Learnnovators

THE CASE FOR CLARITY IN L&D JOB POSTINGS

Instructional design is a multifaceted field that requires a range of skills and expertise. There’s no denying that.

However, a recent job posting for an instructional designer that caught my attention read something on the lines of:

Contrast this with another job posting that read as follows:

Both of these job postings call for instructional designers with a few years of experience. But do you notice the difference between the two?

The second job posting is focused on the skills and expertise of an instructional designer doing core design work, with a bit of analysis and consulting thrown in.

The first one, on the other hand, combines the jobs of an instructional designer, a curator, a graphic designer, an e-learning developer, a data analyst and an LMS administrator all rolled into one. Not to mention being a consultant to the business and being a leader and vendor manager too. Here’s the first posting again, with the key phrases highlighted:

This is not a one-off case. I keep seeing such jobs being posted regularly. Some even require project management and facilitation expertise in addition to a combination of the skills listed above.

I understand why companies do this. If an organization has a small L&D team, then it probably makes sense to want all team members to be proficient in all areas. However, the challenge is that by just seeing the job title, there is no way to guess what the role is going to entail.

One simple solution could be to specify whether the role is that of a generalist or a specialist directly in the job title. This approach is not new – other professions have been doing it for years.

Take HR for example. In the HR world, job titles often include words like “generalist” or “specialist” to make it clear what the position calls for. An HR Generalist is someone who handles a wide range of HR responsibilities, while a specialist typically focuses on one specific area of expertise, such as recruitment, benefits, or compensation. This way, job seekers know exactly what they’re applying for, and companies can attract the right candidates for the job.

Another example is the medical field. Doctors are generally either general practitioners or specialists. I could go on drawing examples from other industries and professions, but you get the idea.

In the L&D world, a generalist might handle a broad range of responsibilities, such as needs assessments, program design, and evaluation, while a specialist might focus on a particular area, such as e-learning development or instructional design. By including these terms in the job title, companies can avoid confusion and attract candidates with the right skills and experience.

Of course, not every L&D job fits neatly into a generalist or specialist category. Some roles may require a mix of both, or may have unique responsibilities that require a different job title altogether. But for those jobs where the distinction is clear, using the terms “Generalist” or “Specialist” in the job title can be a smart move.

In conclusion, by taking a page from other professions that use specific words in their job titles, L&D hiring managers can make their roles clearer and more attractive to the right candidates. So why not give it a try?

Your L&D team (and your future employees) will thank you.


Written by Srividya Kumar, Co-Founder @ Learnnovators

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