In Rochester Business Journal today, Kathleen Driscoll's column discusses the factors an employer should weigh when considering the hiring of someone who, on paper, appears overqualified for the job. On the one hand, the employer gets an employee who requires little if any training and who can contribute from the moment he or she walks in the door. On the other hand, what really motivates someone to take a job that is clearly beneath a previous pay-grade? Would your job be simply a temporary gig, a stepping stone between two bigger jobs? Will the potential employee be willing to stay for the long-haul?
Driscoll interviews a consultant who offers a common-sense suggestion: hire the supposedly overqualified person on contract for a certain period of time and see how it goes. These days so many people are freelancers, hired guns who bring expertise to particular projects on an ad hoc basis. Companies often put new employees on some kind of 3 to 6 month trial period. The only difference is that this time you won't have to pay for their health insurance. Employers shouldn't let the long-term picture obscure the near-term need. It may be safer to go with the younger, less-qualified candidate in hopes of "grooming" them for the future, but you may also lose the expertise the more-experienced candidate brings to the table from the get-go.
Often established employees feel threatened by a new hire whose resume seems way too impressive for the job he or she is hired. A contract situation allows everyone to get used to the idea.
As a stay-at-home-mom for 6-years, I've been applying for jobs I would not have considered prior to leaving my last job. But I'm looking for a way back into the workforce, with different priorities than I would have had a decade ago. I want to work in a creative, flexible environment with fun people in a place where accomplishment is rewarded. I want a livable salary and benefits. What I offer a potential employer is professional experience in a high-pressure environment and a willingness to work as hard and as long as it takes to make the endeavor a success.
I'm one of those over-qualified people. Give me a try!
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