Career Tune-Up February 2007

March 2007

Photo of Businesswoman reading newspaper

In today’s tight employment market, job seekers are finding limited opportunities in their areas of expertise. Many out-of-work candidates, feeling the economic pinch, are applying for jobs requiring less skills and experience than they have and are surprised that being “overqualified” presents a difficult challenge.

Companies are looking for applicants who fulfill the position requirements and will be motivated to stay with an organization for a long time. Potential employers are hesitant to hire candidates possessing too many years of experience or advanced degrees. Objections to overqualified candidates tend to focus on several issues. Employers fear that the applicant’s skills are beyond the scope of this position and they will be bored and unmotivated or will leave if/when a better offer is presented. The salary and benefits may be well-below previous earnings. Some applicants could intimidate colleagues who are less experienced and will have difficulties working as part of the team. Candidates must take the employers objections seriously. Convince the employer that you are highly motivated and the best candidate for the position. Combat the concerns of potential employers using facts and real-life examples:
	Focus more on skills and accomplishments than job titles. Match the desired skills with your experience and avoid higher-level skills that aren’t relevant to the open position. List professional experience for only the past 10 to 15 years on your resume.
	Utilize your networking contacts to make the first pitch. Their strong recommendation can offset concerns the hiring manager may have when reviewing your resume.
	Emphasize your interest in working for this particular organization. Be aware of possibilities for future growth and advancement. Demonstrate your loyalty by pointing out length of service in previous positions.
	State that compensation is a negotiable item and that previous salary is irrelevant in your current job search. Discuss the financial advantages of hiring you; provide examples of how you’ve increased company revenues or decreased costs. Emphasize how you could immediately contribute to the organization. They can’t afford to not hire you!
	Express interest and enthusiasm! A positive attitude can be contagious.
If you are still suffering from the overqualified label, ask the hiring manager, “What can I do to convince you that I am the best candidate for this position?” The Career Exploration Office staff is available to help you develop a resume and interviewing style that emphasizes your qualifications. Contact us at 614-292-3503, 292-8493, or careerexploration@osu.edu.

Have an interest in teaching, but don’t have an education degree? Teach For America is a national program that prepares and helps place college graduates in teaching positions. Participants train in a 5-week summer program and start teaching in the fall. They receive the same starting salary and benefits as other teachers. Following their 2-year commitment, many Teach For America participants decide to earn their credentials and continue teaching; others pursue careers in fields such as business, healthcare, public policy, and law. Teach For America seeks applicants who have a bachelor’s degree, leadership ability, and perseverance. To learn more, visit www.teachforamerica.org.

The Buckeye Job Board is a job posting site offered through the Career Exploration Office. Ohio State alumni, continuing education students and other clients of the CEO are invited to view full-time career opportunities with employers seeking experienced candidates for open positions. Employers/recruiters are invited to post open positions for 30 days. There is no fee to use this service. For more information, visit www.careers.ohiostatealumni.org or call 614-292-3503 or 292-8493.

You have received this email in response to an inquiry made to the Career Exploration Office. If you do not wish to receive the CEO Career Tune-Up, please send your request to be removed from the mailing list to careerexploration@osu.edu.

Career Exploration Office, 152 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1002
(614) 292-8493 or (614) 292-3503, www.careers.ohiostatealumni.org, e-mail: careerexploration@osu.edu.