MightyRecruiterShould You Hire an Overqualified Candidate
You may be wary of hiring an overqualified candidate, but not so fast. There are actually some good reasons to consider adding an overly qualified worker to your team. Of course, you should consider the pros and cons of each individual carefully. You want someone who is motivated to work for your company, and you also want a person who plans to stick around to get the job done. No organization wants to pay a person while they’re continuing to look elsewhere. Here are some considerations to ponder when you’re interviewing an applicant with more education and experience than he or she needs for the position.
Passion for Your Organization
Does the overqualified candidate you are interviewing seem passionate about your company Some individuals will gladly take jobs they are overqualified for if they are truly excited about a company’s mission statement and/or products. Many topnotch businesses hire people they know have the capacity to be promoted or expand within the company. During the interview, draw the applicant out about why he or she wants to work for your organization. If you sense lots of positive energy about the position and/or company, he or she can bring that enthusiasm into your workplace.
Other Qualifications
If the overqualified candidate had less education, skill, and job history, would he or she be someone you’d be interested in hiring What are some of this person’s other qualifications, such as personality, drive, ethics, and overall fit with the company culture These traits and qualities can be even more important than a stellar resume. If everything else seems to fit, you can often work around the person’s over qualification.
Easy to Train
Has the person you’re considering hiring performed similar tasks at another company If so, this individual could be operating at full capacity with very little training. Knowing how to do the job right away can definitely be a plus, and can reduce transition time. When a new hire has extensive history within the industry, he or she can often hit the ground running and become a productive employee right from the start.
Leadership Potential
If there is room for growth in your company, hiring an overqualified candidate can be a smart decision. When you have highly skilled new employees, they can be in line to move up into leadership positions fairly quickly. Promoting from within the organization is always a wise move, so consider an applicant’s future leadership potential when hiring.
Addition of Short Term Value
Even if an overqualified candidate only stays six months to a year, he or she could still add value to your company. When a person can perform amazingly, has unique skills to share, and possesses the ability to do a stellar job while employed, even having him or her on board for a short time can be beneficial. This person probably has tips and tricks to teach your other employees, which can help your company for months or even years after he or she has moved on.
Future Goals
In addition to surveying a potential employee about his or her past qualifications, it’s important to find out about future goals. This is especially true of an overqualified candidate. During your question-and-answer session, have this applicant detail his or her future goals. If your company aligns with for his or her career path, then this could be a good fit. If you don’t see a meshing of goals and objectives, chances are it wouldn’t be a good long-term solution for either of you.
Work and Lifestyle Balance
Does your company offer a balanced lifestyle If so, this could be why overqualified applicants are seeking employment with your organization. There are plenty of highly trained professionals who would rather make less money and work for a business that values lifestyle balance than earn a higher salary for 70-hour workweeks. This is especially true of young parents and others who value their family and personal time. If your company culture is laid back and comfortable, you will likely attract overqualified individuals to your job openings.
Trial Basis
One solution that may work for your company and the overqualified applicant is to try each other out for a limited period of time. If you can work out a temporary arrangement before signing on for the long haul, it could be a win-win for all concerned.
Just because a person is overqualified for a job doesn’t mean you should avoid hiring him or her. This person might be just the right one for your vacant position. For more tips and tools to help you hire topnotch team members, check out the resources on Mighty Recruiter.