Just Laid Off - Looking For Career Advice (help!)

[Logic_Lady]

Found out this morning that I am being laid off effective 4 weeks from now. I’ve worked at this company for close to ten years (since I graduated from college) and am trying to figure out what roles my skills might translate to. I’m hoping to crowd-source some suggestions for roles I should apply to or fields I should consider moving into. I worked for a company that provides prep classes for standardized tests. I have a BA in Political Science. I have sufficient savings to take time off and go back to school if necessary, but I’d only want to do that if it is likely to lead to decently high-paying employment.

I’ve considered instructional design, data analytics, and programming, all of which would require some sort of further schooling for me. I would welcome any advice from anyone with experience in these fields.

Here is a basic summary of my skills/accomplishments that might be transferable:
-wrote and edited comprehensive explanations for standardized test questions, including reading comprehension passages on a variety of subjects. This also includes analyzing student questions to determine what errors students tended to make on these questions
-developed a braille version of our curriculum, including sourcing a braille printer and translation program, learning how to use both, and learning Braille so I could proofread the translated materials.
-when the standardized test we prepare students for switched to a digital format, I and several colleagues attended a practice test and developed our own digital testing system based on our memories of the test format.
-learned how to use programs necessary for my job with no formal instruction, including Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and Acrobat.
-taught myself basic html and css
-worked on curriculum updates and website overhauls, including the website user experience

[Smokystache]

This may not be what you're looking for, but I'm going to give you a brain dump of random ideas. I have some tangential experience because I used to have a side-hustle GRE Prep business.

- Are there any competing businesses you could approach? Do you have a non-compete (which may or may not be enforceable)
- What is your perception of why you are being laid off after 10 years. Market-conditions?
- The experience with Braille really stands out. Anyone working on how AI and Braille can interact? You may be qualified to work in a university learning center - which helps provide accommodations to students with various learning challenges. Other companies that could use a sighted person who knows Braille? State or National Institutes for the Blind?
- Can you set up your own test-prep business solo (or go in with some co-workers). There may be several niches here: test-prep for the visually impaired? Working with the test development companies themselves?
- Working as a consultant/contract employee for companies who want to "develop a braille version of X"

I'm sorry you're being laid off. I would offer that you've done a nice job of taking the initiative to build your skills in several niche areas. If I'm betting, I'm betting on you landing on your feet. But I know it is scary in the meantime.

[CatamaranSailor]

Instructional design is a fun career and you're already well on your way. You wouldn't need to go back to school. You also have the added benefit of it being in demand in both education and business. You can learn any of the skills required through self study. Salaries are mid range...50-80k. It can be demanding if you're asked to design courses from scratch. If you're on a development team, the work tends to get divided out. You'll need to be familiar with the various learning models (ADDIE is pretty common) as well as the industry standard software (Captivate or Articulate). You will also need to be familiar with the various ways course are deployed. If you're really curious, try building a course out on Udemy. Pick any topic you know well and get your feet wet. It's not complicated, but like any job, there is a learning curve. Also, I'd suggest going to Instructure and getting a free Canvas account. Canvas is one of the most common LMS's out there. Happy to chat more.

[Logic_Lady]

This may not be what you're looking for, but I'm going to give you a brain dump of random ideas. I have some tangential experience because I used to have a side-hustle GRE Prep business.

- Are there any competing businesses you could approach? Do you have a non-compete (which may or may not be enforceable)
- What is your perception of why you are being laid off after 10 years. Market-conditions?
- The experience with Braille really stands out. Anyone working on how AI and Braille can interact? You may be qualified to work in a university learning center - which helps provide accommodations to students with various learning challenges. Other companies that could use a sighted person who knows Braille? State or National Institutes for the Blind?
- Can you set up your own test-prep business solo (or go in with some co-workers). There may be several niches here: test-prep for the visually impaired? Working with the test development companies themselves?
- Working as a consultant/contract employee for companies who want to "develop a braille version of X"

I'm sorry you're being laid off. I would offer that you've done a nice job of taking the initiative to build your skills in several niche areas. If I'm betting, I'm betting on you landing on your feet. But I know it is scary in the meantime.

It is market conditions, a combination of pandemic-related loss of revenue and declining emphasis on the test we prepare for. I don’t want to go to a direct competitor for that reason (and I did sign a non-compete) but I am looking at companies that focus on other tests.
I looked into becoming a braille transcriptionist but I would need to buy my own machine to get certified and they are expensive, and it’s not lucrative. I will look at other jobs related to accessibility though. Thank you!

[Logic_Lady]

Instructional design is a fun career and you're already well on your way. You wouldn't need to go back to school. You also have the added benefit of it being in demand in both education and business. You can learn any of the skills required through self study. Salaries are mid range...50-80k. It can be demanding if you're asked to design courses from scratch. If you're on a development team, the work tends to get divided out. You'll need to be familiar with the various learning models (ADDIE is pretty common) as well as the industry standard software (Captivate or Articulate). You will also need to be familiar with the various ways course are deployed. If you're really curious, try building a course out on Udemy. Pick any topic you know well and get your feet wet. It's not complicated, but like any job, there is a learning curve. Also, I'd suggest going to Instructure and getting a free Canvas account. Canvas is one of the most common LMS's out there. Happy to chat more.

Thank you! The certificate course I was looking at doesn’t start until the end of March, so I’ll start self-studying to see if I can learn this on my own or if a more structured environment would be helpful to me. I like the idea to make a course myself, it would be helpful to have a work sample since everything I worked on at my job is proprietary. Do you have any suggestions for specialised job boards or keywords to use to search for jobs that are part of a team? I think I would be better off starting there. Also, should I just start applying now or take a month or two to study first?

[lhamo]

Do you do Facebook?  There is a great group there called The Professor is Out -- it is mainly geared toward people trying to leave higher ed/academia, but there are lots of people going into instructional design and diversity related fields, too.  Very supportive groups and lots of success stories full of tips from people who successfully navigated a career change.

[lhamo]

This just popped up on my FB feed -- an instructional design position at the St. Louis Fed (remote friendly).

https://rb.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/FRS/details/Instructional-Designer_R-0000015687-1

And the person who posted it?  Gwen Merz, aka The Fire-y Millenial, who happened to be my roommate at the one Camp Mustache I went to back in 2016.  Fate?

[Dicey]

This just popped up on my FB feed -- an instructional design position at the St. Louis Fed (remote friendly).

https://rb.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/FRS/details/Instructional-Designer_R-0000015687-1

And the person who posted it?  Gwen Merz, aka The Fire-y Millenial, who happened to be my roommate at the one Camp Mustache I went to back in 2016.  Fate?

Love this community.  ❤️