What to Do When You're Overqualified
Have you been looking for work, only to be told you're too qualified? It might be flattering, but that won't help you get a job. You can be less lonely at the top if you know your own strengths and know what to say to show you take your opportunities seriously. Start with these job interview tips.
1. Offer to stay – let the interviewer know clearly that you are committed to staying for the length of the internship or job position. No employer wants to incur the expense and hassle of having to hire someone else to replace a job hopper.
2. Offer concrete reasons why they should hire you – do not make empty promises. Let the interviewer know what previous accomplishments or talents you have that will apply to this position.
3. If you have been laid off, agree to commit to this position. Employers do not want to find you gone the minute your old job reopens or a similar one opens up. If this job is a step down from your previous job, you must have good reasons why taking this lower position will be a benefit to you.
4. If you are merely looking for a career change, you already have a strike against you. Employers may view you as an unstable job hopper. Overcome this with solid reasons why you would be satisfied with this new career move, and that you are committed to building up your status within the new career. Do not talk excessively about how much you loved your previous job; speak instead about how you enjoy helping a company with your talents.
5. If you have just moved to a new location, you need to overcome an employer’s concern that you will get homesick or antsy to move back to your previous location. Talk about why you want to stay in the new area, what you are doing to assimilate to the new location, such as joining local groups or activities, church, etc.
Landing jobs for which you are overqualified
Stress your general attributes rather than your qualifications. You do not have to “dumb down” your resume; just tame it a little. Your main objective is to land the interview in the first place. If you are applying for a lower paying position, be realistic about what pay will actually satisfy your needs. Do not waste interviewer time applying for jobs that do not pay within a range that is acceptable to you.
Finally, follow up with proper thank you letters that concisely restate your main points about why you are an ideal candidate for the job.
Finding a job especially when you are overqualified is not easy in a tight job market or when employers are trying to cut expenses and employment numbers. Finding the job you want, with benefits and a salary that will work for you is not easy. As an agency with 25 years of experience working with talented professionals like you, Artisan can help you find the job opportunities for which you're best suited. Contact us today to learn more.
