFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned:Sign up for the Applied Instructional Design AcademySubscribe to Jumpstart Your ID Career on SubstackJoin the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupConnect with JillInstagramJumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook GroupLinkedInWebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
27: What Needs To Be in Your ID Portfolio To Get Hired
6/13/2023
18:34
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 wantLearn exactly which deliverables you need in your portfolio to help you stand out with hiring managersFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned: Listen to the episodes: What is an Instructional Design Portfolio?Articulate Storyline vs. RiseHow the Instructional Design Process is Like Building a HouseThe Different Types of Learning Delivery MethodsThe Importance of Feedback in Landing an ID JobDownload your free design document templateConnect with Jill Instagram Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook Group LinkedIn WebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
26: What Job Titles Should You Look For When You Apply
6/9/2023
21:25
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 instructional design jobs and what keywords you should be usingExplore the most common job titles and their primary differencesLearn how to interpret job titles and their descriptions to ensure you're applying for positions that align with your goalsFull Show Notes Here!Resources and Links Mentioned: Sign up for the Applied Instructional Design AcademyListen to the episode, Articulate Storyline vs. RiseListen to the episode, How the Instructional Design Process is Like Building a HouseConnect with Jill Instagram Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook Group LinkedIn WebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com
25: Why Instructional Design is Recession-Proof
5/30/2023
17:44
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:Discover the unique advantages that instructional design has over other corporate careersUnderstand how constant change actually ensures job security for designersExplore the future of learning and its impact on the industryFull Show Notes Here!Connect with Jill Instagram Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career Facebook Group LinkedIn WebsiteThanks for joining us on the Jumpstart Your Instructional Design Career podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help us reach even more freedom seekers and aspiring instructional designers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jumpstartyouridcareer.substack.com

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