How Do I Overcome Being Overqualified?

Many applicants worry about not having the right skills to advance their careers, but having too many job skills can also hurt you. In a competitive market, it's not unusual to apply for jobs that don't require the level of experience you have in the industry. If you are an overqualified candidate, follow these tips to improve your chances of getting a job.

Customize your cover letter and resume for every potential employer. You have to be honest about your job skills and work experience, but there's no law that says you have to list every job you've ever held. If you have only held one or two jobs, omit some of your most advanced job skills from your resume. A potential employer doesn't need to know that you have a project manager certification if you are applying for an entry-level clerical position, for example.

You should also omit advanced degrees from your resume and cover letter if your degree isn't relevant to a particular job. Someone applying for an IT support position probably has a better chance of getting an interview if she removes her master's degree in business administration from her resume. If a potential employer asks if you have an advanced degree, you shouldn't lie about it, but you don't have to broadcast the information.

If you feel you are an overqualified candidate, ask people in your network for job leads. Don't limit yourself to applying for jobs you see listed in the newspaper or your favorite job search website. If a professional contact is willing to refer you to a potential employer, you might be able to bypass the initial screening process. When you speak directly with the hiring manager, you have a better chance of emphasizing the skills most relevant to the job opening and downplaying some of your more advanced job skills.

Job skills are important, but you also need to let potential employers know about your past achievements. If a hiring manager is concerned that you are overqualified, use past experiences to demonstrate your value as an employee. Let hiring managers know if you saved your previous employer a lot of money or streamlined a process to improve efficiency. Demonstrating your worth may be enough to overcome the hiring manager's initial concerns.

Many employers are hesitant to hire overqualified applicants because they worry about increased turnover. If a potential employer expresses this concern, show that you have a history of loyalty to your employers. This tactic only works if you have a history of staying with a company for several years, so don't try it if you tend to switch jobs after a year or 18 months.

Even with the right job skills, it can be difficult to make it past the initial screening process. If you feel you are overqualified for a particular job, improve your chances of getting an interview by downplaying advanced skills and removing past jobs from your resume.

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