Applied for a job, told i was over qualified - real answer or just a fob off

Eric Cartman

right so i applied for a pretty good position in an IT company here, the interview went great and the agency were really convinced id get it. The feedback came back and the company said id be great but they think id be a bit bored with some of the more repetitive parts of the position and dont feel the position met my abilities.

is this a real answer or a fob off ?



also wooo 200th post

hussey

Eric Cartman wrote: »

is this a real answer or a fob off ?

can be a real answer ... a company doesn't want to train & pay an employee that might get so bored he'll do a runner..

AlmightyCushion

Moved from After Hours.

jhegarty

Can be a fob off....

Can also be we can't afford you / think you will leave in 6 weeks for a better job

Jigsaw

hussey wrote: »

can be a real answer ... a company doesn't want to train & pay an employee that might get so bored he'll do a runner..

Exactly. Can be a real answer but when you really want the job and you get that answer it is sh1te. I applied for a job recently and got that, although I was quite happy to do the hard yards they thought I would be f*cking off in a matter of months. Frustrating.

herya

It may be true, translate it to "you deserve better salary than we have budgeted" or "you deserve better salary so we know that you'll leave in 6 months once you realise it".

leeroybrown

There's a reasonable chance they were telling the truth. If a candidate is more qualified than is required for the job there's always a risk of them causing issues in the workplace or moving on that needs to be weighted up. If you have a less qualified candidate who will be able to do the job well and is likely to hang around for a reasonable few years then they're often the sensible choice.

At the end of the day staff turnover and recruitment cost companies a lot of time, money and productivity so they do need to weigh up the risks.

r3nu4l

Three years ago I did an interview with a scientific software company for a 'technical writer' position (writing help files and user manuals). They were ready to offer me a job when there was a hiring freeze.

A year later the recruitment agency contacted me to say they had asked for me specifically and that this was very unusual. They were sure the job was in the bag for me. I did a telephone interview with head office in the US and it went really well. The recruitment company phoned me back to say "they feel you are over-qualified and would be bored". I thought it was a fob-off. A week later the recruitment company phoned me back to say that they wanted to speak to me about another position (better paid, more interesting, marketing communications of their scientific software). I interviewed again with them and the job offer I got was amazing. My current company matched the offer so I stayed with them rather than take the job with the scientific software company.

My point (finally). They were probably being honest in saying I was over-qualified. Looking back, I probably would have been bored out of my mind had I been offered the first job. I work in a high medical science arena, writing help files would have bored me

philtaylor

It can also sometimes refer to someones attitude. I have used this excuse before when giving feedback to interviewee. Obviously the real answers was there attitude was all wrong for the position, and that in about 6 months they will think the position is below them or I see that they will not put in the work or upset the harmony in the office with their huge ego.

Again I have also used it when it is true, ie I think the candidate will get bored and leave after 6 months. This can be particularly annoying especically when your paying a recruitment company a big percentage of the candidate first years salary, just for finding the a suitable person. I get pissed if I have to pay this twice or three times in a year.

Bluetonic

philtaylor wrote: »

I have used this excuse before when giving feedback to interviewee. Obviously the real answers was there attitude was all wrong for the position, and that in about 6 months they will think the position is below them or I see that they will not put in the work or upset the harmony in the office with their huge ego.

Please do everyone a favour and be truthful in your feedback, otherwise the individual will never get anything positive from a failed interveiw. As an employer it shows you up for being really unprofessional.

ToxicPaddy

I've heard this response before from companies and to be honest, it does sound plausible. As some posters have said, a reason an employee would leave a job is if they are bored and want a new challenge. So if you can spot someone is over qualified for a job and its very obvious to you when you first speak to them, why would you offer them a job that they could leave in 3-6 months.

I wouldnt take it personally, I'd use it as useful feedback and see it as maybe a sign that you're aiming too low and should look at more senior positions as its possible that you may be under estimating your own experience or abilities.

Tox

matsil

well if I liken it to my situation:

I am an intermediate level design engineer, bordering on senior level engineer....... however there are no jobs out there for someone of my level..... there are senior and junior roles.....

if I apply for senior - at least I look ambitious.

if I apply for junior, the first question the emplyer will ask is "why does he want to take a step backaward - he must be desperate"...... assuming that they decide to give me a shot however, they know in their heart of hearts that as soon as a more senior role comes up with another company, I am going to jump at it........ so really, I cannot apply for a junior role, even if I'm desperate for ANY job...... its just a waste of their time...... UNLESS I do so on the basis that I am trying to diversify into a different field of engineering hence I am willing to take a step sideways, or even back....... or if I were coming from a mickey mouse company trying to get into an international company - then I could say I;m willing to sacrifice the short terms for long term prospects........

Most people however are only willing to take a more junior position if they are desperate.........

So - if you are genuinely over qualified for the role, then I would say its a legit reason....... if not, they are just fobbing you off..... however its just as easy for them to write a "dear John" thanking you for their time and expressing their regret they feel you are not suited to the role...... so its probably legit.

Eoin

Bluetonic wrote: »

Please do everyone a favour and be truthful in your feedback, otherwise the individual will never get anything positive from a failed interveiw. As an employer it shows you up for being really unprofessional.

Is there really that much to be gained by telling a candidate they didn't get the job because they came across as an asshole?

kmick

At the end of the day it does not matter whether or not you were overqualified for the job or not. You did not get and essentially they wasted your time. Would you have considered yourself overqualified for the job?