Overqualified simply means you have more tools in the chest

In the education industry, we push and sell learning. So why then does the education industry have difficulty hiring someone who has a lot of education? Admissions and operations positions have grown quite large out of the non-traditional market, but it seems like the hiring managers do not like people who bought what they sold. If you have a BA degree, you might squeak by, if you have a master’s degree or more, forget about it.

So my question is: can you truly be qualified in higher education? I am not talking about a receptionist position (who are often undervalued), I am talking about directors of admissions, operations, campus, and education positions.

Let me share some articles as more food for thought:

“The Myth of the Overqualified Worker”

“If your recruiting efforts attract job applicants with too much experience—a near certainty in this weak labor market—you should consider a response that runs counter to most hiring managers’ MO: Don’t reject those applicants out of hand. Instead, take a closer look”.

“New research shows that overqualified workers tend to perform better than other employees, and they don’t quit any sooner. Furthermore, a simple managerial tactic—empowerment—can mitigate any dissatisfaction they may feel”.

“The prejudice against too-good employees is pervasive. Companies tend to prefer an applicant who is a “perfect fit” over someone who brings more intelligence, education, or experience than needed”.

Read the rest: http://hbr.org/2010/12/the-myth-of-the-overqualified-worker/ar

If you have a chance to hire one of these “overqualified” folks, thank your lucky stars for the bargain you are getting because their ramp up time is faster, they are more efficient, they have knowledge to contribute, and it probably means they just want to work (remember the economy sucks).

 

 

It will be good for students as well.

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam