How to Handle Being Overqualified in a Job Interview

How to Handle Being Overqualified in a Job InterviewHow to Handle Being Overqualified in a Job Interview20Youre in the middle of a great job interview. The hiring manager is dazzled by your answers and you feel confident. But as he starts to rattle off some of the finer details of the position, something suddenly dawns on you.Youre overqualified for the job.Contrary to popular belief, being overqualified for a job is not a badeanstalt thing. What can hurt your chances for being hired is how you react to the situation. If youre still interested in the job, heres how to handle being overqualified in a job interview.Admit your concern. You might think its better to avoid the topic of you being overqualified in a job interview. Thing is, if you realized that youre overqualified, chances are that the person interviewing you has too. Pretending that it isnt an issue could be construed negatively by your potentially employer, so its best to address being overqualified during the job intervi ew. You can say something like, I know that based on my experience it may seem that Im overqualified, but I would appreciate the opportunity to show how I could be the perfect candidate for the position.Focus on your accomplishments. Upon realizing that you are overqualified for the job, you may want to downplay your strong skill set. In fact, you should do the opposite. When you are vying for any job, your main objective should be to show how you are a perfect match for the position. The only way youre going to sway a hiring manager into considering you for the job is to show how your skills and past workplace experiences make you an asset to the company. So bring up your skills and strengths- such as your ability to communicate well working in a remote job or how you are a great team player- and show how they relate to the job at hand.Express your interest to learn. A hiring manager might be reticent to consider you for a job because he may feel that youre going to get bored in th e position. So its up to you to show that there are indeed aspects of the job that will be new to you- and that you are very interested in. You can stress your interest in learning about the companys culture or that youre intrigued by where they are headed in the future- and that you want to be a part of it. By being interested in the company, youll show that youre eager to learn- and grown in- your new position.Offer a commitment. Another deterrent to hiring an overqualified job candidate is the fear that theyll jump ship after a few months. Calm your potential boss fears by offering a firm time commitment should you be offered the job. Let him know that you are interested in the job and would love to stay with the company for at least one to two years. Or better yet, ask the interviewer what sort of time commitment are they hoping for with this position, and then meet their commitment. Giving a commitment might just be what takes to convince your interviewer that you are truly int erested in the job.(Dont) talk dollars. Your prospective boss might want to cut the interview short once he realizes that youre overqualified for the job and possibly out of his pay range. Beat him to the punch and express to him that you are flexible regarding your salary. Let him know that while money (and happiness) are important to you, you also hope to find personal satisfaction in this new position for years to come.Being overqualified in a job interview can be a good thing if you know how to handle it correctly. By playing to your strengths and showing genuine interest in the position, the job can become yours in no time.Readers, have you ever found yourself overqualified in a job interview? How did you handle it? Let us know about your experiences in the comments section below