What to answer in an interview when employer says you're overqualified for the job and starts pitying you?
By Greenery8
@grenery8 (7248)
Croatia (Hrvatska)
July 14, 2024 4:24am CST
Or acts like he or she is pitying you; I know they have hidden cards. For example, you have an university degree but applying for a job that needs only high school degree.
They invite you for the interview but are making so many comments, saying how come you didn't want to work in jobs that you studied for or even worse, how come you didn't get the job over the years. That goes about 2 minutes and i see no sense in that. They won't give you a higher position so, do they only want to humiliate you or what? They even think you applied by mistake, come on.
This is happening in 90% of the cases and i would like to think that serious employers won't do that. Also, some employers should know how the job market is inconsistent and hard. If they did it in life or by connections, sadly, it doesn't mean we all did.
8 people like this
7 responses
@pumpkinjam (8671)
• United Kingdom
14 Jul
I have two sons currently looking for jobs. They are both finding it impossible. The older one is educated to Master's degree. He was asked (by someone supposedly employed to help people find work) why he was applying for 'menial' jobs. He explained that it would look like it was barely applying for anything if he only applied for those matching his qualifications, and that he is being turned down due to lack of experience.
I don't think it should matter if a person is 'over-qualified'. If they have applied for the job, and they are capable of doing the job, it should only matter if they have any qualifications needed for the job (even if they have something higher). You don't have to include everything on your CV/resume, though, so you could just omit anything that's not relevant.
3 people like this
@Shivram59 (33384)
• India
16 Jul
That's exactly what happened with me when I attended an interview.They said I was overqualified for the job.I replied;"No problem.Thanks."And I left the office.
2 people like this
@Shivram59 (33384)
• India
18 Jul
@grenery8 
What else I could do?? They were not going to give me the job.That's why I left.
What else I could do?? They were not going to give me the job.That's why I left.2 people like this
@grenery8 (7248)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
19 Jul
@Shivram59 some aren't that courageous, like you
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (176745)
• United States
14 Jul
They shouldn't treat you like that. Despite everyone saying there are sooo many jobs, most of the good jobs are very hard to get and what is left are low paying menials type jobs that no one really wants. I would take it with a grain and move on.
2 people like this
@grenery8 (7248)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
16 Jul
better jobs are fixed in my experience or they are finding the most perfect person. lower job position, i thought i wuld maybe have it easier that i am overqualified but, no, it is exactly hard. and don't get me mentioning some online tests for a lame job of a person in call center. of course, you didn't pass.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7600)
• Canada
14 Jul
I can understand them being interested but also being concerned that you might leave as soon as something better is offered. I'd give them an honest answer letting them know how committed I am to the position they are offering. If they want to keep questioning it though I would ask myself if I wanted to keep talking and see where it goes or whether I should just cut the interview short to stop wasting everyone's time.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (170715)
• United States
15 Jul
They shouldn't make comments like that. I ran into that when I was looking for a job one time. Because I had a supervisory position and was making really good money, the employers couldn't believe that I was looking for a job with a lower position. At the time I just wanted to get out of the job I was in. Have a good week.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (170715)
• United States
17 Jul
@grenery8 You're welcome.
Thank you very much.
2 people like this
@popciclecold (37904)
• United States
22 Jul
That indeed is sad. You wouldn't be there if you weren't interested in the job.
1 person likes this
