Reasons Why Employers Value Talents with 'Mad Skills'

Standing out from the crowd is vital when applying for a job or being promoted. This can be accomplished using unique abilities that HR professionals and recruiters now refer to as "mad skills."

In a world of work changed by the pandemic and in which businesses are rethinking their organisational strategies, these skills have become increasingly coveted. The expression refers to the "out-of-the-ordinary" or "unusual" skills of an employee or candidate, regardless of their level of professional experience.

Currently, curriculum vitae and resumes are structured into "hard skills" and "soft skills." Hard skills refer to knowledge and expertise that certificates or certifications can assess. In contrast, the second refers to interpersonal qualities that indicate how well an employee would fit into a particular work environment, such as communication, timeliness, friendliness, etc.

 

Mad skills are frequently tied to the employee's personality, yet they are more creative and uncommon than soft skills. For instance, a recruiter may place a high value on the experience an employee gained when they embarked on a permaculture project, began a podcast, or converted a van into a home on the road to explore the environment.

Initially, the skills acquired from such experiences may have little relevance to the post for which a candidate is applying. However, the recruiter may detect a touch of creativity that enables the candidate to bring a quirky, even disruptive, perspective to situations that arise in a professional setting.

The year you spent as an ex-pat on the opposite side of the globe may not have provided you with the "hard skills" required for the sales manager position for which you are applying. Still, it demonstrates that you have an adventurous spirit and a taste for a challenge – especially if you didn't speak the local language before you left.

 

Personality vs employability

Talents with "mad skills" are a genuine asset for employers who want to surround themselves with employees who will come up with visionary views and conceptions.

At a time when differentiation is no longer determined as of products, but by ideas, decision-makers are searching for individuals with unique skill sets and strong personalities capable of producing disruptive ideas and establishing a genuine culture of collective intelligence. This is why recruiting professionals are increasingly urging candidates to pay extra attention to the "hobbies and travels" area of their resume, as it may be a veritable treasure trove of "mad skills."

75% of hiring managers, according to a 2019 survey, place weight on large-scale "personal initiatives" when reviewing a resume. Although candidates may have unique abilities and experiences, they must also understand how to apply them daily.

 

The drawback

This latest addition to the list of desirable competencies, of qualities long considered to be primarily personal, may be a source of nervousness for employees working individuals who were unable to afford a year abroad or who haven't practised chessboxing, – a sport that literally combines boxing and chess – since they were teenagers.

Some individuals attempt to transform a loss, illness, or professional setback into a career-advancing life event. And therein is the paradox of "mad skills": the creativity prized by business leaders and recruiters is significantly less extraordinary than one might expect. In many instances, it does not pose as much of a threat to the established order as its name might suggest.

Indeed, the interest in "mad skills" is tied to a discourse emphasising the benefits of business disruption. Whether conventional or not, the emphasis on crazy skills demonstrates the significance of distinguishing yourself to ensure your marketability on the job market.

 

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