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SALT LAKE CITY -- In a way, now is a great time for a company to hire someone who is overqualified.
OCM Lee Hecht Harrison CEO Dave Hilbig said, "The work-life balance thing has gotten out of balance. With all the (recent) layoffs, many people are doing the job of two or three previous employees."
Hilbig says the overqualified employees can do two or three jobs at the same time quite effectively.
Employers know hiring someone with too good of a resume is risky. They know that the job applicant they're interviewing probably could land a higher paying position somewhere else, so bosses are very apprehensive to hire someone who may get bored and leave. But Hilbig says these employers may not realize some of these job applicants have already worked heavy schedules in the past and they're ready to slow down.
"There are also people that have been burned out in these ‘higher, more challenging jobs,' and they're ready to step back and realize they need to get more balance and control in their lives," he said.
Hilbig says there are some ways someone looking for a job can overcome being overqualified.
Be the right fit
Did you ever see the 2004 movie called "Miracle" about the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team? Kurt Russell portrays head coach Herb Brooks and has a line that says, "I'm not looking for the best players, Craig. I'm looking for the right ones." Hilbig says employers have this mindset, too.
The boss needs to feel like you will be getting something out of the company, other than money, by working there. They need to know that you will fit within the set of values the company has, and that you'll work well with the other employees. He says job hopefuls should show how they have ties to the area they'd be working in and that they applied for the job because they respect the culture and the innovation the company is making.
Give them what they're looking for
If a job posting requires someone to have "a bachelor's degree in this field and at least five years of experience," it may be a mistake to highlight the fact that you have a PhD. and 15 years of experience.
"[You have to] listen to what their needs are and if they're not looking for a PhD. Then that would be something I would recommend to clients that possibly they leave off of the resume," said Karla Stoker, Client Services vice president.
Stoker says the best way to make an employer feel comfortable about hiring you is to highlight specific things you have learned over the years, and show them how your experience matches what they're looking for.
Salary
This is a very tricky thing to negotiate because some companies use a person's salary range as a screening tool. If it's too low, they assume the applicant doesn't have enough experience. If it's too high, the employer may be scared to hire you. Stoker says you should try to find out the company's salary range before you arrange the first interview, but not every employer will divulge that information up front.
"You kind of have to read their body language to see if you blew them out of the water, maybe, with your range," Stoker said.
If the employer becomes quiet, looks down or appears nervous, you may have scared him. But, she says follow-up questions like, "Are you comfortable with that range?" can reopen any discussions about the potential salary, and you may be able to help the person interviewing you become less anxious about it.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
