The online environment has widened access to learning, and that has changed employer expectations of their workers.

Such rapid developments in tech mean that companies are having to adapt faster than ever before. This need for change trickles down to individual tasks, meaning that workers can find themselves taking on jobs that are quite different from those defined in the original job descriptions.

Employers need to find people who not only weather change but motivate themselves to embrace it. Where better to find evidence of learning agility than in candidates who take the time to attain new skills and knowledge?

Why interviewers ask this question

Candidates who see continuing education as a critical element of their career also present less risk to potential employers who want to invest in people who might one day become leaders in the firm.

Learning a new skill can reassure recruiters that you are adaptable, proactive, and aware of the new state of play in the business world, where continuous digital disruption demands workers regularly acquaint themselves with new developments.    

What interviewers want to hear in your response

Certifications may impress, but if the last course you took was over five years ago, and if taking it was already an expectation for your previous role, your past achievement will only get you so far. Interviewers ultimately want to hear that you see learning as a continuous process, not a one-off.

Recruiters will also want to hear the reasons why you selected your courses. Preferably, courses should be relevant to your career and interests, and they should address knowledge or skills gaps. Your ability to acknowledge these gaps and take the proactive steps to fill them will show recruiters that you see yourself as willing and ready to improve.

Bonus points go to evaluating your approach! Don’t be afraid to tell your interviewers what you think worked and what didn’t, and how you plan to use that experience to influence your next course of learning.

Common mistakes people make when answering this question

Candidates don’t always need to take certificated courses to prove their dedication to learning, but vague approaches to learning like “I just Google what I don’t know” won’t tell recruiters anything helpful.

Learning shouldn’t come across as a passive experience; recruiters want to hear you actively and proactively engaged with finding out more about a topic that interested you.

Make sure that you focus on business learning. While your certificate for an online course in ancient archaeology would certainly be an interesting topic of discussion, if you’re applying for a role in the professional services then you should always include something else you learned that is relevant to the role.

Finally, take the opportunity to show your flexibility and openness to stepping into uncharted territory! This interview question is similar to another popular question, “What are your weaknesses?”. They both give you a window to show humility and express an interest in self-improvement. Remember: Overconfidence can backfire! There are many ways to approaching something new, so presenting your way as the only option could make you look less assertive than insecure.

How to find relevant courses online and in person

Several credible online platforms have existed for a long time. Courses on FutureLearn, Coursera, and edX offer professional certificates and courses led by academics and subject-matter experts. Industry-specific and vendor-specific providers are perfect if you know exactly where you need to upskill the most.  

Other activities you can include in your answer

Continuous learning doesn’t only need to mean courses! Self-directed projects, shadowing or reverse-shadowing colleagues, mentorship programmes, experimenting and prototyping, volunteering in skill-adjacent roles, and participating in communities of practice can all be great opportunities to discuss how your skills have developed and improved your area of expertise over time.

An example response to the question “How Do You Approach Learning Something New?”

“Quite early on in my current role, the company needed to go in a different direction. Its competitors were increasingly using AI in their operations, and that meant us finding better ways to compete. I realised that we would need to understand more about the AI products available to businesses as well as the associated risks and governance considerations, and how to safely implement them.

“After approval from my manager, I found an online accredited course with a practical element, where I could learn the basics in a short period of time. I also liked the fact that there was a hands-on part to the course, because I find that I learn best by doing.

“This learning directly helped the team in eventually finding and sourcing the right third-party of data scientists. It also helped me to act as an effective intermediary translating business needs to technical requirements, and vice versa. The added benefit of finding some great external data scientists is that they also offered courses on working with AI. This allowed us to continue learning as a team, stay current as the tech evolved, and track our progress.”

Why this response works

• You have shown your awareness of the company and its competitive and regulatory environment
• You have broken up your approach into stages, showing first where you identified a skills gap, followed by deliberate research into credible learning options, and then an active application of that learning
• You demonstrate initiative and highlight a clear learning preference
• You show the ability to translate learning into cross-functional value
• You position learning as scalable and ongoing, not one-off

*

Did you know that this is just one in our series on how to answer popular interview questions? We have also written break downs for:

• Tell us about yourself.
• What motivates you at work?
• What are your goals?
• What are you looking for in a new position?
• What is your leadership style?
• Why should we hire you?
• Have you got any questions for us?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

If you want to learn more about a popular interview question that hasn’t yet been answered, let us know! Send us your suggestion on LinkedIn or Instagram, and we will be sure to cover it in our next article.