September 15th, 17th, and 22nd
Beyond the Algorithm
How Instructional Designers Get Hired in 2026's Tough Job Market
The hiring process has changed. AI filters, recruiter workflows, and growing competition make it harder to get noticed — even for experienced instructional designers seeking career growth.
Free
3 live sessions
Online
Join a 3-day online event with L&D recruiters and hiring managers to learn how hiring decisions are made, what happens to your résumé after you submit an application, and why the way you organize your portfolio matters.
By registering, you’ll also receive a free PDF guide: Top 14 ID Interview Questions Answered with STAR
This event is for Instructional Designers and L&D specialists who want to get noticed beyond ATSㅤ filters
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that helps organizations manage recruiting and hiring processes electronically.
Whether you’re entering the field, looking for your next role, or planning your next career move, the challenge is often the same:
How do you make your expertise visible in a hiring process that has become faster, more competitive, and increasingly influenced by AI?
Choose the situation that feels closest to where you are today.
Looking toward career growth
You are an experienced instructional designer, but the next move in the current market feels like a gamble. Would it help to understand the L&D hiring process from start to finish?
You’ll learn:
How hiring decisions are made by recruiters and team leads
How tailor your portfolio and résumé to a job opening, including when to use AI and when to avoid it
How to communicate your value to someone who has only 10 minutes to review your materials
Searching for your next role
You’ve sent dozens of applications and received only a few responses, leading to one interview or none at all. That doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. Hear from working recruiters and learn why so many applications seem to go nowhere.
You’ll learn:
What happens to your résumé once you press “send”
Which steps recruiters actually follow and whether they’re really ghosting you
How we can face the challenges of the current job market together as a community of L&D professionals
Starting your ID career
You’re curious and enthusiastic, but the L&D hiring process can feel like a mystery. If experienced instructional designers can’t land a job for months, how can you overcome an even bigger challenge? First, don’t get discouraged. Second, keep learning!
You’ll learn:
Which skills the current L&D market requires
What recruiters really pay attention to when they review your résumé and portfolio
How to make your portfolio speak to hiring managers rather than look like a collection of work samples
What you’ll take away from 3 days of live sessions with L&D hiring experts
Take your learning further
Join live sessions and receive PDFs with key insights and reflection questions at the end of each day. You can also join the iSpring Community on LinkedIn to access the webinar recordings.
Build your network
Connect with other instructional designers and become part of an online community of passionate professionals.
Get real examples
Watch live portfolio reviews by hiring managers and hear career stories from peers who have already moved forward.
Improve your portfolio strategy
Understand what makes an ID portfolio speak to recruiters and team leads instead of looking like a collection of work samples.
Navigate AI-powered recruitment
Understand where AI tools can save you time and where human expertise is still essential for moving forward in the hiring process.
Understand how modern hiring works
See how recruiters evaluate instructional designers and what influences hiring decisions at each step of the process.
3 days. One goal:
make your expertise visible.
make your expertise visible.
Behind the Hiring Process: What Recruiters Really See
Day 1
September 15th | 10 am EDT
Maria Starling
Host, L&D Community Lead at iSpring
Dave Donnelly
HR, AI, and Digital Transformation Leader
Discover what the hiring process looks like from a recruiter’s perspective. You’ll learn what happens after you apply, what recruiters notice in résumés and portfolios, and which signals help candidates stand out.
AI, ATS, and Authenticity: New Rules for the Job Search
Day 2
September 17th | 10 am EDT
Maria Starling
Host, L&D Community Lead at iSpring
Ashley Book
Learning & Development Leader. Director of Operations Training
Understand how AI changes recruitment and how to get past the algorithm.
Explore:
Best practices for using AI tools during your job search
How recruiters use applicant tracking systems and whether your application will get past the filters
How networking can make a real difference in today’s job market
A Portfolio That Works: From Projects to Proof
Day 3
September 22th | 10 am EDT
Maria Starling
Host, L&D Community Lead at iSpring
Dave Donnelly
HR, AI, and Digital Transformation Leader
Anna Poli
Senior eLearning Developer at iSpring
Learn what makes an ID portfolio effective and how to present your work in a recruiter-friendly way.
Includes:
Portfolio best practices
Live portfolio reviews by hiring experts
Demo: Build an HR-friendly portfolio right in iSpring Cloud AI
Bonus Day:
Networking Session
Networking Session
Day 4
September 24th | 10 am EDT
Maria Starling
Host, L&D Community Lead at iSpring
Ashley Book
Learning & Development Leader. Director of Operations Training
Join a live session and take your insights even further. Stay tuned for iSpring Community events!
During the event follow-up session, you’ll:
Learn how to tailor your LinkedIn profile for recruiters
Connect with peers and strengthen your networking skills
Register now and get full access to:
Community of 17,000+
connect with like-minded professionals
Playbooks
action-ready takeaways and conclusions from each day
Bonus follow-up networking session
dedicated to optimizing your LinkedIn profile
Ready to rethink your portfolio and career strategy?
Live portfolio review
submit your link in advance for a chance at a live review by a practicing HR
3 sessions with HRs who hire instructional designers
recordings included, so nothing gets missed
Join three live sessions to understand today’s hiring landscape, improve how you present your expertise, and connect with other instructional designers.
Free
3 live sessions
Online