Third Finding & Summary
Learning Industry Experts to newcomers:
focus on collaboration
Recap of the 2022 Learning Industry Report and the second-finding:
This 3-part series is based on findings from a survey conducted of a select group of Learning Industry professionals.
In the first part, we established details about the participants – most are instructional designers or in a management role, with over 8 years of experience.
Click here for a copy of the 2022 Learning Industry Report.
In the second part of this series, we gathered resource and knowledge building recommendations.:
- Most participants provided links and specific names of organizations, corporations, and businesses.
- All from sources public, private, and personal.
Third Key Finding
Survey Findings:
With the fourth survey question, participants were asked to share career advice to newcomers.
What was asked:
What advice do you wish someone would have given you when you first started in the industry?
Why we asked this question:
We were curious what guidance current professionals wished they had when they started in the industry.
Results:
There was an overwhelming response covering an array of areas and topics. To compare and contrast, we created six characteristics and assigned them to each response
(note: many respondents shared several pieces of advice, which are accounted for in the results).
Biggest Surprise:
A trend within the responses showed relevance to question two of the survey – the number of years in the role. While most advised on soft-skills, those respondents with fewer years in their role suggested hard-skills activities more often than those with more years in their role.
While there were many suggestions to learn specific tools, techniques, and methods, almost everyone touched on advice related to attitude towards work; to be flexible and open-minded and accept aspects that are out of your control.
Impact:
While many participants suggested up-skilling and hard-skills activities, a majority mentioned working on and improving soft-skills, such as; learning to work in a team setting, how to have constructive conversations with differing perspectives, and how to gain buy-in from stakeholders.
Why this matters to you
Activity:
To this point, we have recommended a few thought exercises and some investigative activities in relation to your experience with the Learning Industry.
In the industry?
- What are your thoughts about the results? Would you focus on hard skills or soft skills, or a blend of both?
Looking to enter the industry?
- Do the results provide answers, or spark more questions?
- Which of the recommended would you consider your strength?
- Which do you feel you could improve? How might you go about that?
Summary:
There were three main findings from the survey results:
- The role and experience of respondents shaped the way we looked at the results.
- The setting and format of the most recommended industry sources.
- The advice respondents would give others starting their journey.
A colleague gave us valuable advice on having a flexible mindset, especially when dealing with circumstances outside our control. We keep this in mind whenever possible and this time was no exception.
When we sent the survey, we envisioned many hundreds of responses from people across the industry, that their feedback would prove our hunches were correct, and we would share it with the rest of the world.
Reality was quite different. Rather than hundreds of responses, only a few dozen participated in the survey. We were disappointed to say the least.
However, using our flexible mindset, we began to see a pattern with the results – a large majority of respondents had over 8 years of experience, and most held a role in management. Instead of the generalized, industry-wide insights we planned on, we were gifted with valuable information from people who could be considered experts in the industry. We quickly changed our plans.
Where sheer numbers would back our claims – many people are entering the Learning Industry – the valuable, expert insights shifted our focus to how would someone enter the industry, and where is the best place to start.
Takeaway:
“Learning Industry experts suggest newcomers focus on collaboration and online programs.”
Given the experience level of respondents, it conveys a higher level of credibility and direction in the survey responses; arguably more than that of a larger, more varied group of participants. While there is value in the opinions of larger crowds, and considering the law of small numbers, the experience level of respondents is taken seriously and will be applied to the project.
For those in the industry and looking to advance, the recommendations and advice could provide you with useful sources to improve your skills, both in your role and as a manager.
If you’re looking to enter the industry, pay particular attention to the answers to the last question on advice – as there are clear suggestions for newcomers to focus on.
Thanks again for reading. Whether you consider yourself an expert or are just entering the industry, we hope you were able to find value in the report and this series.
Please reach out if you would like to discuss our findings.