Navigating the job market can be tough, especially when you hear things that don’t make sense. One common thing HR peeps say is: “You are Overqualified!” Respectfully – shut up! No, I am not!
The truth is, no one is ever really ‘overqualified’ for a job. You might have more skills and experience than the job needs, but that’s not the real issue. The real issue is that the interviewer might be scared because you’re better at the job than they are.
For a long time, HR and hiring managers have been taught to say candidates are overqualified to hide their own fears. They say, “We won’t hire you because you’re overqualified and might leave soon because you’ll be unhappy.” But the real fear is that your talent might make them look bad.
This idea has been around for ages and people just believed it without questioning it.
Having more qualifications should be seen as a good thing. Companies should be eager to hire highly skilled people. These days, expecting someone to stay in the same job for 40 years is unrealistic. Getting a talented person to stay around for even 3 or 4 years is great.
Companies should try to hire the best people for every job and let them do their best work. Worrying about whether they’ll stay for a long time shouldn’t be a big concern. Just focus on using their skills and letting them make a difference.
The real problem is that some hiring managers are afraid to hire people who are better than them. This fear is bad for the company. To get better, companies need to hire better people.
Creating a culture that values and welcomes top talent is important. This not only improves the company but also makes it a place where people want to work. Avoiding the mistake of hiring less qualified people ensures that your company stays competitive.
In the end, the idea of being ‘overqualified’ is just a myth. Hire great talent, let them do their thing, and watch your company grow.
Great post per usual! I’ve never liked the whole “overqualified” line because if you’re overqualified then clearly, you’re qualified. Honestly, if someone ends up better at my job than me and can successfully take it, then they’ve earned it. I’ve never not hired someone because they were more qualified than me. If anything, that’s just more motivation to do some upskilling and to learn from someone who knows more than me.
The only time I sincerely have “overqualified” concerns regarding potential candidates is when BOTH the role and accompanying pay band are drastically different (and not in a good way) than the person’s current/previous position. There’s always that small worry that the person is more focused on taking any position that comes along because they need a job; but they’ll bounce as soon as something bigger/better comes along, especially if the company doesn’t have the resources to compete with larger companies’ compensation budgets.