How to Get Hired Faster as an Instructional Designer
- QuickA
- May 20
- 2 min read
Whether you're seeking a freelance contract or full-time role, one thing is clear. A resume alone won’t get you noticed anymore. To stand out in today’s competitive instructional design job market, you need to show your work, not just talk about it.
The good news?
You can dramatically speed up your hiring timeline with the right kind of eLearning showcase.
Research: What Speeds Up Instructional Design Hiring
A 2023 survey by Learning Solutions Magazine revealed:
79% of hiring managers said they prefer candidates with a portfolio that includes interactive learning samples
67% said that portfolios with industry-specific examples led to faster interview shortlisting
42% of candidates who had a searchable online presence were contacted proactively by recruiters (even before applying)
Meanwhile, the LinkedIn Talent Report (2024) notes:
Candidates with content tagged by skills and tools (e.g. "Articulate Storyline," "microlearning") received 46% more recruiter outreach
Portfolios embedded into profiles or resumes improved callback rates by 30% over those without samples
The data is clear: instructional designers who showcase work that’s interactive, tagged, and measurable land jobs faster.
Tips to Get Hired Faster
Here’s how to accelerate your path to that next opportunity:
1. Host Real SCORM Courses Online
Make it easy for hiring managers to preview your work. Avoid file downloads or private LMS links. A playable demo shows both technical and design capability.
2. Tag Work by Industry and Tool
Use tags like:
“Retail onboarding,” “Healthcare compliance,” “Sales enablement”
“Articulate Rise,” “Vyond,” “Scenario-based learning”
Recruiters search by topic. Help them find you.
3. Include Measurable Outcomes
Showcase completion rates, quiz results, engagement stats, or even learner feedback. If you don’t have data, include testimonials or project goals.
4. Add a Brief Design Rationale
Explain your thinking:
Why did you use a scenario-based approach?
What constraints did you overcome?
How did the content evolve from stakeholder input?
Common Mistakes That Slow You Down
No samples at all or links to expired files
Only listing job titles and tools used
Portfolios locked behind passwords or unsearchable drives
Too much content with no explanation or results
No contact method or clear CTA
Hiring managers don’t have time to dig. Make your value obvious.
Why ID Portal Helps You Get Found (and Hired)
ID Portal was built specifically to solve these problems for instructional designers.
With ID Portal, you can:
Host SCORM demos in a built-in LMS player
Add tags, learning objectives, and tool labels
Share measurable results and brief project write-ups
Let recruiters discover your work by topic, industry, or tool
Embed your portfolio into your website, LinkedIn, or resume
Best of all. It’s free to get started.
Advice: Treat Your Profile Like a Sales Page
Your portfolio is your pitch. It should be:
Clear
Interactive
Focused on value
Easy to navigate
Easy to contact you
Would you hire someone whose work you couldn’t see or understand in 60 seconds? Neither will they.
Claim Your Space
Whether you're a freelance ID or looking to level up your L&D career, give yourself the tools to get found (and hired) faster.
Keywords: instructional design, get hired faster, SCORM portfolio, elearning career tips, freelance ID, instructional designer showcase, learning content samples, L&D job search, portfolio optimisation.
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