Experienced job hunters are tired of hearing, "You're overqualified."
"Why can't I be the judge of that?" one job hunter asked.
"Why wouldn't they want someone who's better than what they asked for?" asked another.
The answers lie in dissecting what "overqualified" means.
It could mean the prospective employer thinks you earned too much in your past job to be happy at the budgeted pay level.
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Or you wouldn't do well reporting to younger bosses.
Or you'd look for something better as soon as the job market improves.
Or you'd be bored and become an attitude problem.
Any or all of those preconceptions could be faulty. But how do you counter them?
Start by recognizing upfront that "overqualified" is an easy way to cull the applicant pool. So tackle the issue head-on.
If and when you get a chance to speak to the recruiter or hiring manager, sell your energy and eagerness for the job.
Say it's not so important to you at this point in your career to apply all your skills, but rather to contribute to the organization's success.
Say that you've always been able to find avenues for growth and satisfaction in every job you've had.
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Say you haven't found it necessary in the past to jump ship to find professional stimulation.
Point out, if it's true, that you've never been a job hopper.
Many employers these days will ask for your long-term goals or where you see yourself in five years.
Say that you're at a point in your life where "the next step up" isn't as important as making a positive difference in what you're doing at the moment.
If money seems to be the big issue, say (if it's the case) that you're at a point in your life where your expenses aren't as high as they once were and you'll be comfortable earning less.
There's no guarantee you can head "you're overqualified" off at the pass. But you'll never know if you don't try.
