Hiring employees that can learn effectively is essential for any company. Here are 3 things you can do in the interview to spot those good learners.
When solving a tough problem at an innovative company, no employee ever knows the right answer from the beginning. New problems require new solutions. The companies that win in the 21st century are the companies whose leaders can adapt, evolve, and think outside the box.
That’s why it’s critical for managers to hire employees who know how to learn. A proven ability to learn is an art form that goes way beyond a college GPA. Good learners are resourceful, persistent, and inquisitive. They’re comfortable with uncertainty and are able to turn chaos into order, so that they can make quick decisions.
This is why I’ve strived to build a Brainscape team that is as passionate about learning as I am. Not only do we emphasize good employee traits like “fast learner” in our job descriptions and initial outreach, but we specifically vet candidates for their learning abilities during the interview process itself.
10 other ways to say quick learner
Here are the top 10 other ways to say quick learner in a way that can make you sound more confident or knowledgeable.
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Yes, of course. I can give you few examples to help you understand that about my learning skills. Our College provided us with 50 hours of training on Auto CAD (or any other software). I have read books and spent another 200 hours of work on my own and learned in-depth. With the help of my learning, I was able to make all the drawings required for our project work on my own, quickly. I have spent about a week’s time, to complete 5 drawings for our project work, i.e. to make a prototype model for generating power from waves in the Sea.
Due to my absence, I could study for only 1 month before exams. I was able to put additional effort and I could retain my score of 80% marks in all subjects. With the above example, I can confidently say that I am a quick learner.
Your trainer has worked in the Water industry for more than 25 years. He is a graduate Mechanical Engineer and hired more than 300 students as ‘Graduate trainees’ over the years.
This is a ‘yes or no’ type of question. Either you are a quick learner or you are not! There is nothing in between. If you say yes, I am a quick learner; then you have to provide examples to confirm that you are a quick-learner. In case you are not prepared for this question and you do not know whether you are a quick learner; then try to recall some of your learning experience and then conclude.
When you appear for an interview, the company wants to know when you will become productive. When can they stop training you and start to get results from you. The shorter the period of training and the learning curve; better for the company. Hence they ask this question.
Interview – Don’t ask questions to which the desired answer is obvious (“Are you able to learn new skills quickly?”). Because you asked, most candidates would conclude that what you want to hear is, “Yes.” Unfortunately, they provide no evidence to support what they are saying.
Resumes – When reviewing the information the candidate supplies in support of his application (cover letters, application forms, resumes), search for evidence of the candidate having learned new skills in previous jobs, and ideally, quickly. If this information isn’t there, that doesn’t mean he/she doesn’t have the ability or desire new skills, but it is cause to wonder how carefully the candidate read your advertising before applying.
Based on what you learn from the application documents, the interview and reference checks, you will have evidence on which to decide if this is the quick learner you are looking for.
First, congratulations for beginning the hiring process with clear expectations in mind. The better you understand what you want your new employee to do, the better you’re able to examine evidence of past performance to predict if the candidate’s future performance will meet your expectations.
The word “quickly” was purposefully omitted from this question. Including it might convey a message about what you are looking for. Use probes to uncover this information: