Beating the "Overqualified" objection

One of the major issues that "mature workers" have to face is that employers will see them as overqualified. Overqualified generally means having too much of something: more skills, education, or experience than the job requires. You might think that an employer would want to hire the best possible candidate for a given job, but the reality is that they want to hire the person with the best fit. They don't want an employee to feel above the job, unchallenged, underpaid, underutilized.

If they need a person with a BA/BS, they don't want someone with a PhD even though you might be willing to take it. If you have 20 years experience and apply for an entry level position, they probably won't give you a look.

I heard a new story last week. A job seeker said he was so prepared for a job interview that he really thought he had nailed it. When he was rejected, the feedback he received was that he was "too enthusiastic." I never heard that before. Could it have been another way of saying he was too old, or too qualified? Who knows, but too enthusiastic? Wow.

How can you overcome these objections? Some advise taking some skills or experience out of your resume. This may work to some degree and might be worth a try. I recommend applying to smaller businesses or non-profits. They tend to be less rigid about job descriptions and more willing to utilize all the skills you can bring them. If you can manage projects and can also maintain a website, this might be an extra that you can bring them that they don't currently have. Finding out about these potential needs through your networking and research can give you leg up.

You also need to make sure you address the over-qualification question even if it doesn't come up directly in the interview. If you have been a manager and are applying to be an individual contributor, explain why you want to make that career change. If you can allay their fears and doubts, you may open their minds to welcome you into your new job!