Handling the “O” word
Has the dreaded “O” word come up in your job search lately?
We’re talking “overqualified.”
I help experienced professionals make big career shifts, so this word comes up a lot. It shows up in rejection letters. It comes up in interviews. It starts to spark fear. After years of career success, these talented people suddenly find their experience working against them.
Shouldn’t experience be a good thing?
I’m no stranger to the “O” word myself. Once upon a time I interviewed for a Director-level role at a major company. By this time in my career I had already held several Director roles, and that seemed like a bonus. I knew I could do amazing things in this role. I had a proven track record.
But in my first interview with the hiring manager, she asked me very bluntly: “Why aren’t you a VP already?”
She was really asking, “aren’t you overqualified?”
So what’s this really all about?
“Overqualified” is a euphemism
Nobody asks a hammer if it’s overqualified to hit a nail.
If it can do the job, it’s perfectly qualified to do the job.
So when people say “you’re overqualified,” a lot of the time they’re not really talking about qualifications at all.
“Overqualified” is about fears and doubts. “Overqualified” means something else.
Here are some of the things people mean when they say “you’re overqualified”:
We’re afraid you won’t find this role challenging, and you’ll leave.
We’re afraid that we won’t be able to keep you busy (and you’ll get bored, and you’ll leave).
We’re afraid you’ll be more expensive than other candidates and we can’t afford to pay you what you're worth.
We’re afraid we won’t be able to promote you or give you salary increases, and you’ll end up unhappy in the role (and you'll leave).
We’re afraid that because you’re older you won't be as quick or adaptable as younger candidates (and we'll have to deal with a performance issue).
We’re afraid that you won’t fit in with our younger team, because you’re older (and this will disrupt the team).
We’re afraid that you’ll intimidate others on the team (and this will cause problems).
So if being “overqualified” comes up, chances are you’re really talking about one of these deeper concerns.
When are you at risk of the “O” word?
You’re at risk of looking overqualified when:
You’ve held multiple roles with the same title or at the same level.
You look at the job description and think something like, “I could do that in my sleep.” Or it's when you are a 150% fit for all the skills and experience listed — you have everything they ask for and more.
You’re over 45 years old.
That last one is a sad reality. Age discrimination exists. The older we are (in years or experience), the more likely we are to bump into it in a job search. It often manifests as "overqualified."
Avoiding “overqualified”
If you feel like you’re in the danger zone for looking overqualified, here are a few things you can do:
Drop older roles from your resume (for example jobs from over 15 years ago). Chances are that experience isn’t terribly relevant now anyway. Prioritize the last 10 years of your experience.
Don’t include your graduation years for schools. It’s an easy way for age discrimination to creep in.
If you have held multiple roles with the same level and/or job title, consider a functional resume that makes this less obvious. But there’s a catch! Functional resumes don’t work well with online application systems like LinkedIn. If you want to try this approach you’ll need to find a way to get your resume directly into the hands of a real person. Preferably the hiring manager or someone on the hiring team.
Include a strong “why” in your cover letter. Talk about why you care about this particular role. (Pssst…would a cover letter template help? Get a free template here!)
Have an answer ready in case “overqualified” comes up in interviews. Look over the list of underlying concerns above, and think about how you might assuage concerns. What would make this role an interesting challenge for you? What are some examples you can use to show how quick and adaptable you are? You can’t preempt every concern, so focus on the ones you can address.
When “overqualified” is a signal
Sometimes when we’re job searching we focus entirely on roles we know we can do. But what we're actually doing is playing it safe. Limiting ourselves.
So: If you’ve been hearing “overqualified” a lot, maybe pause for a moment. Are you holding yourself back? Are you playing it safe? Is it possible you're ready for the next level? Would you like to consider a role that’s more of a stretch?
The answer might be no, in which case try any of the suggestions above. But if the answer is yes? Don't minimize your experience. Instead craft your resume, your cover letter, your LinkedIn, and your job search strategy to position you for that stretch role. (Need a hand? I can help with that.)
To sum up
You’re not overqualified for the job if you can do the job.
When employers use words like “overqualified” they’re really concerned about something deeper. Focus on that deeper concern if you can.
But if you’re hearing “overqualified” a lot, also take a moment to consider whether you’re holding yourself back. What are others seeing in you that you’re missing? Sometimes the best fit is actually a stretch.
Corbet Fawcett is a career coach who helps professionals tackle challenging job searches and land roles they (finally!) love. Struggling to stand out in your own job search? Sign up for a free cover letter template.
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