Reason: "I’m sorry, you are just too good at what you do to do it here – you have too much great experience, knowledge, and practical skills. We just can’t risk hiring someone who really knows what they are doing and has a proven record of success.” Ridiculous? Of course! “Overqualified” is not a real thing. Behind the “overqualified” excuse usually lurks biases and/or fears such as Ageism, an assumption that the person will not accept a lower salary or respect a less experienced manager, or perhaps a fear that the person will get bored or is actually after the hiring manager’s job. When you hear “overqualified” as the reason for eliminating a candidate, probe why. Many assumptions can be addressed simply by asking the candidate. For example; ”Are you willing to accept this salary?”, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”, “What are your goals for this job – what does success look like to you?”.
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