Why Being Overqualified Can Be a Problem?
Here are some reasons why employers may hesitate to hire candidates who seem overqualified:
1. They worry you’ll get bored: Employers want to hire people who will stick around for a long time and generally enjoy their day-to-day work. If you’re overqualified, hiring managers may have concerns that you’ll get bored and leave for an opportunity that better utilizes your full talents. They may also worry that you won’t be interested in performing the tasks required in the position.
2. They worry it will only be temporary: If you’ve been unemployed long enough, employers may think you just want a job – any job – on your resume, and that the role is meant to be just a stepping stone to something else that’s a better fit for you. As with the concern about boredom, the main worry for employers here is that you’re only interested in the position as a way to get to something better.
3. They worry you won’t be able to follow directions: Another reason employers may shy away from hiring you because you’re overqualified for positions that don’t match your experience level is that you may have difficulty following the directions of people who are less qualified than you on paper.
4. They worry that the salary won’t meet your needs: The concern employers may have is that you’ll want a salary that matches your experience level – which may be far higher than the range available for the position.
Resume Tips
Your resume tells the story of your career. While you shouldn’t lie on your resume, you can leave out some jobs and present yourself as a suitable candidate for the position. Here are some suggestions for resume strategies that will make you appear suitably qualified for the role:
1. Make it tailored: Just like with any job application, if you’re overqualified, you should ensure that your resume focuses on how your experience aligns with the job you want. Don’t delve into experiences and qualifications that exceed the company’s needs for the position. Include the qualifications that best match the job, and use what you can leave out of your resume to make it fit better.
2. Leave out advanced degrees: You don’t need to list every degree you hold. Leave out advanced degrees if you think they are unnecessary for the position you desire. You don’t want to broadcast the fact that you have qualifications that exceed what the company is looking for. You also don’t want the employer to expect that you’ll need a higher salary due to your degree.
3. Leave out education dates: There’s no need to include graduation dates when you were in college on your resume. Dates announce your age, and your age can signal that you’re overqualified for an entry-level position.
4. Omit some jobs: You don’t have to mention every job you’ve ever had. You can remove some jobs from your resume that make you seem overqualified. However, you should be aware that this may make companies wonder what you did during those time periods. Be prepared to explain this during a job interview.
5. Use a functional resume: Resumes can be formatted in different ways, from the functional resume (which is based on accomplishments and skills) to the chronological resume (which lists jobs by their dates). A functional resume can help reduce the impact of the title and responsibilities you currently hold. Assemble a functional resume or portfolio around the position you desire.
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Use the summary or objective sections: This is the best place – aside from the cover letter – to tell your story. Here are some tips to make the most of this section when you are overqualified:
- Put the job title you want in the objective section.
- Explain in the summary that you are looking to transition to a new career. This can show why you would accept a position that is below your level of experience.
- Avoid using exaggerated language and skip details about how long you’ve worked and your strong experience.
- Explain your career path in a way that makes it clear why you would accept a lower-level position; perhaps you have been in a field where promotions led to managerial roles far removed from the work you actually enjoy.
Use the cover letter to explain yourself
Your resume is just one part of your job application package. Use your cover letter to show why the job is right for you, even if you can do something at a higher level. There are many reasons you might be looking to change your career path at this time. You might be retired but want to stay connected to the industry. You might have a personal passion for the position or the company, or you want to return to hands-on work in the field and leave management behind.
Use your cover letter to provide details about your motivations and show how you can be a strong candidate.
Discussing being overqualified during the interview
During interviews, if being overqualified comes up, ask for clarifications on why the interviewer is concerned about that; this will allow you to give the best possible answer. In the end, the interviewer might think you are overqualified because you have a master’s degree, without realizing it’s in an unrelated field. Take some time to prepare your answer to questions about being overqualified, so you are ready to respond.
Above all, don’t be discouraged if you are continually rejected for jobs due to being overqualified. Through changes in your resume, cover letter, and interview responses, you can overcome this hurdle.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/resume-tips-for-when-you-re-overqualified-3986791
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