Step 1: admitting there is a problem

I get the question about taking more training before entering an instructional design career a lot. This usually comes in two forms: should I take courses, get a certification, or get a degree in instructional design or 2) what technology should I go and learn? From my point of view, this is like asking what kind of wine you should pick up on your way back from an AA meeting. As an academic, the last thing you need more of is education. You need experience.

I say this boldy because I think what this question reflects is a desire to remain in a space of comfort: the classroom. And I get it. We are learners. That's why we are in the fields we are in. We like to educate ourselves, to go deep into a topic and explore it fully. And we are used to being evaluated on what we know. So, as we begin wrapping our minds around something new, we want to educate ourselves. It is this strength that will ultimately make you a great employee but not until you start flexing your "do something" muscles. 

This isn't to say there aren't things you will need to learn. Rather than a classroom, however, I strongly suggest you head out and learn by doing. Find a project on campus or through a volunteer organization that allows you to develop skills while achieving goals. Make it a short-term project with clear outcomes and milestones that will ensure you don't lose track. One example might be to build a training course for adoptive parents for your local animal rescue group. Talk to those in charge and see what they are struggling with and how you could help. There are some big benefits to this approach:

• Talking to volunteer organizations about problems you can solve is a great way to practice informational interviewing (do you like how that snuck in?). Rather than looking for a job or a connection to a job, you are legitimately trying to help them. So, it can feel a lot less intimidating for you as you gear up for more career-focused conversations. 
• The bias you will be trying to overcome as you enter the corporate world is an assumption that you won't know how to get work done quickly. Action-based learning will show that is incorrect. Focus on gathering your STAR stories, with an emphasis on actions and results!
• Or it might reveal that you do need to work on hitting goals more quickly. If you find yourself getting drawn into reading articles rather than accomplishing tasks, you might need to institute a bit more discipline. Wouldn't you rather learn that now versus when your new boss in your new job tells it to you (or worse, you get fired). If you think finding a job when you have little experience is hard, imagine life after you get let go. A volunteer project lets you practice your skills in a safe place.
• Speaking of practicing, learning while working on a project helps you ascertain if this is work you ultimately will want to do for 40+ hours a week. If you are energized and can't wait to work on it more, you have probably hit on a good fit.
• And guess who you will be meeting if you work with a volunteer organization: new people for your network! Connect with everyone you meet on LinkedIn. They will be able to speak to your work, be good references for you outside of academia, and might just know someone who is looking for an employee just like you!

We academics are life-long learners. We are curious and inquisitive, which makes us very attractive to employers. Balancing that knowledge with experience will not only bolster your candidacy but will help give you the confidence you need to go out there and tackle something new!