employability skills

Have you ever wondered why some of the world’s most successful people have unusual hobbies or interests? For example, Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, is known for his adrenaline-fueled activities like kite surfing and ballooning, which reflect his risk-taking approach to business. Steve Jobs is another famous entrepreneur whose quirky hobby, a passion for calligraphy, influenced Apple’s design and user-friendly interfaces.

Is this a personality quirk, or could these unconventional skills be a unique way to stand out in a competitive professional environment? We believe that developing your own set of unique hobbies and interests can enhance your employability skills. So, we dare you to explore these seven weird skills, which may initially seem strange, but take a moment to consider the proven career benefits of embracing these quirky endeavours!

What are Employability Skills?

Employability skills are the crucial skills and personal attributes needed to enter, navigate, and excel at work today. Often referred to as ‘soft skills’ or ‘transferable skills,’ these abilities are vital to achieving career success and adaptable across various roles and industries.

1. Improv Comedy

Improvised comedy is a dynamic and spontaneous form of creative expression that requires performers to think on their feet, collaborate closely with others, and adapt to unforeseen circumstances. This art form typically results in humorous, unscripted performances that engage audiences in unique ways. Trying your hand at improvised comedy offers several career benefits!

Career benefits

• It helps you develop important skills such as quick thinking, adaptability, and effective communication, especially in high-pressure scenarios. These competencies can be valuable across various professional fields.
• It can lighten the mood in high-pressure environments, improving relationships and teamwork.

How to learn

Look for local improv comedy classes in your community or search for an online tutorial that you can do at home. Many YouTube channels can help you get started on your improv comedy journey.

2. Juggling

When you think of juggling, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a clown at a circus, but it’s more than just an entertaining performance. Juggling is actually a pretty powerful metaphor for multitasking.  So, why take up juggling? To start with, it’s so much fun! But did you know it can make you smarter, boost your concentration, relieve stress and give you a workout? This entertaining skill requires intense focus, coordination, and practice, which increases your employability skills and professional development.

Career benefits

• Improves multitasking abilities
• Relieves stress
• Enhances coordination
• Promotes focus in high-stress environments

How to learn

You can learn to juggle simply by finding an online tutorial and buying three balls (or bean bags to start, so you’re not chasing balls while practicing). As you progress, you can add five balls or try juggling pins and turn your skill into an entertaining performance that will no doubt impress friends and colleagues alike!

3. Speed Reading

Speed reading is a technique for quickly absorbing large volumes of information while maintaining comprehension. It’s an employability skill with many career benefits. It boosts productivity, helps you make quicker decisions, and encourages a proactive approach to tasks. As a result, it makes you a valuable asset in any professional setting. When you improve your speed-reading skills, you can manage your time more effectively and stay ahead in your career.

Career benefits

• Increased productivity
• Process more information quickly
• Manage workloads efficiently
• Enhanced comprehension
• Boost decision-making
• Enhance problem-solving
• Competitive edge
• Adaptability in a fast-paced workplace

How to learn

You can find many resources online, including apps, that will help you improve your reading speed and comprehension. Here are a few tips on getting started with speed reading:

1. Use online tests to determine your current speed and comprehension so you have a baseline for improvement.
2. Practice moving your eyes faster by following the text with your finger or a pointer.
3. Use tools like speed reading apps (e.g., Spreeder) to guide your progress.
4. Skim and scan a document by focusing on keywords and main ideas to capture important information efficiently.
5. Dedicate time every day to practice your techniques and gradually increase the complexity of the material you’re reading.

4. Doodling for Creative Thinking

Doodling during meetings, training sessions, or educational events can boost your employability skills in surprising ways. It may seem counterintuitive, but sketching (regardless of your artistic ability) is a powerful tool for promoting creative thinking. Doodling is a spontaneous self-expression that sparks innovative ideas and solutions and improves concentration by providing a physical outlet for mental energy. It helps prevent your mind from wandering, allowing you to maintain focus on the speaker or the material being presented. It can also ward off feelings of boredom because it keeps the brain actively engaged, transforming a passive experience into a more interactive one.

So, try doodling next time you’re in a boring meeting! Or if you’re finding an online class challenging your concentration. It’s a creative pursuit that adds valuable employability skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking, which are crucial attributes that employers seek.

Career benefits

• Breaks boredom
• Boosts innovation
• Improves focus during meetings, lectures, online classes or any event you attend
• Improves problem-solving and critical thinking

How to learn

There are numerous online resources that can help you improve your doodling skills. But it’s important to understand that doodling isn’t something that can be formally taught. All you need are some pens or pencils, a bit of paper to draw on, and a touch of mindful imagination.

5. Body Language

Only a small percentage of communication is based on what we say. The vast majority is body language. When you understand body language, you take advantage of nonverbal communication cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact, to enhance your communication skills. This ability to ‘read people’ helps you understand others’ emotions and intentions more clearly, which helps build stronger connections and improves trust. It’s particularly valuable in the workplace to pick up on subtle signals from colleagues and clients, which will help you achieve favourable outcomes for your company, team and professional development.

Career benefits

• Boosts interpersonal skills
• Improves negotiations
• Enhances leadership presence
• Improves relationships and team dynamics
• Builds trust

How to learn

Many free resources online can help you develop your ability to read body language. Our online professional development course, Communicate With Influence, covers nonverbal communication in the workplace and helps you build your professional development portfolio.

6. Storytelling That Sells

Developing creative writing skills helps you create powerful stories that entertain and influence your audience. Successful storytelling is engaging and is particularly useful in marketing campaigns, brand messaging, or presentations. The ability to write compelling stories is crucial to intrigue your readers, but it also enhances trust and encourages people to take action. It’s about turning sales messages into memorable stories that inform and inspire to build lasting relationships.

Career benefits

• Strengthens presentation skills
• Boosts marketing and branding campaigns
• Improves engagement
• Build relationships

How to learn

You can learn the art of creative writing with our Certificate of Creative Writing. In this online professional development course, you’ll not only improve your writing but also gain a deeper understanding of what makes a compelling story!

7. Cultivating Quirky Hobbies

Pursuing unconventional interests outside of your core profession is an employability skill that encourages innovative thinking, builds character, opens up networking opportunities, and boosts your personal brand. So, what quirky hobby has you intrigued? Are you into skydiving, rock climbing, or horseback riding, or are you more of a collector, chess champ or avid film buff? Whatever your interest, your quirky hobbies and interests can enhance your employability skills to advance your career in surprising ways.

Career benefits

• Encourages innovative thinking
• Opens up unique networking opportunities
• Builds character
• Differentiates your personal brand

How to learn

You can take up just about any quirky hobby you can imagine. If you’re looking for inspiration, just Google quirky hobbies and see what appeals to you! Explore what’s available in your local area and enjoy being unconventional to boost your career prospects! It might not be the success enjoyed by Richard Branson, but aim for the stars and lasso the moon, right? Hey, there’s an idea: astronomy for beginners!

Combining these weird and wacky skills with conventional education and expertise creates a well-rounded professional profile. So, we encourage you to reflect on your abilities, challenge yourself to pick one weird skill, and see how it can be a career asset.

Can we help you with professional development opportunities? To explore your options, simply contact one of our Course Consultants today at 1300 76 2221 or via Live Chat