Perhaps it's time to call it quits

[AnotherMe]

I just got another rejection letter for a job I really believed I was pretty much cut out for. Maybe being a 58 years old is just too old to be in the field as a designer for Adobe Products.

Maybe I should call it quits.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

When I decided to go freelance five years ago, I was only going to focus on getting contract jobs designing eLearning. I decided to make YouTube videos that showed off my skills as an eLearning developer. I knew that by sharing my knowledge, many people would learn how to use the features of Adobe Captivate. I understood that some people would not want to build eLearning after trying it. You know, the people who at first thought it would be easy but would soon learn that eLearning is more than just a part-time gig or something they could do while doing their other real full-time job.

I kept getting questions after questions from fellow users, which at first I didn't pay that much attention. Don't these people know I'm trying to attract potential customers with my videos? It became clear that my original business model wasn't going to cut it. I chose to pivot. I started as Paul Wilson Learning Design, and then I became CaptivateTeacher.com when I realised that teaching people how to use Captivate was going to be a big part of my business model. As you know I still create YouTube videos, but now it's not only for potential contract jobs but to attract clients who want to learn as well.

What I'm saying is that maybe it's time to pivot as well. Sometimes the universe is trying to tell you something. For me, it was to broaden my potential customers. For you, maybe it's something entirely different. In either case, I think you have some reflection to do. Perhaps you don't want to work for some company. Maybe you are the company that organisations need to hire because you have that experience. You have a unique perspective that a younger person may not have — best of luck.

[AnotherMe]

Once again you make so much sense. You have directed me so much in my career in eLearning more than anyone else. And I am afraid I was one of those people who asked you question after question about Adobe Captivate. And you were always gracious and patient to answer them for me. I remain very grateful.

You're right, it's time to reflect on what I want to do and where I want to go. If I want to continue in this field I really need to:

• Complete my website ( I have a temporary portfolio link that was created using Adobe Captivate)
• Create a YouTube channel
• Create a blog
• Brand myself over social media

The issue is, I not only want to do eLearning, but other skills that encompass web design and digital media. Perhaps I am spreading myself too thin. I don't know.

Once again thank you.

[Pkoel]

Hello,

  I too have felt the sting of rejection emails. At 52, I have similar experiences. Paul's reply is a very good option (I am a little biased as Paul was also my Captivate Teacher in Vegas). Consider being an enabler, versus a developer. Offer your skills to local elementary and charter school teachers. I take great pleasure in seeing my works used by kids. Granted, they are provided for free, but it does build my portfolio, reference base, and gives me experience. Word is starting to spread in the school district. Keep your head up, persistence does pay off.

Cheers,

Peter

[AnotherMe]

Pkoel  wrote

Consider being an enabler, versus a developer.

Thanks for you response. What do you mean by enabler? Do you mean volunteering my time to institutions that provide the content?

I've never heard the word enabler used in this context before.

Thank you.

[Pkoel]

Hi,

Using the above example (elementary /charter school) you can help enable the faculty to teach in new ways by creating resources for them. For example, one of my first ‘projects’ was a simple drag and drop interaction. The teacher was the subject matter expert and had state mandated pedagogy they wanted to follow. What they did not have was the time, or the software resource to create a SCORM module for the school’s LMS. In this case I did very little instructional design. I used my Captivate knowledge and created a SCORM learning session that met the instructor’s needs.

Working as a traditional instructional designer, we often work with subject matter experts and then use our instructional design skill to craft a learning experience that meets the needs of the learner. As mentioned above, the ‘what to teach’ (content) and ‘how to teach it’ (workflow) were already prescribed. I enabled the teacher to place the tool on an LMS. This allowed the student to work on the task from home, or anywhere. Does that help?

Peter

[AnotherMe]

Pkoel​ it does help. Thank you very much. I have to get an LMS tool under my belt. My last employer did not use one. I have a Moodle account that I should start using.

Another question for everyone on this thread. Do you market any other skills besides eLearning?  These can include graphic design, web design, ect...

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Hey Peter! By the way, I'm 50.

[RodWard]

And I'm 61 and still finding regular employment in this profession.  I haven't found age to be all that relevant with clients.  You just need to prove that you know what you are doing and can back the claim up with good examples of your work.  Potential clients have a legitimate right to see some evidence before hiring you.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Holy smokes Rod, you look great for 61!

[Lilybiri]

This is not a technical question, so I unmarked it as question.

[AnotherMe]

In addition, how many LMS tools does everyone know?

[RodWard]

You don't usually need to know the intricate details of each and every LMS your clients have.  That's the job of the LMS Administrator.  What you need to know is SCORM, and usually only version 1.2.  It's still quite rare to find clients that insist on using SCORM 2004 and even rarer still to find one that insists on using TinCan or some other more modern standard.

[AnotherMe]

RodWard​ thank you.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

In response to the LMS question. I know a tiny amount of exactly three LMS. I vaguely remember SumTotal's TotalLMS, I could probably get my way around LearnFlex and I am comfortable enough to use Captivate Prime.

I keep getting dragged into conversations with my clients about LMS and I always say the same thing. I am an expert on Adobe Captivate design and development. I'm not an LMS Administrator.  I don't think you need to be an LMS administrator to design and develop eLearning.

[David Burnham HBA]

Hey AnotherMe: 

Here's another story. I am an educator, a former School Superintendent, and one of the original Certified Adobe Instructors in North America. In 1995. Certification was a much more stringent process that what is required today.  I was privileged to have met the founders of Adobe and worked with them and provided feedback as how we as educators could help them growth their business by providing high quality instruction. I have seen the Adobe educational business go from high end face to face training to the mash-up we have today. Just to let you know, I personally work in Captivate and Storyline but also Photoshop, Audition, InDesign, Premiere, Framemaker, Acrobat, LiveCycle, my partner After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, and my son Priemiere, Photoshop, Flash, Animate, Unity, Illustrator, Maya and to say the least we taught a few thousand class participants in public and custom classes over the last 25 years. 

I realized a few years ago that the change was afoot. Our good friends at Adobe decided to get into the training business, essentially in competition with ACI's. They started offering training and countless video tutorials on their website for products, and now of course these are right in their software. Our compatriot Lynda and her husband Bruce, started pay for video training, which many have copied. Good for them they sold out to LinkedIn. Then of course we saw the rise of the the You Tubers. So all what I called noise was occurring in the industry all at the same time.

So how did I resolve to meet the changes that impacted the training industry that I helped shape and grow for Adobe. I decided that it was time to refocus and use the broad range of skills that I possess elsewhere.  I simply broadcast my skills and availability and sure enough received numerous offers. That's one of the things that I find interesting is the skill level demonstrated on a lot of the Adobe product forums. If the level of questions that are being asked reflect the current state of the competition, if you have somewhat decent skills, you should have nothing to worry about.

Today, I enjoy the people I work with and have fun using the Adobe tools in a creative way. I still offer Adobe and Articulate training at a custom and team level. The neat part is that age is irrelevant in the digital world. Don't let that get you down. Improve your range of skills to work with all aspects of digital media. Stretch your mind as well as your skill set. I started in the industry in my mid 40's following the reorganization of the Ontario school system in the early 90's and as I said have been at it for well over 25 years. Bonne chance in your future endeavours.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Those dirty YouTubers! 😉

[AnotherMe]

David Burnham HBA​ thank you for your excellent reply. I apologize for my late response. 

I went over your replay.

• help them growth their business by providing high quality instruction

     This is a paradigm I have to take on. I should have been there already. The whole time I have been thinking about getting a full time,  about job security.... This is all fine and good, but it's all about how I can help a business solve their issues... what I can do for them. Indeed I do know I have a lot to offer an employer. But now it's time to also seek out business and be a problem solver.

• I decided that it was time to refocus and use the broad range of skills that I possess elsewhere.

Like you I also have a broad range of skills. I started out as a full time flash designer for an online greeting card website. That was when I was 39 years old in 2000. I already knew Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. Since then I have taken on a broad range of Adobe skills including non Adobe Skills.  It's a lot of fun. The challenge is keeping up on it all. But it's fun.

• I simply broadcast my skills and availability and sure enough received numerous offers.

I have to broadcast my skills with a completed website. I want to take on other avenues as well.

• Age is irrelevant in the digital world.

Awesome!

• Improve your range of skills to work with all aspects of digital media.

Indeed! That's just what I am doing.

• Stretch your mind as well as your skill set.

I like the way you think!

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

I know this discussion is getting a little long in the tooth now but I want to add that perhaps your strategy of keeping your eLearning Community profile anonymous may not be a good choice. I just answered another one of your questions a day or so ago and only just now realized that you are who you are. My profile is clearly me, with an image of me, and my actual name. I have gotten work from my Adobe eLearning profile. Hiding in the shadows of this professional community with an anonymous profile may not be the best approach. 

[AnotherMe]

Paul_Wilson  wrote

I know this discussion is getting a little long in the tooth now but I want to add that perhaps your strategy of keeping your eLearning Community profile anonymous may not be a good choice. I just answered another one of your questions a day or so ago and only just now realized that you are who you are. My profile is clearly me, with an image of me, and my actual name. I have gotten work from my Adobe eLearning profile. Hiding in the shadows of this professional community with an anonymous profile may not be the best approach.

I have thought about using my real name with a photo for a while. However, I worry it might work against me because I do nothing but ask questions hardly answer any. I can turn that around, but I have the whole history of questions after questions.