How I forgot to learn what I wanted to learn but learned a lot about learning

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Hi! I’m Peter, CEO of Kickresume, and these career-related stories caught my attention this month — and might catch yours too.

This weekend I thought: Hey, I should learn a new skill! Why not Spanish?

But since I’ve got a really short attention span, it turned out to be less about learning Spanish and more about learning about learning (sic!).

Still, it wasn’t all in vain. This detour led me to finally discover the meaning behind some of the learning buzzwords that have been on my radar for some time, namely:

• Microlearning

• Gamification

• Immersive learning

So, let me share my first-hand experience with these mysterious techniques. Who knows, you might want to try them too.

Immersive learning

With this first one I could finally make use of my VR headset, and I can tell you this experience was somewhat… bizarre.

All of a sudden, I found myself in a cooking class with 4 other avatars and an instructor.

For a solid 40 minutes, Melanie — the instructor — guided us through Spanish vocabulary related to cooking. When she instructed us to "put the lemons in the blender," we could physically grab lemons from the table and follow her instructions.

I'm not saying this wasn't fun. On the contrary. I actually found myself laughing nonstop for 3 hours.

However, the main takeaway wasn't exactly what I expected.

Instead of walking away with new vocabulary or  “¿Dondé está la biblioteca?”, I found myself exploring virtual classrooms, playing Spanish-themed games, and striking up surreal conversations with fellow avatars.

I loved every single moment of it. But in the end, I was immersed in everything else except the language learning.

Gamification

The second app I found promised to turn my learning into a fun game.

What can I say? The moment I dove into this gamified language learning experience, I was hooked.

The leaderboard really got me going — I went all in, trying to outscore my friends and many, many randos. I’d like to think I even made some enemies.

And collecting those badges and racking up virtual dollars? Totally fun.

I also became obsessed with keeping that winning streak alive — it turned into my mission, and I ended up practicing every single day for hours, no kidding.

In my mind, that's something a regular language course could never do.

But let's keep it real — it does have its limitations. Eventually, progress may slow down, and while you'll learn both grammar and vocabulary to a point, the ability to engage with authentic language is limited.

With that being said, I can totally see the potential of gamification in areas like statistics, where the concepts are clearly defined and can be effectively conveyed through interactive challenges.

Microlearning

At last, I found an app that promised to teach me Spanish via a set of fun, bite-sized modules “designed to reduce learner fatigue”.

First, I chose a topic — business (in Spanish, ofc). The app then guided me through a series of activities, including reading short stories, taking quizzes, and watching videos.

So no grammar drilling, which I appreciate.

What I liked is that the activities were super short and not boring (I especially enjoyed reading the short stories). I could also pick up where I left off, without needing to complete the full unit.

While microlearning had its good points, it kinda matched its name.

I learned a few new words like "el jefe" (the boss) and "fecha límite" (deadline), but that's about it. It's great for quick vocab boosts, but if you want to really learn a language (or any other skill for that matter), you might need more than just microlearning.

Though I feel like microlearning could work great as a support material for a more complex course or as quick practice sessions throughout the day.

Have I learned any Spanish? Surprisingly, yes.

I totally had a blast this weekend. Even when I wasn’t expecting it, I ended up discovering some really fun ways to pick up new stuff.

And actually learned some (very) basic Spanish!

Gamification? Totally my thing. For a minute there, I felt like a kid.

While Spanish might not have been the best fit, these methods can be really cool  alternatives to the old-school ones.

Sure, they may have their limits, but in some ways they do beat the traditional classroom setup or a Zoom lecture.

Bottom line? It's really not about choosing the right method to learn something, but more about making the effort to learn something new at all.

And if you're like me and you're not a huge fan of tedious learning sessions, then these techniques might just be your answer.

And if none of these were for you, here's an alternative:

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Random piece of career advice

How to answer the classic interview question "What is your greatest weakness"?

Saying you don't have any isn't a great idea. Why?

Because knowing your weaknesses is equally as important as knowing your strengths.

In case you don't know what your weaknesses are, you can draw inspiration from this list of the most appropriate weaknesses for a job interview:

1. Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills.

2. Taking criticism too personally.

3. Imperfect presentation skills.

4. Struggling to ask for help.

5. Discomfort with giving criticism.

6. Difficulties delegating tasks to others.

7. Impatience with slow processes.

8. Difficulties with prioritizing tasks.

9. Struggling to let go of projects.

10. Being too blunt.

Oh, and in your answer, don't forget to provide a real-life professional context, demonstrate your effort and determination to improve, and to mention the results of your improvement.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end.

Since no great scroller should go unrewarded, here’s a 20% discount code for Kickresume Premium.

Catch you later!

Peter