Are Employers Less Likely To Hire Someone Over Qualified?

I've always wondered this. Myself and others I know have been in between jobs off and on throughout the last several years. And during these down times I've applied to jobs that were beneath my skill level, only to be turned down, and other people who were less experienced and educated got the job instead.

Could it be that someone who is overqualified might make employers worry that they won't stick around very long, and actively seek something bigger and better?

 

It depends on the job. Walmart doesn't pay squat for a door greeter or whatever for at least the first few years and doesn't care if you don't stick around. Any job that actually pays a living wage will want someone who sticks around. Notably, the only criteria ever discovered for predicting someone's career potential is the amount of working memory they possess. My father likes to say that all a college degree proves is that you can be trained. My sister double majored in mechanical engineering and English, but got a job managing and programming computers. She never forgets anything and studies have indicated that those with better memories are less creative. In other words, everyone wants robots on their payroll and technology is already making that a reality.

 

i agree that it depends on the job. personally, i've never been denied a job for that reason, but i know people who claim that they have. but, those same people never really seem to try to get jobs, so i sometimes wonder if they're just using that as an excuse.

when i was fresh out of grad school, i was hired for a job that i was overqualified for, and my boss said right away that he was concerned that i wouldn't stick around. and he was right, something better came along after just one year.

 

I personally have no experience with this sort of thing however my wife has made such claims against potential employers many a time. I.e. She applied to burger King once yet because of her having been to chefs college they rejected her

 

Over qualified?

That's just a nice way of saying "you're a dickhead and we don't want you".

 

^^
Very few employers want the over 40s.