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Over Qualified?

We have a client that puts candidates through the normal multi-intervew process, but after the hiring authority has determined that they wish to extend an offer to a candidate, that candidate must meet with a panel of senior managers from other departments. This panel essentially gives a thumbs up or thumbs down vote. Thumbs down and the candidate is booted off the island.

Well, we recently had a candidate get booted off the island. It was hard for the hiring manager who wanted to hire the candidate. It was hard on the candidate who wanted the job. And it was hard on the recruiter who had done a great job convincing the candidate that it was a great fit. The reason that candidate did not move forward was that the he was "over qualified."

This is a blog which means I get to write about my opinion. And my opinion is this. Hire over qualified people! Hire people who are better than everyone else on your staff and you are raising the performance bar. Hire people who are more creative than everyone else and you may get some innovative ideas that give your company a competitive edge. Hire over qualified people and potentially avoid some of the normal problems that average people create or at least fail to deal with. Why not?

I understand that the rationale is that the candidate would get bored in the job and probably move to a new job pretty quickly. Maybe, but so will the average candidate.

Look, in the working world today you are doing great to keep somebody for five years. Three or four years is pretty good. Therefore, hire the best possible person period. Tap into all that they have. They will make extraordinary contributions to your team and your company. Then go find the next one.

Please add your comments. Share your experiences, both good and bad, with hiring "over qualified" people.

marlboro:

Very nice this blog =)

Pat Hart:

Good advice. Over qualified people are going to find ways to stay motivated and in turn will enhance the job performance being expected.

Jeff Garrison:

You are right Pat. The fact is, a motivation exists for a person to take a job for which they are "over qualified." For example, many over qualified people that I have recruted for clients see the opportunity to have an impact because they already have great skills. Great candidates also believe that they will do a great job, get noticed, and get promoted. Who would not want that person to come work for them?