When sifting through resumes for an open position, it’s common practice to put the overqualified candidates in the recycling bin with the under-qualified candidates. There’s a great deal of bias against overqualified candidates, despite the fact that the term “overqualified” covers a wide range of situations. A CEO probably wouldn’t be very happy in the mailroom, but a lead developer could do well in a more general programming position.
You don’t want to spend your time training and developing a less qualified candidate if you don’t have to. It’s true that doing so will build a loyal, skilled employee, but why go through the process if you already know of someone who’s qualified and interested in the job? Don’t screen out overqualified employees in the resume round. Bring them in for an interview so that you can find out the answers to ease the most common fears about overqualified candidates:
- Will they be bored? Sometimes it’s difficult for an overqualified candidate to be hired, so they’re grateful for a job in their field, regardless of hierarchy. Just make sure they’ll be fulfilled in their new position.
- Will they cost too much? If you advertise salary ranges with your job descriptions, you don’t need to worry about this, as the candidate applied knowing how much was offered. They may ask for more, but this doesn’t make them any different from a candidate who knows how to negotiate.
- Will they quit? If you’re worried about turnover, try to determine if they’re genuinely interested in your company. Have they done research about you? Are they familiar with what you accomplish, and excited to be part of it, or are they waiting for something better to come along?
- Are their skills up to date? If they haven’t used their lower-level skills in some time, it’s fair to wonder if they can still do so. However, depending on their last position, they may have had more of a hands-on approach than you think.
Are you looking for a perfect job candidate? Contact a recruiting specialist at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today and leave the recruiting to us! We can find you the right person to suit your company’s needs so you don’t have to worry about it.