Overqualified

I worry about being thought overqualified.  I have a master's degree, sure, in a field that promotes critical thinking...but also a field that ought to be as renowned as teaching for attracting workers who will slave for the joy of solving the problem, and accept remarkably low pay for the skills they bring to the table.

Here's some interesting advice:

“I told the hiring manager, ‘I agree. I’m more than qualified for the job, but that means I’ll be able to come in, hit the ground running, create desired results in a short time and require virtually zero management. I can operate as your wing man, and together we can really get the job done fast and well.’” Kanzler landed the job and worked for the company for several years.

Mathison agrees that sometimes it pays to get the issue on the table and ask the prospective employers if they see any pluses to your candidacy based on your higher qualifications. “Tell them that you too had concerns that the job might not be a fit but applied because factors beyond the title were important to you. Promise that if at any point you feel the job appears too low or not one where you will bring the full engagement needed to excel in the position, you will withdraw your candidacy. Your willingness to walk away tells them you are motivated if you stay in the game.”

So listen up, prospective employers of once-were-architects:

We're great systems analysts - we've been trained to look carefully at all the angles of a situation, and prepare useful and good-looking reports.  We spent every single semester in school making multiple public speaking presentations, and followed up in the workplace impressing municipal boards and church building committees.  We've crunched construction budgets and schedules, learned graphic software over a long weekend, cobbled together websites for the Parade of Homes.  We've nurtured relationships with clients, engineers, municipal inspectors, builders, sales reps, and suppliers - many of whom only seem to exist on the phone or via the inbox.  Every time we sat down with a client we sold things seen and unseen: square footage and energy efficiency, easy-maintenance floor tile and foundation drainage,  paint colors and property values.

Well, at least I did.  You really want to hire me.

Comments

[Deirdre]

Yours is a fantastic and positive take on this issue. May I share this with my Crossroads Career development class?