What Are Learning Skills? (With Definitions and Examples)

Updated 2 December 2022

Both professional and everyday life require learning skills. Good learning skills improve your ability to work efficiently and gain new knowledge. Employers look for other qualities based on learning skills in personal and company performance development. In this article, we discuss what learning skills are, provide examples of these skills and ways to improve them, explain why they're important, and outline how to highlight them on your resume, in a cover letter and during an interview.

What are learning skills?

Understanding 'what are learning skills' can help you identify the most effective ways to communicate and complete tasks at work. Learning skills refer to techniques involved in the learning process to complete projects. These skills can vary from soft skills to technical skills. Some technical learning skills require explicit training, while others are intrinsic. To contribute to the modern economy, you may need a variety of learning skills that may apply in the workplace and through technology.

Examples of learning skills

Here are some examples of learning skills:

Organisational

Organisational skills may help you achieve the desired results by focusing on your daily activities. The ability to manage your time, plan your schedule, coordinate and take notes while you learn can lead to efficiency and high productivity. These skills can help you to use your resources more efficiently and effectively, and help you to prioritise urgent tasks.

Here are some ideas for improving your organisational skills:

keeping your workplace clean
making a list of things to do
arranging your materials

Communication

You may find it desirable to be skilled at using communication methods that enable access to and convey information. Several factors play a role in this skill. You may find that effective listening, status analysis, empathy and respect can all contribute to reading and conveying messages clearly. Effective communication between colleagues or team members can improve efficiency and contribute to a successful company or team.

You could improve your communication skills by:

Seeking guidance: Seeking help is one way to improve your communication skills. You may choose to be trained on how to communicate effectively while you are open to constructive criticism.
Practising communication skills: Such as listening and speaking when it is your turn. Asking questions and giving honest answers.
Taking additional training: You may gain relevant communication skills from classes, seminars, workshops and discussions. This may help improve your verbal and written communication skills.
Taking responsibility to communicate: Taking part in various communication programs may give you the confidence and knowledge to improve your learning skills. You may identify various communication techniques in these programs.

Teamwork

When you understand the dynamics of your team and the skills of each member, you can organise them for the team's success. Collaborative skills may include leadership, goal setting, resource allocation, project management and job delivery. With these skills, collaborating on a project as a team can be easier. You may sharpen your teamwork skills by participating in team-building and other activities.

Teamwork skills may help you advance in your career and find new employment prospects. As such, it may be necessary to assess your teamwork skills and pinpoint areas where you might improve. You could begin with strong collaborative skills.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is one of the key learning skills required in the workplace to make informed decisions. As an employee, you may encounter situations that require critical thinking and analytical and evaluation skills. With critical thinking, you can easily identify challenges, analyse their details and then make sound decisions based on your findings. To improve your critical thinking skills, you may expand your field-specific knowledge by taking critical thinking classes and seeking professional guidance from experienced professionals in your field.

Creative thinking

Creative thinking is the ability to come up with new ways to do things. This skill may require you to adapt to different tasks and show your own creative approach. You could view creative thinking as a skill that can help you find interesting ways to look at tasks and bring different results. Other ways of creative thinking may include viewing a challenge in its entirety, researching and identifying solutions and determining the best approach.

How to improve your learning skills

Follow these tips to improve your learning skills:

1. Understand your learning approach

Understanding your learning approach may help you develop new skills more effectively. This could help you improve several skills during the study process. You could also adapt to different learning styles through improved self-awareness. It is essential to understand more about your learning approach to communicate well and study efficiently.

2. Have a learning strategy

You could develop a learning purpose and set steps on how to achieve certain goals. Among other techniques, you could try doing something outside your normal routine to learn and improve your skills. Having a study plan can help you develop skills to achieve your goal. Practice tests, elaborative interrogation, and self-explanation are some useful approaches to many learning tasks and may help you to improve your performance at work.

3. Use educational tools

Consider using learning aids such as books, articles and discussion boards. Make a list of areas that may require improvement and research how you can improve. Educational tools can provide you with information to help you develop new communication skills with your audience. Technological education tools may also make it easier to access online resources, apply what you learn to improve your learning skills, and receive quick answers to your inquiries.

4. Participate in leadership roles

Taking part in various leadership roles can help you improve your leadership, public speaking and team-building skills. Since the integration may come from professionals, you may develop new skills as a leader, such as setting realistic goals for various tasks and strengthening your time management skills. Leadership roles can assist you in directing resources for efficiency, establishing a rational purpose and motivating others to achieve a certain goal.

Importance of learning skills in the workplace

Here is why learning skills are crucial in the workplace:

Help create good work relationships

Having a good working relationship can help you work collaboratively, share ideas, solve problems and handle multiple tasks effectively. Good relationships at work can also contribute to effective communication, especially when rules are in place. You can learn this by understanding your role, respecting others and accepting constructive criticism.

Improve communication

When you provide specific information in a reliable or clear manner, you could help create a positive work environment. You could also consider speaking or writing in a language that everyone in your company understands. Clear communication can enhance work performance by bringing more orderly thinking, which can lead to better understanding of others and more effective management.

Help you adjust to different work environments

Your ability to adapt to different work settings can help you become more efficient and meet your goals. Flexibility means adapting to changes while maintaining productivity. This can help you maintain a sense of balance, prevent you from wasting time and reduce unnecessary tension at work. Asking questions can clarify concerns from your co-workers, allowing you to address them in a timely manner.

Boost time management

While increasing efficiency and productivity, time management is crucial. Managing your time well can help you meet deadlines for specific tasks and track the time spent on the job. Excellent time management skills allow you to get more results in less time. Spending less time on one project means creating more time for other projects. Time management can help you become reliable and submit high-quality work on time.

Ways to highlight your learning skills

Different situations may require you to use specific learning skills. Some ways to highlight learning skills include:

On your resume

Depending on the job description, you may cite collaborations, problem-solving and critical thinking as examples of learning skills when presenting your experience in a resume. Showing your learning skills can assist you in demonstrating your career ambitions and show how you might be a good candidate on your resume. Most companies use software to scan through resumes and applications. Scanning specific keywords, such as specific job-related skills and aligning your skills section with the job description, might help you get through the process.

Cover letter

Write a powerful introduction to your cover letter that clearly demonstrates your learning skills and accurately defines your personality. You can explore how to structure your content once you have identified the learning skills to include in your cover letter. Visually separate the content by adding a border or even a line, to make it easier to read.

Job interview

Throughout the interview, try to show your grasp of excellent communication skills by listening attentively and speaking respectfully when it is your turn. You can also use your learning skills to answer questions. Questions during the interview provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your learning skills as a strength.

What Are Learning Skills? (With Definitions and Examples)