Unusual skills: how to answer it (with examples)
By the bestsideofyou teamLast updated
“Unusual skills” wants one oddly specific thing you can do. Name it, then add a detail that proves it or shows when it's useful. It doesn't need to be impressive; it needs to be specific and true.
What this prompt reveals about you
A playful side of you, and a little proof that you pay attention to the world. Good answers are instant openers: people ask for a demonstration, or try to top it. It's also a good place for a quiet brag that doesn't sound like one.
8 example answers
Illustrative examples written by us, not real profiles.
I know which Tube carriage stops closest to the exit at 40 stations. Ask me about Bank.
I can parallel park a van on the first try. I'll accept applause in the form of a drink.
I can tell which of my grandmother's three cake recipes you're eating by smell alone. She is very proud.
Folding fitted sheets into perfect rectangles. I have shared this skill with nobody. Until now.
Guessing someone's star sign in three questions. I'm right about 70% of the time. I don't even believe in it.
I can calm any crying baby on a plane. I've done it four times. Their parents bought me snacks.
Peeling a clementine in one piece. Every time. It's not useful. It is satisfying.
I can recite every US state in alphabetical order in under 20 seconds. Bring a stopwatch.
Common mistakes
I'm a good cook.
I can make a decent omelette with whatever is left in a fridge after a party. I've done it at three in the morning.
Being good at cooking is common. A specific, odd version of it is not.
Too many to list 😉
I can name any Beatles song from the first two seconds. I'm undefeated at my office quiz.
Hinting at skills without naming one wastes the prompt.
Being awesome.
I can carry seven grocery bags up four flights in one trip. My forearms have suffered for this.
A joke that dodges the question reads as filler. Give them the actual weird skill.
Pair it with
If your skill is visual, show it. A photo mid-trick does half the work.
- I geek out on
- I bet you can't
- Two truths and a lie
- A photo: doing the thing you mentioned. Turns a prompt claim into proof: the climbing wall, the pottery wheel, the pizza oven.
- A photo: candid, mid-laugh. Shows what you are like when you are not posing. Ask a friend to talk to you while they shoot.
More on building the whole profile: How to improve your Hinge profile.
Questions people ask
What if I don't have an unusual skill?
Everyone has a small one: a talent for parking, timing, remembering, fixing. It doesn't need to be impressive, just specific.
Can I make something up as a joke?
A clearly absurd joke can work, but a real small skill is usually more charming and easier to reply to.
Should I avoid bragging?
Brag about small things freely. Big achievements read better elsewhere, told as a story.