The economic recession has increased the number of cases of candidates with higher qualifications than necessary applying for lower-level jobs. Recruiters, however, still have the same tendency to reject these applicants. Ken Steers, HR Director of the Cordant Group, wrote about it on the British HR Magazine website. He also points to the fact that this practice does not make sense in today's job market any longer.
Traditional arguments for not hiring overqualified candidates include concerns that they will soon get bored or that they are only applying because they can't find anything better at the moment. They probably have very low self-esteem, they lack motivation, and they are just simply too weird. Do you really think this is still true? Today's job seekers include many skilled people who have lost good paying jobs in high positions in recent years. HR professionals should talk with them to find out what their motivation is, and begin to perceive them as opportunities to achieve high returns on their investments on these candidates' salaries.
"Think about it. If you filled all your vacancies with people that want to progress and develop quickly, and you are unable to offer that progression as soon as they would like, would the benefits of employing people with enhanced skills outweigh the cost of re-recruitment?" asks Ken Steers. Note that during the recession, people reconsidered what they expect from their life and work. Now they are more interested in trying new things and you should be able to use this enthusiasm. Hiring experienced candidates can also help your talent program.
How to conduct interviews with "overqualified" candidates
1. Say you know that he or she is overqualified. At the same time, however, invite the applicant to convince you that you should hire him. You should want to know what interests him about the company and the lower-level position being offered.
2. Talk about where he would fit within the corporate structure. If he was previously a manager, and now he applies for a position of an ordinary staff worker, you should want to know how he can adapt.
3. Talk about your corporate values and the personal values of the candidate.
4. Explain what skills are required from the position being offered. Find out how the candidate's additional skills and knowledge can be beneficial for the role and the entire company.
5. Be honest about the career advancement opportunities you offer and in what timeframe.
6. Verify your observations from the interview with the candidate using psychometric tools.
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