What Does It Mean To Be Over Qualified For a Job?

by Debra Wheatman on Sep 3, 2010 in Career Advice

A recent client of mine has been out of work for a long time.  She is desperate – she has run out of unemployment insurance and her husband just got some indication that he may be losing his job next month unless things pick up. The latest economic forecast numbers – well let us say weren’t great.My client, a Wharton MBA has spent the last 15 years climbing the corporate ladder, most recently running a $1BN business unit for a global company, just cant find a job.  Not an uncommon story, but with the potential of her husband losing his job, she is thinking that any job is better than none, plus she realizes after being at home for the last year, she has missed so much; her children are still young. Now she wants to go do a 9-5 job and be home in time to make dinner. She has submitted her resume for dozens of positions that are “below” her level and the feedback she has gotten has been that she is over qualified. What does that mean exactly?  My client has done a great job in her previous roles. Getting someone like her would be a bargain!  Who wouldn’t jump at the chance?

It turns out a lot of people won’t hire the over qualified for fear that they are just ‘visiting’ until the next thing comes along – and in some cases this may be true. But for my client it isn’t true –So what to do, what to do?

Here are some tips for those of you that have been told that you are over qualified:

1.     Do you have graduate degree? Consider not mentioning it on your résumé – if it comes up don’t lie, but don’t offer it up either.

2.     Tweak your titles for some recent jobs – if you were an EVP you don’t need to mention this in the headline of your résumé.

3.     Remove some of the projects/programs/efforts that you were involved in – be careful to match what remains to a specific position. You can and should modify the resume to meet the description.

4.     Modify the language for other projects to indicate involvement, but not ownership or management.

5.     Indicate in your cover letter or executive bio something about your motivations. You can certainly explain your reasons – plausible reasons for your interest in a role that is less demanding than those positions previously held.

6.     Mentally prepare yourself – taking a step back or down can be tough.

You can get hired if you are over qualified, but be honest with yourself and the hiring company.  It costs money to hire and train; and if you are planning on using the job as ‘layover’ – be careful and considerate. Offering your services in a consulting or temporary capacity rather than taking the plunge as a full-time employee might better serve you.