Employers are reluctant to hire people with “too much” education or experience, because they’re worried that these people will flee to better paying jobs once the economy improves. It’s a fine line to tread. Too little experience, and you won’t get the job. Too much experience (or too high of a salary) and they’ll say you’re “overqualified.”
What are you supposed to do? Delete your advanced degrees or certifications from your resume? Omit the year you graduated from college to make yourself look “younger?”
If you’ve got advanced degrees, impressive credentials and extensive experience, how can you keep these “positives” from being turned into “negatives?” How can you keep from getting shot down in the first interview?
In general, honesty is the best policy. You don’t want to hide or omit your qualifications or try to look younger than you are – your prospective employer is likely to find out, and being dishonest is never a good long-term strategy for finding a job.
Here are a few ideas for what you can say in your next job interview to keep from being dismissed as “overqualified:”
Be candid, but diplomatic: Let the interviewers know that you know what they’re thinking – but don’t sound frustrated or world-weary. Even if you can tell the direction that the questions are headed, you can still sound professional and upbeat and energized. Say, “I know that I’ve gotten to a stage of my career where it’s not always possible to make a lateral move. If I have to take a step back before I can take a step forward, I’m willing to consider that.”
Show them why you want the job: Be specific in describing what interests you about the job. Are you going to get a chance to work with new technology, a new industry, new systems, a new type of organizational structure? Talk about how you see this job as a new challenge, with plenty of opportunities to keep you interested and expand your skills.
Don’t sell yourself short: Be confident – don’t act like you’re in need of a favor or desperate to get the job, and don’t insinuate that your key selling point is a willingness to take a pay cut. You’re an experienced professional with solid qualifications and a strong pedigree. Say things like, “I still have significant expertise to offer the right company,” and “I have every reason to believe that some of the best years of my career are still ahead.”
Demonstrate your commitment: The employer’s biggest fear in hiring you is that you’ll resign as soon as a better job offer comes along. They don’t want to invest in bringing you onboard only to have you quickly jump ship. To combat this attitude, remind them of your past history of loyalty to your employers. Tell them, “I know that I’ve got a lot of skills and I might have other options – but I’m determined to prove myself to you and show my loyalty to this company. I’m committed to being here for the foreseeable future if you’ll commit to me.”
Hopefully these ideas can help you go from “overqualified” to “well qualified” to “hired.” Good luck!
Ben Gran is a freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers and the future of work.
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