“To hire or not to hire”, basically this is what recruiter often thinks of when stumbling over overqualified candidates. There is a dilemma that hiring managers have to deal with before making the decision. While overqualified candidates could be the answer to increase a company’s productivity and even save it from collapsing, they can also be a boomerang that impacts the business bottom line.  

So, what are overqualified candidates & why do hiring manager doubt to hire them?

Overqualified candidates can be defined as individuals with skills and educational background that are beyond required for a job. While overqualified candidates could be a good fit for a company as they can perform tasks better, a recruiter is always mindful about the disadvantages they might bring to an organisation.

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Hiring manager often sees overqualified candidates as:

• an expensive and unaffordable person because they might set a high salary for a low-cost job,
• a short-term solution because once they get a better opportunity, they will quit the current job,
• having high expectations of development and job position,
• a person who can get bored easily for there is a possibility that the job does not meet a candidate’s needs or expectations, and
• a person who will undermine the job role and, probably, the manager.

That being said, as an overqualified candidate, you will likely be seen as too good to be true for the position. Consequently, there might be a tendency of rejection from the hiring manager. While the truth is, being overqualified is not a weakness. It can be a great weapon if you are extra careful in answering job interview questions and explaining why you could be a good fit for the company. So, as best as possible, do thorough research about the expectations of the company on their employees. The information can help you do better in your interview session. Moreover, here are more tips for you to overcome your overqualified label.

o   Emphasise your willingness to learn instead of merely seeking more challenges

o   Show that you are reliable, responsible, and committed for any job given to you

o   Say that you are flexible with salary, without disregarding your worth

o   Show yourself that your ability can benefit the company bottom line

o   Show your loyalty and trust for the company

o   Show that your experience can be used to mentor or teach younger co-worker and that you are willingly doing so.

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