What is an atypical profile?

Profil atypique kezako?

For me, an atypical profile is to the gifted what Venetian blond is to the redhead!

This year, I was asked to organize master classes for Bachelor and Master students on the theme of atypical profiles.

What is an atypical profile? What / who are we talking about?

It’s true that since I’ve known I’m a zebra, I’ve made no secret of it. I don’t necessarily say it at first glance, but when recruiters analyze my CV, I have an atypical profile that I clearly can’t deny!

I have an atypical profile because I’m gifted and, above all, gifted late in life! That’s where my atypical side comes from, my zebra side…

I think it’s worth remembering that if we consider someone, or something, to be atypical, that means we’re considering it in relation to a norm. So someone atypical would be someone out of the ordinary!

Gifted people, high potentials, zebras, multi-potentials, HPI, whatever the term, are in fact atypical profiles, since they are outside the norm (IQ>130, specific sensitivity and relationship to the World, see the characteristics > here).

When I was preparing my conferences on atypical profiles, I asked myself the question: are all atypical profiles zebras?

It’s a bit of a theory (I’ve been having memory problems lately ^^): all men have two legs. Marc is a man. Marc must have two legs.
Zebras are atypical profiles. I’m a zebra, so I’m an atypical profile… But not all bipeds are men! #autruche

Is an atypical profile necessarily gifted?

To be honest, I’m not sure I know the answer to that question. First of all, when we talk about atypical profiles, I thinkwe need to know in which field we’re talking about an atypical profile. If it’s in thecontext of a job or the job market, we’ll talk about an atypical profile because the CV will have detours, “accidents” or inconsistencies. Once again in relation to a standard!

Let’s talk sports! For the past 2/3 years, French women’s basketball fans have been calling Marine Johannes an atypical sportswoman. >> an atypical player. Why? Because she has a very special way of playing, which sets her apart from other very good players. She has a style, a personality. Personally, when she’s on the pitch, she’s all I see! It’s an innovation in women’s basketball. And of course I ask myself, is she gifted? She has a gift, that’s for sure…

Do you have to be gifted to have a gift?

It’s like Kylian Mbappé! Gifted or not?
Well, when you look at him, you know he’s out of the ordinary! Of course, I watched the documentary on him (the one on M6) Kylian Mbappé: les secrets d’un surdoué.

Too bad we’re not sure if they used the term gifted to have a catchy documentary title, or if they wanted to say that Kylian is truly gifted ! Given its characteristics and profile, I’d say yes, without hesitation, it’s zebra but I’m not a neuroshrink… So that’s just me.

The relationship between normality and atypical profiles

However, even if I wonder about these profiles, I don’t like boxes, I tell you all the time on the blog… I don’t like truths, I don ‘t like communitarianism. I don’t like it when we only define ourselves by one thing (which ultimately impoverishes us instead of enriching us). Kylian Mbappé, Marine Johannes, I don’t want to pigeonhole them, categorize them, put them in a box…

We’re just so lucky to have these two people in our country and what they mean to the rest of the world! Their talent, their genius, their touch, their style, their uniqueness – that’s what makes them exceptional and out of the ordinary.

I like to think that our differences, whatever they may be, make us unique. That’s why I never know what to make of the term “atypical profile“! Because, to come back to my opening sentence, when you’re a redhead or Venetian blond, you’re also a bit atypical? When you’re Portuguese and blond, you’re a bit atypical too, aren’t you?

Atypical profiles and the job market

We’re all atypical in our own way. I’ll never give up on that! On the other hand, to try and give you an answer (among others), I’m going to talk about atypical profiles in the world of work.

By definition, an atypical profile is the opposite of a typical or standard profile. It is unconventional in relation to a given position, sector or company.
It can be defined by certain characteristics.

Characteristics of typical profiles at work and for recruiters :

– Curriculum and diploma from a specific school or group of schools, followed by an internship in the industry
– Recruiting for junior positions in the industry
– First independent experience in a position
– Management of a first team
– Management of a larger team or department
– Change of company in the sector to progress
– Position of responsibility in the field or sector: Deputy Director, Director, CODIR member

There’s a consistency from one position to the next that’s part ofan overall project. In every career choice, there’s a logical, expected outcome. On the other hand, for atypical profiles, the CV is a little more disjointed…

The characteristics of atypical profiles at work and for recruiters :

– Multi-graduates (several bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, capes, bac pro… even several CAPs and one or two bac+5s in unrelated fields).
– Self-taught candidates
– Candidates without diplomas but with experience and extensive knowledge in the field
– Resuming studies mid-career, “late in life
– First part of a career outside the industry: travel abroad, humanitarian experience, military, top sportsmen and women, well-known/recognized artists… or even two or three of these examples.
– Management and leadership experience outside the industry: association president, sports coach, union leader, etc.
– Experiences considered difficult in France: entrepreneurial failure, dismissal or resignation on bad terms, unemployment for some time.
– Makes poor career choices
– Change professional sector regularly
– Has trouble keeping the same job for long
– Has many passions that seem to have nothing in common.
For example: carpentry, blogging, golf, video games, mushroom picking and 19th-century Austrian literature.
– A CV that reflects a strong personality

This list is obviously not exhaustive. So it’s true that when you see this list… We think that the characteristics of atypical profiles strongly resemble to the characteristics of the gifted !
So, I’d say that if I were a recruiter, or even as a Manager, if I came across this type of profile I’d look into the High Potential angle.

My experience has shown me that behind these profiles often lie undetected zebras. In fact, I’ve already written an article on how to be happy at work when you’re gifted.

Atypical profile, zebra, gifted, human being?

I also teach my students how to find the job that’s right for them, what they’re cut out for. Because gifted or not, it’s not the same things that make us vibrate or dream! What makes me tick may bore you.

And it’s true for the gifted too! One of my best friends is a zebra and… an accountant! She loves her job. I think that among my 12,000 vocations, accountant is not on the list. 🙂

Conclusion: we’re all human beings, all atypical for one thing: be yourself, the others are already taken… Okay, that’s a bit easy! 😀 I’ll try another then.

As for the future, it’s not a question of predicting it, but of making it possible.

You can also find more information, resources and tools on Giftedness in Mel POINAS‘ book. With a lot of humor, Mel tells the story of the discovery of her giftedness and the routines she put in place to finally find her place!

To go further, you can read

• Characteristics of High Potential
• How to take the WAIS 4 test?
• 7 tips for a successful CV when you’re a zebra
• The best books about High Learning Potential
• Impostor’s syndrome

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