Over qualified - it does exist!

lucylucky

eamon wrote: »

I'm back, I still agree with Amber1979 and stand by all of my previous comment to this thread. Many employers & recruiters really need to pull their collective socks up on this one.Why? Every school, college and university in the country has been encouraged to churn out qualified people. Qualified for what?Even when we are finished in formal education the state actively encourages us to better ourselves. In what way? Of course there is the usual snide comments such has "education has been dumbed down". Its as if some employers & recruiters are trying to have their cake and eat it as well. What does that mean?
If a job is advertised then it should specify what qualifications, experience (if any) are/is required, essential etc. Many do. By not doing this of course they run the risk of being swamped with applications many which will not under close examination be what the recruiter wants. This is not the fault of the job seeker. Which is why many do what you suggest

I'm not expecting the smallest employer to have the abilty of a large organisation (private or public) and have detailed job packs and detailed application forms to complete and send out. But to engage their brains and think a little about the impact in placing a poor job advert. A good advert is certainly a good idea.

For what its worth I have more qualifications and experience than my line manager. So what? I could do her job equally as good. But I don't want that level of responsibilty and the corresonding hassle & stress. Therefore you couldn't do her job There are tens of thousands of people out just like me. Quite content to go to work, perform to the best of their ability, be part of the team, go home, enjoy their private life and do it all again the next day. Not everybody is career driven and exhibiting the characteristics of a butterfly! I quite agree.

Eamon

If the OP realises that qualifications and experience are not the be all and end all then that will no doubt help them in the search for employment

heretolearn_2

If we were to recruit just on qualifications and experience we could just award points to the CVs and give the highest scorer the job and not bother interviewing anyone.

kunekune

I certainly think that over-qualification is an issue. I very much doubt that if I went to find an office job with a BA (Hons), LLB, LLM and 14 years university lecturing, anyone would take me very seriously. Yes, I'd tailor the cv, remove the publications, downplay the academic qualifications, point out the family situation that meant any work was better than no work ... emphasise previous admin jobs, IT and organisational skills, etc. But yes, I'm overqualified for most jobs. And yes, also: if something more suitable to my skills and experience, and paying closer to what I'm accustomed to being paid, of course I'd take it. I have financial responsibilities, why would I work for minimum wage rather than over £40K? And actually, I may well get bored, annoy people by suggesting process improvements, and seem a bit stuck up. I am who I am, and you can only pretend to be something else for so long.

So to that extent, I sympathise with the employers. But the people who make and comment on policy can't have it both ways. Much of the policy relating to jobseekers, "getting people back to work" and so forth, assumes that people are unemployed because they are !!!!less and underqualified, that a few courses will get them into low paid work and that will make their lives better. The emphasis is on trying harder and harder, and not getting work is seen as evidence of not trying hard enough to be a good citizen. When increasing numbers of unemployed are actually experienced professionals, trying hard may not be good enough. Demonisation of the longer-term unemployed is rather pointless in that situation.

I feel for Amber, and many like her (including many of my own graduating students). I keep writing references for low-paid jobs that they are unlikely to get. I fear that I will be in the same situation within a few years, with the added disadvantage of being over 50, having young children and two disabled family members ... Oh joy. If the government wants us public sector workers to 'take the pain', it (and its supporters) really does need to move on from the 'undeserving poor' attitude that currently informs benefits policy.