Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

I fell in love with Learning and Development when I became a department trainer for Guest Relations at Disneyland. I loved seeing people learn and grow in their roles and feeling like I contributed to developing their skills. As an Instructional Designer, I get to create the courses that employees take. As a project manager, I oversee every step - from assessing needs, planning, development, implementation, and evaluation.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

I was a trainer for many years - both for Disney and later, a payroll company. I wanted to move to a behind-the-scenes role, where I had more control over the content and activities in a program or course. I’m a life-long learner. I love to learn new things. I love the variety of projects, as well as being able to meet and work with people from across the organization.

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

I check my email and Slack for messages from clients or partners. I usually have a script to write or edit, plus accompanying job aids and presentations. I’ll have a few meetings as well, to go over materials I created and gather feedback or to discuss a project - status and timeline.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

More of the above. I have 5-6 projects at a time, so there is a lot to do.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

Everything is project-based. Currently, I’m working on several orientation programs, curating a library of DEI resources, and getting a compliance course (offered in 18 languages) into the LMS. My meetings are with the clients who requested the work or partners in my department, such as graphic designers.

Who do you collaborate with within meetings and projects?

The extended L&D team is amazing! We have experts in graphic design, leadership development, classroom delivery, and the LMS, just to name a few. I work with these partners regularly. They make the course or program really shine, i.e., make sure it’s accessible, looks fantastic, and presented in the most engaging way.

Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

With so many projects and stakeholders, it’s difficult to ensure everything gets done on time. It takes a lot of time and effort to get approval on a script or video. For instance, a compliance course may require Legal, Employee Relations, and Compliance reviews.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

You need organization, communication, and time-management skills. Strong written and verbal communication is vital, as is attention to detail.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

Always tie your decisions and recommendations to the needs of the learner. Find a mentor who can help and advocate for you. And keep track of best practices - you will always be learning new things.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

I didn’t realize how consultative this position is. You often have a lot of flexibility and freedom to make suggestions on how to build a course or make it better.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

Look for ways to get the skillset and experience you need in the L&D world. This may be a passion project or stretch assignment. If nothing else, it’s expanding your network and experience working with diverse people on diverse projects.

Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?