Instructional Design / October 13, 2023

Debunking 10 Myths about a Career Change to Instructional Design

Are you considering a career change to instructional design but find yourself surrounded by a whirlwind of doubts and misconceptions? Don’t fret! 

In this blog, I’m here to demystify the common myths that may be holding you back from embarking on this exciting and rewarding journey. Whether you’re concerned about your current skill set, the job prospects in the industry, or the challenges of transitioning to a new field, we’ve got you covered. 

Join me in this episode of AcceleratedID as I debunk 10 myths and equip you with the knowledge and confidence needed to pursue a successful career change to instructional design. Let’s separate fact from fiction and set you on the path to a fulfilling and impactful profession.

Career Change Myths

Regardless of what field you’re coming from, there are some big myths we need to bust about the idea of changing careers in general.

Myth #1: It’s too late for a career change

You may have put a lot of years into your current position, whether that’s because it’s related to your undergraduate degree or simply because you’ve been in the position for a while. Either way, that’s something to be proud of. But, you shouldn’t stay in a position where you’re unhappy or undervalued.

A lot of well-known people started the careers they’re best known for later in life. For example, Oscar nominated director Ava DuVernay didn’t pick up a camera until she was in her 30s. Author and Food Network personality Ina Garten was in a government position before she found Barefoot Contessa. And actor/comedian Ken Jeong was a doctor before he joined the Hangover movie franchise.

And of course, there are hundreds of people without name recognition that have successfully changed careers. 

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to stay in the career you chose first. I mean, imagine if you stuck with the first person you ever dated!

People who say it’s too late are likely just uncomfortable, because changing careers is uncomfortable! It’s much easier to stay in a place, in a job that’s familiar to you. Discomfort is a sign of growth.

Myth #2: A career change is too risky

The real risk is staying in a career where you’re unhappy, unchallenged, or underpaid! You risk being miserable, stressed, and burnt out.

You may have people in your life whose discomfort with a career change gets passed on to you because it’s not something they can wrap their head around.

But, only you know what’s best for you. Do some self-reflection and ask yourself which you’d rather live with: the risks of staying in a position you don’t love versus the discomfort that comes with the growth of a career change.

Instructional Design Transition Myths

Now that we’ve busted some of the bigger myths and fears behind any career change, I want to focus on some that are specific to instructional design. Are any of these holding you back from growing into a career as an instructional designer?

Myth #3: Instructional designers are just course creators

I get this sometimes when I try to explain instructional design to others. They say “Oh, so you just create training?” 

Well, the reality is that as an instructional designer, we often are strategic business partners. We have to strategize the learning experiences we create in order to influence behavior change.

Because the training we create supports learning objectives that align with business objectives, we’re behavior changers! We are change management specialists who influence key metrics in an organization with our learning solutions.

If you’re interested in learning more about what, exactly, instructional designers do, check out this in-depth description.

Myth #4: You need an instructional design or education-related degree

You need to be skilled and knowledgeable in instructional design in order to get a job. If you can demonstrate those skills and knowledge in a portfolio, your education background doesn’t matter. 

In my team leading corporate L&D teams, I only had one team member with an undergraduate degree in instructional design. Everyone else took an alternate path. 

There’s a great article about what those different paths are that you can check out for a more detailed description if you’re interested. 

The most important takeaway here is that there’s no one size fits all path to a career change in instructional design. 

Myth #5: You need to have a background in teaching to transition to instructional design

What’s true is that teachers have a great foundation for instructional design, so the teacher to instructional designer pipeline has become popular recently. However, that is definitely not the only path to a successful career in instructional design!

I work with a lot of aspiring instructional designers in The Instructional Design and Tech Accelerator system and they come from all different backgrounds. Psychologists, HR Specialists, IT, graphic designers, just to name a few.

Myth #6: Instructional design is all about tech, so you better be an expert!

Instructional designers do work with technology a lot. Some examples include slide design, eLearning authoring tools like Storyline 360, and video development tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or my new favorite tool Descript. 

What makes this one a myth? I’ll tell you my experience, I’m still not an expert in a lot of those instructional design tools and I’ve led L&D teams for years! I have a general idea of how to use all those tools in an effective manner. I use Google and YouTube to look up PowerPoint and Descript tricks all the time.

So, the truth is that you do need to have familiarity with the tech, but you don’t have to be an expert. You might not end up getting in the weeds with development tools like Articulate Storyline, but you should know the capabilities so you can effectively storyboard. 

Myth #7: You need to be a subject matter expert to get into instructional design.

I’m going to give this one a big nope! This myth stems from some job postings that request experience in the industry. For example, the instructional designer role for a major airline might request background knowledge in aviation as a nice-to-have. But, that’s all it is! 

As an instructional designer, your expertise is in analyzing needs and designing learning solutions that are the best fit. You have knowledge in effectively partnering with stakeholders and analyzing existing resources to take content about any topic and turn it into a course. 

I have a great example for this one. Once, I had to create training on how to safely operate a forklift. Have I ever operated a forklift? No way! But I was still able to design that course for the client because I researched the topic on my own and consulted with other subject matter experts. 

Myth #8: Instructional design isn’t a creative field.

Coming into instructional design from highly creative fields like graphic design or teaching, you  might be worried that you’ll lose that creative muscle.

This myth is due in part to the guidelines set by stakeholders. Instructional designers usually can’t go crazy with design, they have to use existing branding guidelines (the colors and fonts that a company always uses). They also usually have to fit their training to a specific budget and time length.

But, we have to use our creativity to make sure that the learning solution is engaging within those boundaries. 

This is one thing I love about The Instructional Design and Tech Accelerator system. Our students get to choose their own topic for creating portfolio assets. So, they’re not really limited creatively! As a result, I get to see their personalities and abilities shine when I review their work. 

Myth #9: All instructional design is the same.

I couldn’t tell you where this myth stems from, because it couldn’t be further from the truth! The instructional design work you do is often dependent on the setting you work in. Other factors include the type of role you have and what kind of project you’re working on. 

Let’s say you’re working in a corporate setting, you might touch projects for different teams within the organization as well as for the corporate audience or the end client. These might be instructor led training sessions or eLearning modules. It all depends on the setting and the audience. 

Your main tasks tend to stay consistent. You’ll analyze the training need, identify objectives, outline the learning solution, and so on. But after that, the work evolves based on the training need and the delivery method you’ve identified as being the best fit for that need.

I’ll tell you from my own personal experience, I’m never bored! I get to work on something new every day. 

Myth #10: You don’t make a difference as an instructional designer.

Instructional designers are often (but not always) behind the scenes, rather than in front of a learning audience. So, I think that’s the root of this myth. 

As instructional designers, we’re able to make a big difference in the lives of the people that experience the courses we design. Whether it’s training that keeps people safe at work, or helps them elevate their skills to get a promotion, we made a difference! 

Since I used to be a teacher, I understand the desire to really make a difference for learners. When I was standing in front of students, the results were more tangible. Now, as an instructional designer, I’m not limited to the 25 students in my classroom per year. I can work on learning solutions that touch thousands of learners all over the country!

Wrapping It Up

Well, we just debunked 10 big myths that might be holding you back from making a career change. 

Are you feeling lighter and more motivated to make a move? I hope so! By debunking these 10 myths, I hope you feel more empowered and inspired to pursue a career change to instructional design with confidence and clarity. 

Remember, making a career change is an exciting opportunity for growth and fulfillment. Embrace the possibilities, follow your passion, and embark on a rewarding journey in instructional design!

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