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October 13, 2023
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Elena Obolonskaia
Scenarios we’re going to cover:
Bonus content: Get Expert advice on landing that ID job
“What’s amazing about 7taps, is that you can utilize it in so many ways during the job application/interview process. You can use it as a mini-portfolio and link it from your resume, you can use it as a separate “What My Resume Won’t Tell You” piece, you can have a 7taps course on your portfolio to showcase your microlearning skills, and you can (and should) use it when it comes time for the presentation or project part of the interview. You can even use it to create a post-interview “thank you!”
Let’s dive into these examples.
Interviewers and hiring managers are overloaded with drab template resumes and enormous eLearning portfolios. Why not surprise them with a more modern CV? Something that stands out, is mobile-friendly, and super engaging.
“7taps would be a great way for job seekers to introduce themselves and their skills to potential employers, and make a creative, lasting impression! Users can create a course that introduces themselves and their skills, and finishes up with links to their LinkedIn and contact information, to send to prospective employers along with their resumes or cover letters”
If you’re including your instructional design portfolio in the same 7taps — don’t forget to add information about the projects presented. Mention its goals, training needs, learning objectives, audience, industry, software, and learning outcomes.
A wide range of professional skills doesn’t fully describe a person. To stand out from piles of qualified candidates, you need a memorable cover letter. So, even if you choose the more formal resume approach (rather than our digital CV idea above), you can still add a fun, engaging touch to your application with an informal introduction using 7taps.
“My content came about because I felt a bit boxed in by the limits placed on resume’ content with regards to ATS scoring and being seen by a human. It was my outlet to create something that captures more of the real me, my humor, some creativity, and ability to tell my story in a different way. 7taps was a great authoring tool to do this.”
“Several of my mentees have been hired after the interview team reviewed their 7taps assets!”
Use 7taps to showcase your skills, knowledge, or professional interests. Create samples for your eLearning portfolio, especially if you’re just starting your instructional design career. Practice creating your learning materials —this will speed up the design process.
Here is a great example:
Problem Solving by Brendan Cox, Blend Interactive Content
Often during the interview process, besides screening questions you’ll be given a test assignment to complete for your potential employer. Creating a fully functional elearning course in a traditional LMS might be time-consuming, especially if you do that for several companies you’d consider working for. Remember that day when you spent hours drafting a storyboard but they never called back?
Use this opportunity to quickly create a course in 7taps. You’ll impress your hiring manager with your use of mobile-friendly technology and knowledge of microlearning best practices.
“I was asked to create a training session for adults about TikTok, to present to an interview panel. I used 7taps as a way to explain the concept of microlearning, and also to discuss the value of microlearning and demonstrate how it fits into the larger picture of processing and learning. The course: was very well received.”
7taps lowers the costs of working on test projects: no cumbersome software, no graphic design skills are needed. You can come up with a tailored course for any potential employer in about 15 minutes.
“If you are using it as part of a presentation/project, it should be created with your audience in mind and showcase your ability to create an impactful microlearning course. Pro tip: Use their branding (colors, logo, font), as well as imagery from their website to really stand out.”
Even if you don’t think you have all the experience that the position requires, showcasing your skillset with enthusiasm goes a long way. A motivated novice that’s eager to learn and explore is a great catch for any company.
Show that you’re interested in THE specific position, not just in getting hired. Create a thank you message or a proper follow-up for your dream job gatekeeper.
Reiterate to the hiring manager the key points that you want to be remembered for. And, if you two connected over a shared hobby or experience, don’t be afraid to reference that. Just keep it professional.
The idea came directly from the 7taps community. We are consistently surprised and inspired by the content they create and share. Since remote work became the new normal, instructional designers, curriculum creators, eLearning developers, and corporate trainers have started using 7taps for informal communication, distance education, training programs, and more.
In short, 7taps defies the box. It’s so much more than niche software. Using 7taps, you can signal that you are:
We reached out to the L&D expert, the author of How to Ace Your Instructional Design Interview book, Cara North. She shared with us three vital questions that an Instructional Designer needs to ask when looking for a new place. Questions that would help you with both: telling a hiring manager you are curious about how the organization operationalizes L&D and getting more information about the role.
The answer will likely be different at each organization. But at least by asking this question, it shows you are aware of where L&D can sit in other organizations and can also determine if you feel like that position is a fit for you.
Some of the answers you may receive include (but are not limited to): curriculum developer, educational technologist, LMS admin, knowledge management specialist, eLearning developer, instructional designer, learning experience designer, and project manager.
Some departments have each team member manage their own projects, and sometimes it can be the role of the senior ID (or team manager). If it's a team where everyone has the same role, you may be expected to adopt the team's style — there could be less room for creativity & originality.
Through this answer, you should also be able to determine if the team is composed of generalists (who know a bit about everything and likely own their own project from start to finish), or designers with more T-shaped knowledge (they have deep expertise in one/two areas and can do other functions in a limited capacity).
Sometimes it is answered in the interview process, but if it isn't, please ask. Use the information from this question to determine if you are going to be cleaning up someone else's mess or if the team is growing.
Ready to make use of the tips? Create your career assets in minutes: 7taps.com
If you have used 7taps throughout your career transition — we’d love to hear your story. Email us at hello@7taps.com
BIG thanks and love to our proactive community for providing noteworthy advice, comments, examples, and endless inspiration for this blog post:
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