Workforce Guides

Your company is faced with an opportunity to hire a great candidate; one able to contribute to the success of the organization. Unfortunately, they seem overqualified for the position. Sure, the candidate expressed interest in the role and is likely to accept a job offer, but are there other considerations to ponder before bringing them onboard?

With a successful hire in mind, here are a few factors your team needs to consider before making a job offer to someone who’s overqualified. Leverage these insights to ensure the correct decision gets made.

Is your company able to retain its top talent?

If your organization is known for a positive company culture and boasts a high retention rate, you stand a better chance of providing a long-term home for an overqualified hire. Offering tuition reimbursement as part of your benefits package is a great way to incent a top employee to further their education. Other perks, like flexible scheduling and the ability to telecommute, also help.

Check the candidate’s motivation

During the interview process, try to gauge the reasons behind a candidate’s willingness to accept a position for which they are overqualified. Are they interested in improving their work-life balance? Maybe other family-related circumstances require a change in their career path?

Does your company offer a career ladder to its employees?

Providing interesting assignments and a chance to grow professionally should mitigate any risk incurred when hiring an overqualified candidate. Perhaps the person wants to explore having different responsibilities compared to earlier in their career. A midstream change offers an opportunity for a talented employee to grow into a different role.

Find out the candidate’s long term professional goals

Related to the last point, understanding a candidate’s long-term goals is essential before making any hire – qualified or overqualified. Depending on how your company’s interview process is structured, this is a worthy topic to cover during a second round of interviews. Find out whether or not their goals match the company’s direction concerning the open position.

Ultimately, if the person seems like a good fit and their goals and motivation feel right, extending them an offer makes perfect sense. Ultimately, an overqualified hire brings the potential to go the extra mile to make a positive difference for your organization.

When you need additional insights on building a great team at your office, talk to the experts at PrideStaff Houston. As one of the leading general staffing agencies in Texas, we offer the talented candidates able to contribute to your success. Schedule some time with us soon!