You’re Overqualified…!

Because job search, and especially interviewing, are self-marketing and sales activities, you’ll have to think like a sales person when answering questions and overcoming objections during an interview.

When you’re invited to an interview, you’ve been selected based on your apparent qualifications, as described on the resume and, perhaps, a telephone or screening interview. Once in the interview, you’ll be asked probing questions, and objections will be raised about your experience and qualifications. It’s up to you, the interviewee, to work hard to overcome any objection to your candidacy.

If the overqualified issue comes up, you’ll need to work through it by stating that you don’t believe you’re overqualified, and you would like to continue the discussion to see how you might best fit in and contribute to their team. Often the word “overqualified” is simply a code word for possible high salary expectations and the person is probably looking for too much money.

Some companies have a practice of paying lower base salaries than the market. If you share your current base salary with an interviewer from that type of company, you’re immediately at a disadvantage because you’ll be categorized as “overqualified”. So it’s essential to answer during an interview that the position and opportunity are most important to you and try to overcome the objection the company representative raised.

Also, you may respond by asking if there’s a perceived salary issue behind the overqualified statement. If the answer is yes, ask if the person could share the salary range for the particular position you’re discussing. Then indicate that the range would be OK, depending upon the entire package of benefits and incentives. Don’t get yourself into a position of negotiating with the interviewer, just comment that although salary is important, what’s more important to you is contributing to the success of the team or company. In other words, get off the topic and back on to what you can do for the company.

Your objective during the interview process is to receive a job offer. After you have that offer in hand, you’ll be able to enter into a negotiation discussion from a position of strength.

I hope this discussion helps you overcome the “overqualified” comment in your next interview.

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Career Checkup

Beginning Of Year an Ideal Time To Perform A Thorough Career Check-Up


The beginning of a new year is a great time to perform a thorough Career Check-Up to assess how well your career is progressing, according to Right Management, the world’s largest outplacement company.

Career Delta’s expert resource says “It’s an ideal time to take a realistic look at where you are now, where you expect to be going forward, and how satisfied you are with both,” “With the start of a new year, people like to make new beginnings, if necessary.”

However, many people make decisions about their jobs and careers – whether to change employers, or go into a different line of work – based on only one or two factors, instead of performing a comprehensive career assessment. Or they allow perceived slights and inequalities to outweigh other, more important considerations.

“People sometimes make instinctive, snap decisions about their careers depending on how they are getting along with their bosses at the time, how well they are being paid, and whether they have been promoted recently. While each of these components is important, decisions about whether to change jobs and/or careers need to be based on a range of factors.”

Many employees make a hasty job change due to one isolated incident, and often later regret making a move.. Also, it may be at least slightly more difficult to find new employment in 2007 than in the previous year.

Even though employers added 132,000 jobs to their payrolls in November, the total of new payroll jobs created from January through November 2006 – approximately 1.64 million – is about 11 percent less than for the same period last year (1.84 million), according to the U.S. Labor Department. And the unemployment rate – which is still at a five-year low – remained steady in December at 4.5 percent.

“Don’t make a knee-jerk reaction based on one meeting or one lackluster performance review. The grass isn’t always greener”.

The four components of a thorough Career Check-Up include evaluations of your employer’s situation; the marketability of your career; your own professional development; and any personal preferences, needs, or desires, according to Matthews.

· Assess Your Employer’s Situation: How well your employer is performing financially is an important component. “Are sales and market share increasing or decreasing? Is your employer an innovator in its field, and keeping up to date with the latest technology? What is your company’s reputation in your industry and community, and how would this affect your own career goals?,” Matthews asked.

· Evaluate Your Career Marketability: The current demand for your skills, and whether you have kept them and your professional knowledge up to date, are critical factors. “Those with the most marketable careers are working in industries that are doing well, performing job functions that are in demand, have kept their knowledge and skills up to date, and have a network of professional contacts with whom they’ve regularly kept in touch,” Matthews said.

· Your Own Professional Development: How your skills are being used in your current job, and your potential for future career growth, should also be evaluated. “Are you in a job that capitalizes on your interests and strengths, and are you regularly learning something new? How often are your input and ideas sought, and is your advice taken? What is the potential to advance further with your current employer?,” Matthews asked.

· Your Personal Preferences: Factors such as how much you enjoy your job, and how you feel about getting up each day and going into work, should also be weighed. “Is your job still personally satisfying, or do you dread going into work? Has your workload been interfering with your personal life? Have you been thinking about making some kind of change – switching industries, job functions, working for a smaller company, or having fewer responsibilities?,” Matthews asked.

Those who decide that their current job situations are promising and rewarding will appreciate the validation they receive from conducting a thorough Career Check-Up, Matthews.said. “People who uncover areas that they need to work on may want to address these with their bosses. Those with mostly negative answers should realize that their career prospects with their current employers may be limited, and it may be in their best interests to examine other job possibilities.”

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