Overqualified?

[RuthNY]

After receiving many resumes for a recent job opportunity I posted, and seeing the very broad range of experience that the applicants have, even though a specific experience range was requested, these questions were brought to mind:  In YOUR opinion can someone be "overqualified" for a position? If  you applied for a position for which you are "overqualified," would you expect to be completely happy in the job?

(This is not about any specific resume or application I received, so please, don't anyone assume I'm talking about you. I'm not.  I am asking a general question.  Thanks!)

[iamchristuffin]

In this job market, with the size of the industry, and the ease of finding what almost any company is like to work for, I feel that if I apply for a job, it's because I want the job - regardless of whether I am overqualified or not. We all have quiet periods throughout the year, and I personally take any job over no job, whatever it is (so long as it pays a legal wage).

Having been passed over for two jobs in the past year because I'm 'overqualified', I would have thought a company would rather that than the opposite. Also, if it's a short contract, I'm not going to quit because I'm bored - I'll ride it out!


C

[NomieRae]

I think it all really depends on the nuances of the position. What you might consider the things that make you "over qualified" might be filling in a gap that is missing in their scheme of things at the specific company.

Such as if you're a long term touring PSM who is used to a giant show going in and out of venues 50 weeks a year, and you apply for a small regional theater who is starting to do rep shows, your skill set is super valuable in a new way of understanding what it takes to turnaround a space, time management, etc.

I've applied for jobs I felt I was overqualified for, but always had a specific reason. Sometimes it's to work with certain people on the team, to gain new experience in a different area of the country, sometimes it's because I need the health weeks so I don't lose insurance. Some I was perfectly happy at, some felt like a job...but I don't regret any of them.

[lsears]

I think the best questions to ask in these circumstances is 'why do you want the job?' 

I teach stage management at a university and had a fantastic time last year working as an ASM on Camelot with one of my students as the SM.  It was great - it was something I had discussed with management as they were planning their season, wanting to ASM the largest show they were doing, so I could get back to running a deck and away from juggling conflict calendars for a show.  We talked openly about the advantages to hiring someone younger to call the show with someone more experienced in the room as support.  They asked if it would be awkward for me to work with a former student and I said that would be a lot of fun and a great testament to their training. 

There have also been times when I've applied for things just to pay the bills, those aren't always as fun, and while it is never fun to be rejected from a job I understand wanting to give younger folks the chance to grow.  It all depends on what a team/show needs.  If I at least got an interview where I had a chance to explain how I thought my experiance could benefit a team I don't feel slighted.

Sometimes it isn't about a paycheck or a mental break - sometimes trying to make a sideways move to help your career in other ways means looking for jobs you seem overqualified for.  I think the question is, can you articulate why you are right for a job.

[loebtmc]

Agree with the comments above - applying for a job that you want, regardless of being 'overqualified'. It can be wanting to shake things up, or broaden horizons, or play with new folks or a new company after a long slog with the same folks for a long time, or learn how different folks deal with doing the same thing. It's also the different roles and responsibilities, not being the final word for a change, trying out a contract you haven't worked in a while, or a learning different sizes and styles of shows. It's having a new or different experience, or even learning new skill sets. And it's also a chance to live in a different place, experience other folks and other ways to shake up the same ol' same ol'. 

I teach a lot of young SMs whose only experience is in big, state-of-the-art modern college theaters how to function in smaller, lower-end/lower tier theaters, but I miss the excitement of the big shows I used to do too, sometimes miss being backstage with the performers, miss working on contracts with more realistic rules (and paychecks), and getting to not be the first in/last out. 

And as someone who started stage managing a little later, it's also a way to fill in holes and bring my skill set up to speed with the areas I don't work as often.

[BayAreaSM]

...In YOUR opinion can someone be "overqualified" for a position?...

I've been in a similar position many times, and this question always comes to mind. For our low-paying PA position, I've had applicants from the "never worked backstage in a theater before" to MFA student to AEA SM who's been SM'ing longer than I have.

In a recent season, I talked with my PM about who was the right person to hire for the PA job. I was torn between one who was a few years my senior as an AEA SM and a young SM who had just finished college. In my mind, the young SM was the right fit, as she was still green and needed to learn, but the AEA SM was between gigs and definitely overqualified. When it came down to it, we decided to hire the AEA SM, because, in truth, she was qualified for the job - because overqualified is still qualified.

I am always thinking about the person I'm hiring and if they are really considering the costs of moving to our area, how much will the pay actually support them, will they even like the job, etc. But my PM told me to stop worrying about those things - that it is on the applicant. In the end, she was a great hire: she did the job and we had a great time working together. I know she wanted to learn about SM'ing ballet, which is an area she didn't have any experience in - and I was able to hand off tasks to her with less instruction than I would an entry-level PA. I really went against my gut with hiring her, but I don't regret it - and she liked it so much she asked to come back the next season, in the same position.

[MatthewShiner]

In my experience, yes . . . there are times when a candidate's experience does not well align up to the position being offered and the responsibilities of said job, and positions they held in the past have greater responsibility, the quality of past productions maybe of higher caliber, or the size and scope of the production maybe smaller then what they are used to in the past.

I think many people think a good stage manager can stage manage anything, but the reality is each project, each position – has a certain skillset that the position requires.  If a person who is higher seriously lacks that skillset, they run the risk of not succeeding.  But, what are the risks of hiring someone who is “over qualified”.

In my experience, these are the issues that can arise when a candidate is “over-qualified”.

1)   They can get bored.  A bored employee often complains, slacks off, does less than an ideal job.  For example, in my years running a department with intern positions, I learned to strongly avoid offering an internship to someone who already had completed an internship. 
2)   They can have an attitude.  If they are over qualified and they know it, they might bring a lot of “well, when I worked on Broadway”.  And even if it’s not a deliberate attitude, this can creep in throughout their process.
3)   They may have forgotten the skillsets needed to work at this level.  For example, I tend to work on big shows, with big stage management teams – recently I filled a gap in my calendar with a festival and a reading – I had to run my own light board, projections, sound  . . . do pre-set and strike.  I had to flex some muscles I hadn’t had used in years.  On the reading, I was getting coffee, lunch orders, etc . . . anything to keep it going.
4)   They are doing the show for the wrong reasons.  On my current project, there are rumors of potential future life, where I had many over qualified candidates trying to get on the team, even if it meant slipping in as a PA.  This happens all the time on Broadway – over qualified SMs become PA’s hoping to get moved up, gain a coveted sub position or future replacement.  If those future life possibilities aren’t there, or future positions aren’t possible . . . this person may quickly look for something else.
5)   Over qualified stage managers seeking work will often jump ship for a job that more aligns with the experience.  Sometimes this is a status thing, but often a SM who is “over qualified”, and taking a position that is “a step down”, are often doing so with a pay cut.  If a better paying gig comes along, they will quickly jump ship – and many contracts offer that exit plan.
6)   For a wide variety of the above reasons, over qualified candidates can be poison to a team . . . I have seen SM’s take a break and be a “ASM”, but did so to get on a show or project with hopes of getting the PSM to move out, so they could step up.  Not all Stage Managers are good guys.  And the business can be very cut throat.
7)   Ultimately, if a candidate is “over qualified” they by definition they may not be a great fit for the project.  In my history, if 100% is what I am looking for – I have a candidate who is at 90% or at 110%, I may lean towards the 90% candidate – they may hustle and work a bit harder.
Okay, but there are reasons and times to look at candidate who might be overly qualified, but I think it’s one of those things whyou feel out during the interview process.
1)   Are they taking this position for the RIGHT reasons?

1)   This job fills a short, but specific time period between two gigs.  If a candidate is doing show #1 and show #3 at theater, taking a step down just to fill the time period makes sense – especially if it the stop-gap job fits nicely between projects . . . and there is little chance they would jump for another project.
2)   They have very clear goals for taking a job that maybe over qualified – they are starting to work in musicals, classical theater, opera, dance . . . and they want a safe environment to work in that new medium.  They maybe switching from the non-profit world to commercial world.  They may have relocated.  These are all smart reasons for someone to take a position they may be over qualified for.  But, they have to have the right attitude to handle this – get to know the candidate.
3)   This often comes up – they need the health care weeks before a certain time period.
I am not saying these reasons cancel out my concerns from above, you still have to make sure the have the right personality for the job.

2)   Maybe there only candidates you can get are over qualified?
3)   Maybe the project has a very simple skill set required (like a reading), but the personalities involved maybe difficult.
4)   Maybe the person is really right for the project – and clear