Why do hiring managers want people with "mad skills"?

When looking for a job or advancing in your career, it is critical to stand apart. Certain special skills, referred to as mad skills by HR professionals and recruiters, can assist you in accomplishing this.

Such skills have become especially valuable in a world of work that has been altered by the epidemic, with businesses striving to reimagine their organizational systems. The expression refers to an employee's or candidate's unusual, uncommon skills, whether they are just starting out or have decades of experience.

In today's rapidly evolving job market, the concept of mad skills has gained significant traction. These unique abilities can range from mastering a niche programming language to having experience in unconventional problem-solving techniques. For instance, a candidate who has developed a successful mobile app in their spare time or someone who has organized large-scale community events might possess mad skills that set them apart from other applicants. These experiences demonstrate initiative, creativity, and the ability to see projects through to completion – qualities highly valued by employers across various industries.

These days, CVs or resumés are divided into two categories: hard talents and soft skills. The first refers to knowledge and experience that can be demonstrated through certificates or certification, whereas the second refers to interpersonal qualities that indicate how well an employee would fit into a certain work environment, such as communication, timeliness, friendliness, and so on.

Mad talents are generally associated with the employee's personality, but they are more unique - and rare - than soft skills. For example, a recruiter may respect an employee's experience gained when they left to work on a permaculture project, started a podcast, or converted a van into a house on the road with the hopes of venturing off to explore the wilderness.

The rise of remote work and digital nomadism has further amplified the value of mad skills. Individuals who have successfully managed remote teams across different time zones or have experience in building virtual communities can bring invaluable insights to companies adapting to the new normal. Moreover, those who have thrived in unconventional work environments, such as co-living spaces or international co-working hubs, often develop unique perspectives on collaboration and productivity that can benefit traditional office settings.

At first glance, the abilities developed from such experiences may appear completely unrelated to the post for which a candidate is applying. However, the recruiter may notice a touch of originality in these experiences, allowing the candidate to bring an unconventional, even disruptive, perspective to difficulties that arise in a professional setting.

The year you spent as an expat on the other side of the world may not have provided you with the hard skills required for the sales-manager position you are applying for, but it does demonstrate that you have an adventurous spirit and a taste for challenge, especially if you did not speak the local language prior to your departure.

Personality versus Employability

People with mad skills are a true benefit for managers who wish to surround themselves with staff who will generate new ideas.

At a time when differentiation is no longer based on products but on ideas, decision-makers are looking for individuals with unique skill sets, strong personalities, and the ability to generate disruptive ideas and establish a true culture of collective intelligence, according to author Sandrine L'Herminier.

This is why recruitment gurus are increasingly urging candidates to pay close attention to the hobbies and travels area of their resume - it may be a veritable goldmine of mad abilities.

The emphasis on mad skills has also led to a shift in how companies approach professional development. Many forward-thinking organizations are now encouraging their employees to pursue passion projects or take sabbaticals to acquire new experiences. This not only helps in retaining talent by providing opportunities for personal growth but also ensures that employees return with fresh perspectives and potentially game-changing ideas. Some companies have even implemented "innovation days" or "hackathons" where employees can showcase their mad skills and work on projects outside their regular job descriptions, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous learning.

According to a 2019 survey, 75% of hiring managers prioritize large-scale personal projects when reviewing resumés. However, even if candidates have unique abilities and experiences, they must understand how to apply them in the workplace.

The Downside

This new addition to the list of desirable competencies, qualities long thought to be primarily personal, may cause anxiety for working people who were unable to afford a year abroad or who haven't practiced chessboxing - a sport that literally combines boxing and chess - since their teen years.

Some people try to use loss, illness, or professional failure to gain life experience that will help them succeed in their careers. Since 2017, a French-language Twitter account called Disruptive Humans of LinkedIn has been collecting some of the more unconventional attempts by individuals to distinguish out in the professional world.

And therein lies a paradox of mad skills: the creativity so prized by corporate leaders and recruiters is far less unusual than one might think. In many circumstances, it does not pose a significant challenge to the established system, despite its name.

While the concept of mad skills has undoubtedly opened up new avenues for personal and professional growth, it's important to recognize that not everyone has equal access to these opportunities. Socioeconomic factors, geographical limitations, and personal circumstances can all impact an individual's ability to acquire these sought-after experiences. As such, there's a growing conversation in the HR community about how to balance the appreciation for mad skills with the need for inclusive hiring practices. Some companies are addressing this by focusing on potential and adaptability rather than specific experiences, ensuring that candidates from diverse backgrounds have a fair chance to showcase their unique strengths.

The interest in mad talents is undoubtedly tied to a discourse advocating the benefits of disruption (also known as innovation and change) in business. Conventional or not, the emphasis on mad skills demonstrates the significance of being able to distinguish yourself in order to ensure your desirability in the labor market.