What Is "Being Overqualified"? And How Can You Overcome It?

Being overqualified isn't always a death sentence to your job search; here are some ways to overcome the stigma.

Have you ever been told that you are overqualified for a position? It it a phrase that gets tossed around a lot, and it can be hard to understand exactly what it means. When you are looking for a job, there are times when it can really make sense to accept a job working in a lower capacity than your previous experience.

If this is the case for you, there are some things you can do to overcome the idea that being overqualified for a job is a bad thing. First, you have to understand why employers are hesitant to hire people who exceed their requirements.

Here are 3 reasons employers may not consider someone who is overqualified, and how to overcome them:

1. They think that you would be unhappy making less money – If your previous jobs have paid you considerably more than the job is offering, the employer may have a valid concern. To them, it may seem that you would be unhappy over the long term and would quickly start looking for a new job. It isn't worth the time and money to hire someone who is going to be unhappy and leave, rather than hire someone who will be challenged and stay in the position.
   
   
   How to overcome this:
   If you are serious about taking a lesser paying job, be sure to mention it during the interview. Explain that you have given it some thought and are more concerned about the job rather than the salary. If you had a considerably more senior title at your previous job, tell the interviewer that your last company was generous with their titles and that the job they have open is one that you would be very happy with.
   
   
2. They think that people who are accustomed to being leaders don't don't make good followers – Many times, this is true. People who are used to being the boss may have trouble adjusting to having to answer to someone else. This makes hiring managers hesitant to put you in a job where you might become unhappy or cause problems.
   
   
   How to overcome:
   During an interview, make sure that you demonstrate that you are able to be managed. You might do this by asking about the management style of the person you would be reporting to. This will show them that you expecting to be a follower.
   
   
3. They are worried that you might be resistant to learning new things – When you have been working at a higher level for many years, employers may be concerned that you will be resistant to learning new things at the lower level. It's common for people who have a larger knowledge base to go into the situation thinking that they already know everything and that there is nothing new to learn.
   
   
   How to overcome this:
   Get active online and set up your professional networking accounts. Mention your Twitter account during the interview. Ask questions and show them that you are someone who can adapt to new changes easily. This will demonstrate that you aren't stuck in your ways and that you will be able to make the most of any situation.

Being overqualified isn't always the kiss of death for your job search. They key is to first give some honest thought to whether or not you are someone who would be happy working in a lower capacity. Can you be happy with a smaller salary? Are you able to learn new things in any position, or will you always think that you could do it better than the boss? Once you have made up your mind to look for a lower position, be sure to address that in your cover letter and be prepared to overcome the employers concerns during the interview.

Have you ever been told you were overqualified for a position? How did that go? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.