Rant: Why is being 'overqualified' such a problem?

jojo2004

Okay, rant alert:

I've been applying for temporary jobs for months now, through online temp agencies, going to see temp agencies in person, and through job websites, like gumtree and monster.
I have experience and skills which are relevant to the jobs I'm applying for. I need a temporary role as I am hoping to start a permanent job in October, but need to work in the interim. Here's the killer: I have a PhD. Apparently this makes me 'overqualified' for any job. Which is all very well, but I need a job. I'm applying for temp jobs because I'm aware it would be unfair to apply for permanent posts and then leave in a few months.

I don't have months and months to gain further experience/work as an intern/get another qualification. I need a job now. Does anyone have a suggestion? I've already taken my PhD off my cv (I have work experience which covers the full period of my doctorate), and still I get turned down for the same reason. How can I get past this absurd barrier?
All advice gratefully received, thanks.
Rant over.

Alcmene

jojo2004 wrote: »

Okay, rant alert:

I've been applying for temporary jobs for months now, through online temp agencies, going to see temp agencies in person, and through job websites, like gumtree and monster.
I have experience and skills which are relevant to the jobs I'm applying for. I need a temporary role as I am hoping to start a permanent job in October, but need to work in the interim. Here's the killer: I have a PhD. Apparently this makes me 'overqualified' for any job. Which is all very well, but I need a job. I'm applying for temp jobs because I'm aware it would be unfair to apply for permanent posts and then leave in a few months.

I don't have months and months to gain further experience/work as an intern/get another qualification. I need a job now. Does anyone have a suggestion? I've already taken my PhD off my cv (I have work experience which covers the full period of my doctorate), and still I get turned down for the same reason. How can I get past this absurd barrier?
All advice gratefully received, thanks.
Rant over.

What is your area? I am assuming you are waiting till an academic job in October? You should try local universities/colleges then and do some hourly paid lecturing. There's always work available if you have the right contacts, to cover for researchers, maternity/paternity leave, illness and sabbaticals.

DCFC79

If your overqualified the employer doesn't want to spend time getting you trained to do a job to find you leave after say 4 months as you have had a better offer(something more in line that you enjoy doing) and jump ship so to speak but thats not saying that you would.

Good luck in fidning something, are you just looking in the area that your phd refers to or are you covering a wide area

HappyMJ

DCFC79 wrote: »

If your overqualified the employer would think that as soon as you get a better offer(something more in line that you enjoy doing) you would jump ship so to speak but thats not saying that you would,

100% agree that's why I have 3 versions of my CV to send depending on the job in question.

frivolous_fay

DCFC79 wrote: »

If your overqualified the employer doesn't want to spend time getting you trained to do a job to find you leave after say 4 months

Presumably that's why OP's applying for temp jobs

michael1983l

Don't tell them about your qualifications then, your not legally abliged to.

squack

Maybe its just a "kind" way of saying, you haven't got the job.

Takoda

They think you'll get bored and leave.

System

I once had a reply from an agency along the following lines after failing a job app.
' The manager (of the company requiring staff) believes that since your qualifications are higher than his and more relevant that you would endanger his position'

woody01

Have they said you are over qualified or are you assuming this?
It may just be you are not as employable as you think,

squack

a lot of ordinary people feel threatened by intellectual genii

i should know, i am one