4 job interview questions for overqualified candidates, answered
4 job interview questions for overqualified candidates, answered
It’s not unusual in today’s job market to apply for jobs you’re overqualified for. There are many factors why overqualified candidates might apply for jobs that don’t fully utilise their skills and experience. Layoffs, relocation, making a career change, taking on a less stressful job for personal reasons – these are just a few reasons one might feel compelled to apply for a lower-level job. Hence, the need for a helpful guide on job interview questions for overqualified candidates.
While employers would generally favour underqualified to overqualified candidates for fear of the latter leaving for a job that’s a better fit, it boils down to how you sell yourself. If you manage to land an interview, well done! The employer obviously sees something they like on your resume. Now comes the tricky part: convincing him/her that you’re worth the leap of faith.
Here are a few of the most common job interview questions for overqualified candidates, and our recommended approaches to answering them:
Question: Why are you interested in a job you’re overqualified for?
Answer: Honesty is the best policy here. Don’t belittle your skills and experience – false modesty will come across as superficial and insincere. Acknowledge that it’s a perfectly valid question, and answer by highlighting your desire to learn about the company or industry from the ground up, so you can learn all the ins and outs of the new job and industry.
You should also share about the circumstances that have led to you applying for the job: whether you’ve been recently laid off, going through a career change, relocated, in the market for a less stressful job, or something else.
Q: What are the chances that you’ll leave if a better offer comes along?
Answer: Remember to stick to the honest approach. Don’t deny the possibility that you’ll consider leaving for a better job. Rather, say something along the lines of, ‘It’s always possible that a better career opportunity might come along, but I have a policy of staying with the same employer for at least two years, if not more, barring unforeseen circumstances that might require a premature departure.’ Hopefully you’ll have a solid employment history you can use to demonstrate your reliability.
This is where you’ll score bonus points over a less qualified candidate: your track record will vouch for your professional integrity as opposed to someone with half your experience.
Question: How sure are you that you’ll still find the job stimulating after the first year?
Answer: Highlight the fact that you’re focused on the complete package rather than just the day-to-day job requirements. Talk about how important it is for you to find an employer that offers the right cultural fit in terms of values, working environment, diversity, creativity, career growth, etc. Impress upon the interviewer that you’re more concerned about the long-term career prospects with the organisation rather than the short-term challenges.
Question: What makes you the best candidate for the job when there are more appropriately qualified individuals?
Answer: Sell your unique combination of experience and skills for the job, whatever they are. Maybe you have extensive experience in crisis management, or an impeccable record in hitting sales targets. What’s vital is for you to identify the immediate priorities of the team you’re hoping to be a part of, and to pitch your knowledge and expertise in relation to that. Having too much experience can make you a valuable asset, if you sell yourself the right way. You just have to look at it from the employer’s perspective and put their needs first.
While overqualified candidates have unique job hunting challenges to face, at the end of the day, it’s all about how you present and sell your skills. YOU are your product, after all – make it your mission to market and sell your values in the best way possible.
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