When it comes to growing your career, you start to think about the current skills you have, the skills you need to build on, and new skills that you can learn. Having a wide range of skills is the best way to be able to grow in your career because it’s more attractive to your current company or future companies you want to work for. However, it is easy to think about the typical skills that everyone else grows and learns, such as becoming proficient in Excel, mastering networking, and enrolling in a leadership course. These may sound good, but they won’t help you stand out from the crowd. It is best to think outside of the box and find unconventional skills that you can learn or grow. These should be ones that don’t come up in standard job descriptions to make a huge difference in your career growth.

In an increasingly competitive job market, employers are looking for people who stand out not just on paper but in their adaptability, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. That’s where unusual skills come in. Whether you’re looking to pivot careers, boost your resume, or simply add new dimensions to your personal growth, here are a few off-the-beaten-path skills worth considering.

Improvisation and Acting Classes

Surprisingly, taking improvisation and acting classes can actually create an attractive skill for your resume. This doesn’t mean you have to become the next Broadway star or an improv professional. These classes help to build confidence and socialization skills, which is ideal if you struggle with confidence or talking to others. This can translate into your career, giving you the confidence to take ownership of your role, lead teams, and take initiative with vital decisions.

As well as this, improv and acting classes can sharpen your ability to think on your feet, improve public speaking, and help you manage unexpected situations with ease. This can allow you to quickly solve problems in your job role and adapt your strategy to tackling tasks when needed. In fact, these classes can be so beneficial that many tech founders, executives, and educators have credited improv with boosting their communication skills and confidence.

It can be worth doing these because not only does it broaden your skills, but it’s also fun! Having fun can have a strange way of turning learning into something you actually remember.

Lesser-Known Foreign Languages

Learning a foreign language is a vital skill to have to be able to grow your career. Typically, everyone thinks of learning Spanish, French, or Mandarin. But what about the lesser-known foreign languages? If you stick to the usual languages, you can struggle to stand out to potential hirers. You could also be the one person to fill a gap in the market, making you a sought-after candidate for better roles.

You could learn American Sign Language (ASL), Swahili, or Tagalog to stand out and offer a solution to niche, but needed, problems in businesses. Picking up a less-common language can open up opportunities in niche markets, global organizations, and nonprofit work. It also shows employers that you’re both curious and committed to communication.

Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Roles

It is easy to often assume that financial skills are only for accountants and CFOs. However, understanding how money flows within a business is valuable in nearly every role. Having skills on your resume, like reading a profit and loss statement, budgeting, or managing expenses, can give you a strategic edge and show potential hirers you know how businesses work. This can pique interest because you show that you’re just as driven in helping the company to make money in your role as they are. This is especially the case if you’re hoping to move into management or launch your own side hustle.

There are countless free or affordable online courses that can help you build this skill without a formal degree, allowing you to learn easily and quickly.

Storytelling and Narrative Writing

Storytelling and narrative writing play a massive part in many job roles, without you even realizing it. Whether you’re pitching an idea, giving a presentation, or writing a killer LinkedIn post, storytelling is used. It is essential to learn the art of storytelling and narrative writing as it’s a powerful secret weapon to have in your skillset. This is because learning how to craft a compelling narrative helps you become more persuasive in your job. It can also make you more relatable and compelling to others, making people listen to what you have to say. Being able to capture people’s attention through storytelling helps you progress your career as you’re taken more seriously and people find you more interesting.

The great thing about these skills is that you don’t have to be a natural writer. You can just start casually blogging, journaling, or reading memoirs to fine-tune this skill!

Outdoor or Practical Certifications

From first aid training to urban cycling safety, practical certifications add depth to your skillset and can be a great conversation starter during interviews. These provide you with useful and unique skills that you are certified in, making you a special candidate who is sought after. You can have a specific skill on your resume that makes you shine, not only because it’s certified, but also because it is a different kind of skill that others don’t have.

To be more unique with these certifications, and add something very interesting to your skillset, you could try harness training. This is a niche safety certification for working at height, which is essential in construction and maintenance roles. It’s not something most people have, but for the right job, it could be exactly what sets you apart.

These kinds of courses also show a willingness to get hands-on, face challenges, and commit to personal safety. These are all attributes employers value more than ever!

Visual Design and Branding Basics

As many job roles rely on technology, it’s no wonder that having visual design skills and knowledge of branding can go a long way in progressing your career. Now, we’re not saying you need to be a full-time graphic designer; you just need to learn the basics and gain the ability to craft visually interesting pieces that businesses love. Doing this will give you the knowledge of design and branding. You may not utilize this in your job role, but you will be able to have a say in design and branding decisions and help teams out.

You can start out by learning the basics of Canva. This will instantly jump out on your resume because a lot of companies are beginning to use Canva to create quick yet impactful visuals for social media, attracting their audience with stunning imagery and videos. You should also get to grips with color theory and try to pick up beginner Photoshop skills. These can all be immensely helpful, especially in marketing, social media, and small business roles.

Unusual skills often reflect something deeper, such as initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to learn beyond your job description. They show that you’re not just checking boxes, but you’re building a multidimensional career with room for growth, creativity, and unique value.