Mad skills and soft skills: what are the differences and what role in recruitment?

The world of work is changing rapidly and businesses are looking for talent that can adapt, innovate, and create value. In this context, behavioral competencies occupy a central place in recruitment and internal mobility processes. We often talk about Soft Skills, but another term has emerged in recent years: Mad Skills. While the two concepts are complementary, they do not cover the same reality. Understanding their difference is essential to better assess and value them.

Soft skills: the behavioral base

Soft skills, or behavioral skills, refer to the human and relational qualities that an individual mobilizes on a daily basis. They include, for example, communication, collaboration, stress management, critical thinking and the ability to adapt.

They are opposed to hard skills, which correspond to technical and measurable skills. A programming language, certification or business expertise are hard skills; knowing how to work in a team or solve a complex problem are soft skills.

In the context of recruitment and internal mobility, soft skills have become essential. Numerous studies show that they condition performance and commitment much more sustainably than technical skills alone.

Mad skills: originality and uniqueness

Mad skills, which could be translated as “crazy skills” or “atypical”, refer to unique talents or experiences, often acquired outside the professional framework. These may be artistic, sporting, associative practices or atypical life paths that reveal an original personality.

For example, a candidate who has practiced climbing at a high level develops exceptional risk control and stress management. A person involved in an associative project can demonstrate resilience and an ability to federate in complex contexts. These mad skills are not directly linked to the position, but they enrich a talent's profile and make it possible to stand out.

Soft skills and mad skills: two complementary dimensions

The difference between soft skills and mad skills lies in their nature and their use. Soft skills are transversal and expected: any organization is looking for employees who are able to cooperate, analyze and adapt. Mad skills, on the other hand, are unique and differentiating: they make it possible to create a unique profile, which brings specific added value to the company.

In other words, soft skills represent the common behavioral base, while mad skills are the touch of originality that can make a difference.

The challenge for businesses

In a context of war for talent, knowing how to identify and value these two dimensions becomes strategic. Soft skills ensure cultural compatibility and the ability to perform sustainably. Mad skills, on the other hand, bring creativity, innovation and the ability to think differently.

However, these skills are not always visible during a typical interview. Cognitive biases — like the halo effect that distorts our judgments — can mask reality. It is therefore crucial to use evaluation methods that go beyond mere impression.

The Yuzu approach: measuring and revealing behavioral skills

At Yuzu, we have designed solutions forgamified assessment that immerse candidates and employees in immersive situations inspired by the professional world. This approach makes it possible to reveal soft skills in a scientific and objective way, but also to highlight certain mad skills through atypical or innovative behaviors in the face of the challenges proposed.

Thanks to fun immersion, talents live an engaging experience that values their strengths, beyond their academic or technical background. The company thus benefits from a reliable assessment, which reduces the impact of cognitive biases and enhances its vision of profiles. To understand more fully why it is essential to go beyond traditional methods, consult our analysis on the evaluation of soft skills in recruitment and on the use of the game as a measurement tool.

Conclusion

Mad skills and soft skills are not opposed: they complement each other. The former reveal the originality and the uniqueness of a talent, the latter constitute the basis of its success in a collective. By combining the two, companies strengthen their ability to attract profiles that are both reliable and differentiating.

With its gamified assessment approach, Yuzu offers an innovative response to measure, reveal and value these skills, in order to make fairer and more efficient HR decisions.

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