What Is Being Overqualified for a Job?

Perhaps you’ve been told you’re overqualified? But just what does that really mean?

There are certainly potentially legitimate reasons for not hiring people for a job if they have way too much experience or skills for the job as defined by the employer:

  • You’ll be bored and leave soon.
  • You’ll be looking for new things to suggest all the time – and not doing what you should.
  • You’ll tell your boss how to do the job.
  • You’ll be miserable.
  • You’ll feel undervalued compared to what you could be doing.

All that assumes you aren’t smart enough to understand what it is you’re committing to and that you won’t honor a basic commitment. While some folks might not, most of us when faced with cat food or doing a job well, will do the job well. (This does not apply to my cat.)

But for those folks in the Baby Boomer years (me included) looking for career change or just a job you’re quite willing to stick with, overqualified can be a nice excuse for not hiring older workers. Come armed with the reasons why they should hire you:

  • You understand responsibility.
  • You have learned how to work well with people of all ages and background.
  • You can see opportunity in things younger workers might miss.
  • You have strong problem solving skills and can often anticipate and help avoid problems – saving your boss money and time.
  • You can help bring solutions to business processes others might not see.
  • You have a great attitude about work and life and see things in perspective.
  • And most of all – if given the opportunity you will give it your all.

While some employers will never get past the “older” part, others will give you a chance if you believe in yourself and in the reasons you really would make a great hire. If you hear the overqualified word, don’t just say ok…look them in the eye with a pleasantly determined smile and let them know why you actually are rightly qualified!

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NOTE: If you want to suggest changes to this or any other definition in our career dictionary, please feel free to add  your suggestions in a comment.