Last week I had a second interview with one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For”…the company shall rename nameless. I had all the qualifications for the job. After getting called back for a 2nd interview I was really pumped about working for this company. The second interview went so well I walked out of the office thinking I had the job…

Less than a week later I got a call from someone in their HR department (who did not interview me) saying that they really liked me and thought that I would be great for the position, but that I was “overqualified”. They didn’t think I would be “challenged” enough in the position.

Unfortunately this has been happening to many of us recent grads. The quote “Overqualified and Under Experienced” has been said to many Gen-Y’s. Now how does “over qualified and under experienced” make any sence. I feel like you can’t be both.

Heather Huhman, of Come Recommended, calls it a “cop-out” and I must agree with her.

“Personally, I think this word is a complete cop-out employers use when there is some other reason (or perhaps no good reason) they don’t choose a particular candidate.”

What doesn’t make sence to me is, with all the candidates out there why would a company not pick the best of the best? Why would you not want someone who you think is “overqualified”? Also if this is a cop-out as Huhman states, what employers don’t realize is that this does not help the candidate?

Myself and many others, even if we don’t get the job, use these interview as experience. We learn how to present ourselves better to our potential employers. The only thing that this interview showed me, with the feedback they gave, is that I made myself look too good. This doesn’t help me at all.

I recently read an article that gave 10 tactics to fighting the overqualified label and a couple of them really made a lot of sence to me:

  1. Take salary off the table. I am working part-time as a barista for slightly above minimum wage. I really didn’t care what the position paid (to an extent) as long as I wasn’t getting taken advantage of. I am looking for a full-time job where I can use my degree.
  2. Demonstrate loyalty. I think one fear employers have with hiring a Gen-Y who is in their eyes “overqualified” is that if something better (more $$) comes along they are out the door. I think this is a huge stereotype of Gen-Y. Employers should not assume this.
  3. Everything in moderation. I have done A LOT since graduation, dabbled in a little bit of everything (quite frequently two or three things at the same time). I use that in my interview as a multi tasking skill. This might have made me seem like I wouldn’t be challenged.

To read the full article click HERE.

Lastly I want to pass on what Huhman stated in her recent article: I Hate the Word “Overqualified”

“Employers: Stop taking the easy road and get to know this top talent! Maybe they don’t end up being a fit for another reason, but “overqualified” just doesn’t make sense.”

Have you or someone you know experienced this? Tell me about it.