anecdote on overqualified job applicants

[Muttocracy]

I actually hate the term overqualified. Generally, you're either qualified or not, you're either able and willing to do a job or not. I've hated being kept out of jobs for being overqualified or overeducated.

Currently I'm putting together 2 jobs, and for one of them I would be considered overqualified. Better than when I was putting together 5 little jobs, so I'm not complaining. Anyway, I can relate to people needing to take a job to make ends meet, and maybe you just need the location, hours, whatever to make things work, and you're grateful to have a job.

But I'm going through some applications for a job posting, part-time website management and some low-level programming. We have applicants who have done serious programming and engineering at big corporations, and they're applying for a part-time much lower-level job. What the...?! Is this the state of the IT economy in the U.S.? Or I wonder if some of them are interested because at least it has benefits?

[gateley]

1. At my last job (pharmaceutical - biotech)

a woman from the Temp agency we used talked of people going into their agency with impressive degrees, and taking $10/hr jobs. Just because they needed a job! And with temp agencies, they didn't get benefits.

And this was well over a year ago when I had this conversation with her.

[Muttocracy]

7. Yeah, I did the temp agency applications but they didn't want part-time

I had one part-time job that paid well, and they needed full-time people, so the temp agency thing never panned out.

[Firespirit]

2. This is the state of the IT economy in the U.S.

It's why younger IT professionals are being kept out of the market. The older ones are also unemployed and get hired for the entry-level jobs. I speak from personal experience on this that the typical job for an IT professional who graduated in 2002 or since then is to work at Starbucks, and your anecdote offers a good explanation for why.

[Muttocracy]

8. I'm not in IT myself, so I wondered

I am in a college town where they say your restaurant waiter most likely has a least a Master's degree. The competition for meaningful jobs is fierce here, and people drive from far away to work in this town too. Several of the applicants are clearly people who transitioned a few years ago from manufacturing (used to be the backbone of upstate NY of course) into IT, and now that must be failing them.

[Lisa0825]

3. I can see it from both sides....

I have been an employment counselor for a state workforce and am now in HR. I have worked hard to help people tone down resumes so they didn't look so overqualified. Now in HR, we are not allowed to use OQ as a reason for not selecting someone, but we ALL know that 9 times out of 10 if you choose someone who truly is OQ, they will leave as soon as they find something more fitting for their expertise, and no one wants to have to fill the same position twice.

I do some entry level IT positions... desktop support, first level network support, and entry level graphics, and I always get a ton of applicants with lots and lots of experience, multiple certs, etc. A lot of IT folks freelance or do contract jobs, so if your PT job includes benefits, that could be the draw. I find that to be the case at my company. We don't pay that great for IT, but have excellent benefits, and that is worth A LOT.

[Muttocracy]

5. That's what I'm thinking - benefits and a base,

and maybe they can make more money on other short-term projects.

[Firespirit]

9. If they don't have any choice but to do this, it's disgraceful commentary

about the state of things, but don't get me started on the idea of taking a job to get insurance... Nationalized Health Care is the only way to go.

However, if these folks do have another choice, I wish they'd take it. This is doubtless why young graduates in their 20s are hurting so bad, worse than any other age demographic.

[Muttocracy]

11. some people actually talked about looking for job security in their cover letters

I think to explain why they were jobhunting while currently employed. Makes me sad :( And I'm with you on the National Health Care. How stupid that the times I've been unemployed has been when I've been without insurance.

Let's hope young and old alike vote on issues like these this fall.

[Merlot]

15. Says who that people in their 20's are hurting so bad?

I think everyone's hurting. People in their 20's have a better chance at an entry level job than someone in their 30's or 40's with multiple degrees.

[Muttocracy]

16. I feel bad for both!

Bleeding heart liberal alert!

[Firespirit]

17. Well, this think tank did a study on it...

It was diaried at Daily Kos a few weeks ago. Link

Not meaning to suggest that other age groups aren't also hurting badly, just that the statistics are worst for this one.

[LostInAnomie]

4. I had that when I applied to be a teacher's aide.

I have a Master's in Secondary Education, and I was told that I was overqualified for the position. I said "Well, I'm not overqualified to eat and pay my rent".

[Muttocracy]

6. for a while I was stocking shelves and teaching community college

at the same time. Odd looks when my students saw me at my night job!

[ck4829]

10. Agree with you 100%

Just because someone is "overqualified" for a certain job, they still have to do little things, like having food on the table every night, for example.

[Muttocracy]

12. I hate interviewing for jobs when I'm on either side of the table

I hate it myself because I have no sales skills, and I hate rejecting people, especially by the time you get down to the people you actually call in for an interview. These days it's not like, well, they've got a great resume, they'll find something.

I'm lucky my current employer took a chance on me as an overqualified person (not being afraid I'd leave), and it does make me feel more loyal to them, actually.

[Firespirit]

13. In this economy, it is almost inconceivable

that an employer would worry about an overqualified person voluntarily leaving the job, as if there's such great opportunity out there. If this is still true, then the perception gap between the haves and the have-nots is even greater than I thought... or wanted to think, at any rate.

I hate, hate, hate the process as well. I think everyone must. "Don't show anxiety or nervousness," the career guides tell you. Yeah, okay... because nothing of any importance is riding on that interview, just your livelihood, maybe your house, your health, your ability to eat. No pressure. Then try interviewing as an Aspie, knowing that you automatically go in with that disadvantage in how you relate to people. No pressure.

[Muttocracy]

14. you make a good point - employee loyalty may go up, if not for the best of reasons

I have always felt about jobs, please, just let me take a test, or do the job for free for a few days, and then decide, but don't ask me those horrible behavioral/psychological questions. Fear of interviewing again makes me all the more loyal to my current jobs! When people get nervous in interviews I feel for them so much, because I'm the same way.

I'm not an Aspie, but I am an introverted scientist by training, and it's hard enough. :hug:

[dysfunctional press]

18. "overqualified" can also be used as code for "too damn old"

i have a 62-year old friend who's been looking for work, and he's been told by a bunch of places that he's "overqualified".

[Muttocracy]

19. True. I want to avoid that term applied to any of our applicants

Mostly I was just saddened to see people applying for jobs far under what they could be doing, and I don't think it's just for a more relaxing job or anything.