How to answer 4 key interview questions for an e-learning specialist job

"Thank you for applying for the position of e-learning specialist. We would like to invite you to interview."

You feel the excitement in your belly about getting the entrance ticket to the job, but you start to panic and worry. How can you prepare?

As an e-learning specialist, some important skills you’ll need to be ready to talk about are:

• Project management

• Instructional design

• Technology tools

• Your long-term goals

For a question about managing a project, be sure to emphasize cross-department communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

The project could focus on:

• Instructional design

• Multimedia production

• Data analytics

  

Sample Question

Tell me about a project you were involved in from start to finish. What is one lesson you learned?

"Our office needed a gamification program to boost learning. Before the program started, I contacted each department head. Once all the upper-level supervisors were aligned, we promoted it on our communication channels. By the end, engagement increased by 60%. I learned that it's important to get buy-in from senior managers."

The interviewers would like to know your experiences and ability to:

• Deliver across the training cycle: Understand the training needs, goals, target audience, and expected outcomes.

• Develop a structured plan: Structure a training plan, which includes learning objectives, organized modules, and evaluation.

• Design content: Design training materials for experiences such as onboarding, employee training, or customer training with your target audiences in mind.

Photo by Centre for Ageing Better on Unsplash

Sample Question

Tell me about a training you worked on. What was your role?

"I was in charge of onboarding training for our company. One primary goal is to teach new employees about our vision and culture. We also want them to have a deeper understanding of our company and each department after training.

We designed the training to move from the big picture to the small picture. Starting with the overall company’s vision and culture, we then dove into the responsibilities of each department, including their recent big projects and achievements. After training, the newcomers received a toolkit that included a detailed brochure along with all slides."

Employers will ask about your experience with learning management systems (aka LMS), course authoring software, and other e-learning tools. They want to know if you can use these tools to:

• Track learning progress

• Create and deliver training resources

• Analyze users' learning experience with the data

If you don’t have previous experience with a specific tool, be honest and emphasize your experiences as a user. Highlight your likes and dislikes. It shows your observation of user experiences.

Sample Question

What LMS have you used in the past?

"I used Moodle when I was an assistant back at university. I helped upload all the course materials, from documents to videos. I also created built-in quizzes where learners can check their understanding after reviewing the materials."

The company might want to know if your career path fits their needs. They want to know if your ambitions and interests will help you grow as an employee.

Sample Question

What would be your short- and long-term plans if you joined us?

"My first priority is to get a feel for your training courses and the feedback you get from learners, and then work on improvements. Once I've gained enough experience, I'd like to move towards running the full cycle of design and delivering trainings on the platform. In the long run, I hope to build enough skills to be a high-level learning designer."

Keep preparing for your interview!