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When you're trying to learn something new, what works best for you?
Evolving your skillset doesn’t stop when you finish school. In fact, with the increasing popularity of online courses and resources, learning a new skill has never been easier.
Looking to explore a new hobby, land a new job, or feel more empowered in your career? Try learning a new skill. And the best part: you don’t have to do it all in one day. Investing in microlearning is the key to continuous professional development.
Why Lifelong Learning Is So Important to Your Career
While there are countless personal and professional benefits to lifelong learning, we want to highlight three ways continued education (traditional and non-traditional) can help advance your career, regardless of your title, company, or industry.
Learning Helps You Stay Relevant and Increases Job Security
Learning new skills and staying up to date with technological advancements ensures you remain the most qualified candidate for your job, even years after you accept the position.
Building your skillset over time allows you to meet changing market needs and take on additional responsibilities when needed. Why would your company hire anyone else?
Learning Gives You a Competitive Edge When Seeking Promotions and New Roles
Many applicants will meet the required skills needed to succeed in a specific role. But, do you ever think about how recruiters narrow down a list of qualified candidates? Sometimes, the candidates who receive offers are the ones who exceed the requirements and demonstrate their eagerness to learn.
Learning Increases Your Adaptability in Quickly-Changing Times
We all know how quickly the economy and technological landscape is evolving. With the rapid advancement of new technologies, it’s no surprise that many jobs are starting to become more irrelevant.
Being able to adapt to new technology and changing times will help you stay competitive and shift to another industry in the future if necessary.
The 4 Learning Styles + How to Identify Yours
All of us learn and process information differently. If you want to develop a new skill, it’s important to identify the format or method that you learn best with.
To determine what type of learner you are, think back to the last time you tried to learn a new skill or understand a foreign concept. Do you notice any patterns or recurring behavior? Did mixing up the way you tried to learn something help you understand it better?
Here are the four main learning styles that comprise the “VARK” model.
Visual Learners
The visual learning style needs to see things in order to understand them. Some of the most effective methods for visual learners include watching a video or in-person demonstration, following a diagram, or looking at a graph.
Visual learners also tend to require a more holistic approach. Rather than processing information separately, it’s easier to comprehend something new when it is presented as a whole.
Here are some signs of visual learners.
- Saying “I can’t picture this”
- Saying “I need to map or draw this out”
- Asking someone else to show you how something works
- Understanding something better after seeing a picture or watching a video
- Benefiting from summarizing charts and diagrams
Auditory Learners
While visual learners actively utilize their sight to learn, auditory learners gain new knowledge most effectively through hearing and listening. These learners excel when they are able to listen to a lecture/recording or hear someone speak about an idea or project.
Here is a list of behaviors that indicate an auditory learner.
- Saying “Can you repeat that again”
- Rewinding an audio recording
- Exhibiting confidence with public speaking
- Demonstrating excellent listening skills
- Working through complex problems by talking out loud
Reading/Writing Learners
Reading and writing learners share some similarities with visual learners; however, they respond better to actual words rather than charts and graphs.
Here are some common attributes of reading/writing learners.
- Saying “Wait, let me write that down before I forget”
- Taking notes or annotating text
- Demonstrating strong reading and writing skills
- Works well with textbooks, handouts, and manuals
- Organizing items in lists or categories
Kinesthetic Learners
The most active, hands-on, and participatory type of learner is the kinesthetic learner. Kinesthetic learners need to attempt something new for themselves, rather than listen to or watch someone else explain it.
Here are some cues that signal a kinesthetic learner.
- Saying “Just let me try”
- Enjoying the process of trial and error
- Learning best by doing
- Naturally well-coordinated
- Using nearby objects to explain concepts
How to Harness Your Learning Style
Knowing what type of learner you are is important. But, understanding how to apply this information moving forward will be even more beneficial to your learning process.
If you’re a visual learner, utilize photo and video content when trying to learn a new skill. Look up a how-to video on YouTube. Subscribe to an online learning community like Skillshare or Masterclass. Take a course through LinkedIn Learning. Map out your responsibilities for the day by creating a to-do list.
Calling all auditory learners! Take advantage of the growing popularity in audio-based content. Increase your understanding of a certain topic by listening to an audiobook or podcast. Turn on background music when trying to concentrate.
Share your thoughts or ask questions in live group discussions. Recite information out loud or with a friend when learning something new.
Reading/writing learners need to utilize written materials. Read a book, paper, or article to learn something new. Take notes and annotate them for further comprehension. Write down a summary of key concepts to test your understanding.
Last but not least, kinesthetic learners should access more non-traditional learning methods. Memorize terminology through the use of hand-written flashcards. Utilize chalkboards, whiteboards, or posters as study tools. Get creative and turn everyday objects into learning tools.
