12 Questions To Ask An Overqualified Job Candidate

The next time you need to hire someone, you’re bound to see all sorts of job candidates apply. It’s your job to sort through the applicant pool and pick the best one for the job.

As an HR professional, you’ll see resumes and cover letters from all sorts of applicants. Some are a good match for the job and others don’t stand a chance of getting hired. That’s the nature of the game. But let’s be honest, often the applicants that make HR pros the most nervous are the overqualified applicants.

Is Hiring An Under Qualified Candidate A Bad Idea?

An overqualified job candidate isn’t something to be afraid of. Of course, hiring an overqualified job candidate can have a few potential pitfalls, but what if that individual wants the job for the right reasons and will ultimately be a major contributor to your company?

Employers often avoid hiring overqualified job candidates because they tend to be bored at the new job, don’t stick around very long, are unmotivated, underperform, are easily annoyed at management, and want higher pay rates. But in today’s modern working world, it’s becoming abundantly clear that this is no longer the reality.

9 Secrets To Hiring The Best People

According to SmallBizTrends.com, “overqualified employees performed better at their jobs than the average employee.”
They are also more enthusiastic, more loyal, and more willing to bring fresh ideas to the table. These are often contagious traits that can have a positive impact on your entire office.

To determine if an overqualified job candidate is the right person for your company to hire, you need to ask the right questions:

• Would you hire this person if they were not overqualified?
• Is the person passionate about the job?
• Is the applicant passionate about the company?
• What type of management style do they appreciate?
• Why are they applying to a position they are overqualified for?
• Do they really understand what the job entails?
• Are they willing to work for less money?
• What are their long term plans?
• How long have they been looking for work?
• What type of experience do they really have? Is it applicable?
• How can their expertise help your company?
• What motivates them?

Always be open and honest when hiring an overqualified job candidate. It’s imperative that they know what to expect if they are hired for the job. It’s also smart to check their references to see if other professionals think they would be a good hire.

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There are always risk associated with hiring a new employee. Usually hiring someone who is overqualified is more beneficial than risky. Even if a job candidate is clearly overqualified, don’t dismiss them. They could be the best employee you’ll ever have.