How can someone be overqualified for a job?
Isn’t it a plus point if someone has more skills for a position?
Not having skills and experience is one thing, but is it fair to say you are overqualified?
If you have asked yourself these questions with no answer, you are indeed aware of what a frustrating experience this can be. This should not be a barrier for those seeking employment, but it often ends up being one.
Jobs that contain most of the skillset and experience you possess as per the job description should be the jobs you should target. However, it is also understandable if you apply for a position because you need to secure a job which you may appear to be overqualified for.
For those of you in this situation looking for a job, trying to sustain yourself, let’s look at why you may be getting feedback that you are overqualified. There are some ways to counter them too.
1. It isn’t that you are overqualified; it’s that they plan to hire someone underqualified.
Most often, where you possess all the skills required for the job and have more than the necessary experience, they are aware of what you are worth. However, they do not have the budget or plan to hire someone who meets the minimum requirements to agree to much lower pay. If they don’t value your work to give you what you deserve, you can only question how much your position may be appreciated or how much job satisfaction you will get with companies like them.
2. The biggest worry for a company to consider someone of your caliber may be that you will leave eventually.
Even though this should not be a reason as any employee could leave if they are not satisfied with the position, work environment, compensation, etc., there could be many factors. However, companies fear that they will invest in you, bring you up to speed only for you to leave.
Explain to them as early on as possible your ideal job role (which should be the job description of the position you have applied for) and if it is like what you were already doing. This, in turn, will help convince the employer that you may be right for the position.
3. Your ambitions and desire for growth to move forward.
The position you have applied for may have no scope for growth, and looking at how your resume is presented and what you say, could also lead to it becoming a barrier to attaining the job.
This means that this could be a dead-end job, and they don’t want to take on someone they know from the beginning will not be happy having any option to grow.
4. The hiring manager or someone in the interviewing panel sees you as competition.
Believe it or not, this does happen. You may turn out to be better than they thought, causing a possible threat for your manager.
The easiest way to find out if it’s possible is to generally ask your interviewing manager what they do and what they are responsible for. If it is similar or more than the job you are being hired for, you know that this could be a possible reason for not getting the role.
So what can be done?
Overqualified job seekers may struggle to avoid rejection, but it’s not an impossible task. Learn and understand why you are being rejected, and try being proactive by addressing these concerns in your application.
A. Answer any possible questions you think they may have in your cover letter itself.
Many of us refrain from adding a cover letter for each job because it can be time-consuming. However, this might be the game change you need. Think about it, and if you could address concerns you think the employer may have after looking at your resume, they have an explanation to work with, which may give you a chance you need to be considered.
Explain why you think this position is suitable for you and what you would bring to the table. If you are looking at a lower-level job, mention that you want to return to an earlier point in your career you enjoyed or want to work with the next generation talent in your industry. Give them logical reasons to put their mind at ease, making them think twice before rejecting you.
B. Keep your resume short, simple, and to the point.
Recruiters these days get a million resumes, and they are looking at some basics initially to shortlist few candidates before moving to the next round. If you have a 4–5-page resume that requires them to go through, chances are they will overlook it even if you are qualified for the position.
Your resume should highlight your skills, experience in brief with organizations you’ve worked for, along with the time frame. Amend your resume to match the job requirement to show what counts that do not make you overqualified but qualified for the job.
C. Plan your job search.
Apply to companies that you know will value your educational background or the type of experience you have. This may make all the difference.
Do some research on the companies you are applying to. If they are a small organization, then you probably already know they don’t have the budget to pay you a high scale salary if that’s what you are looking for. They are possibly even looking for employees with the necessary skills and can be trained to do things their way.
D. Be careful with your tone.
It is easy to be misinterpreted from an email or text message; the same goes for your cover letter or resume. The language and tone you use may be sending the reader a different message. You may come across as too confident or proud to portray yourself as the best for the job. Please don’t make it sound like you could quickly fill in the position but instead express your interest in the role and company as a whole and what excites you to want to be a part of their team/company.
You have a unique set of skills and talent! Somewhere, someone is looking for precisely what you possess. Never give up searching for the job that you are passionate about. It’s out there!