How to get a job you're "overqualified" for?

[CroccyWoccy]

Having a bit of a career rethink at the moment - I've got myself into a senior position and to be frank, I don't enjoy it. Typical management problem of getting detached from the work which led you into the profession in the first place.

I know the kind of work I'd like to do, which would be a less senior role in a slightly different organisation. I've tried to apply for roles like this and not got anywhere, or been actually told I'm overqualified.

Has anyone got any tips for how to succeed in downsizing from a senior role? I've got enough self-awareness to know what I want from a job now and I don't need the paycheque from a more senior position. But it seems to be easier to get a job I'm underqualified for than the other way around!

You need to include a covering letter to say that you're happy accepting less responsibility and therefore less money.

I'm currently recruiting for a junior role and we have had some applications where they have way too much experience, contacted a couple where they haven't actually read the job specifications ( or the salary!) but one or two are just looking for an easy job as they are nearing retirement.

I have found this whole scenario very frustrating. I've been for several roles a little less senior than I have been because it suited me to do so. Explained why, got all through the interview process, then get the feedback that I'm perfect, but that they think I'll get bored and leave. Such a waste of time.

Like younger/junior people don’t get bored or go hunting for the next opportunity!

I’ve had feedback before which basically suggested the person who was interviewing me felt threatened that I’d be after her job. Whereas I’m the last person who would want her job…been there, done it, hated it! I’ve not got much ego and would be quite happy working “beneath” my capability. It’s not like I want an easy life either, I just don’t enjoy senior management.

Honestly, how do you feel about the people who want an “easy job”? Is that seen a problem?

I hear you. I've been in that situation too. I ended up having several interviews, and found out later that the guy passed all my ideas off as his own. Shame he didn't know how to implement them properly 🤣

It is very frustrating.

Young and junior people get this sort of feedback as well. I think it's code for "your intelligence/aptitude scares me a bit". I certainly remember being told in my early twenties they wouldn't make me permanent for a job I'd been doing for the past 10 months because "I'd get bored". And a recruitment agency around the same time outright told me the client liked my CV but wouldn't interview me as they wanted someone older because they thought an older person was more reliable. 🙄

I did this.
Was in a high stress, awful management position in retail. Badly paid for the responsibility (think cash office for store taking £100k a week type of role)
While off sick a couple of years ago I started looking for roles. Made it clear in my cover letter I was actively looking for something less senior.
Made it clear in interviews that this was the case. Offered 2 different positions both on more money but a lot less responsibility
As it happened I've just been promoted, but was my choice to go for promotion

I've tried writing something in my covering letters that suggests I'm actively looking for a less senior role, but evidently I'm not getting something right as I'm not getting interviews. It's a hard line to tread that doesn't suggest that a) I'm arrogantly assuming I'm actually 'too good' for the role or b) I'm incapable of working at a senior level.

I'm writing things like "I'm looking to refocus and use my skills in a "hands on" role" which sounds OK to me but I'm not getting anywhere!

I've not been in this position myself but have some experience of the other side of this (i.e. being on the recruiting panel for overqualified applicants).

The concerns you need to ensure you're actively addressing are, one - that this is a conscious and considered choice; not a stop-gap until you can get something at the level (or pay) you were before. And two - that you understand and will respect the boundaries of the role; i.e. won't be undermining decisions from higher up on the basis that you have a different view and equivalent skills/experience. A decent manager will recognise that your background is an asset and will welcome challenge, but you need to make sure you come across as somebody easy to work with and collaborative, rather than a potential pain in the ass. (And of course, if it's not a decent manager you're dealing then there's not much you can do to avoid them feeling threatened, unfortunately - but they're probably someone you wouldn't want to work for anyway!)

Rather than talking about money, I would say that it's the type of industry or the more convenient location u have always wanted to be in.

Money etc might come up in the interview but it doesn't have to go on paper.

Is it possible to dumb down your CV in any way? Maybe you're an HR director but you could just put HR generalist with fewer accomplishments/responsibilities?

This doesn't work as LinkedIn has all the job titles etc.

I got this a lot in my twenties, being "overqualified" but unable to get onto a graduate scheme or similar. I ended up temping which then became permanent.

More recently I had to take a big step back career wise due to health and to get interviews I ended up leaving qualifications off my CV, collating and compressing work experience and concentrating on the last ten to fifteen years, and crucially, making sure that they couldn't work out my age from the application.

Problem is, if you did old style GCSEs or O Levels or some other qualifications and have to state the grades, it's a bit of a giveaway. I've recently managed to change job but it was an uphill struggle.

It's all very well for the Hunts of the world to fantasise about all the amazing jobs out there (in their type of circle) and bang on about us all having to work until we drop dead in harness but in the real world ageism is alive and kicking. I've also noticed a "battlefield appointments" trend during and immediately after COVID, with a lot of hiring managers and senior managers being very, very young, in some cases meaning (unconscious) bias against older workers.

I also did some self employed work which helped and I'm currently contemplating doing a refresher qualification in my main area of expertise just in case they look at the dates of professional qualification.

.... LinkedIn can be altered, or even anonymised...I have seen people change their names to "." or an initial...and not everyone has Linkedin

When I was furloughed I just wanted a job for something to do. I took loads off my CV and applied to the supermarkets, there are only two in our town and I was offered jobs at both. When it finished I went back to my job in financial sales.

I change LinkedIn monthly, as I do two jobs, both in sales but selling to different demographics, it would be a piece of piss to make the whole thing up if you were so inclined so you can drop off your degree and change job titles no problem

Keep trying, OP. I have employed people in this situation previously, and I have always felt that I'm getting an absolute bargain if I get their skill set in a more junior role. As someone in the top job in my organisation, I completely understand why senior roles aren't for everyone... some people just don't want to deal with that level of stress and pressure, but it doesn't make them bad workers!

The only thing that I've sometimes worried about is whether people fully understand the nature of the role and/or whether they're clear that the salary scale we're offering isn't negotiable. If in doubt, I would probably just have a chat, but I think a covering letter explaining your situation might help.

Obviously, you need to strike the right tone in that letter - you don't want to give the impression that you're workshy or that you're really lacking in resilience/going to go off on stress related sick leave at the drop of a hat etc. However, most people in senior roles probably hate the stress that goes along with such roles at least sometimes, so it should be possible to convey your "downsizing" in a positive way!

Someone will probably snap you up in no time!

I know it is possible to make it all up, but when they ask for references etc, the whole thing comes undone.

It's not even about workloads or stress so much as just finding the work unrewarding and not playing to my strengths. At a more junior level my industry is full of interesting creative and intellectual challenges, but I've got promoted up to a level I'm essentially just managing finances and resourcing and firefighting, and it just makes me miserable! I don't want an easy life so much as something that I actually enjoy doing!

I feel for you OP! Why can’t they believe us when we say we don’t want the stress/horrible tasks no matter the salary.

I moved into a nice role like you talk of, and everyone thinks I’m a shoo-in to move up and replace the boss if they ever go… I would rather eat glass I swear. The need to be on 24/7, and the financial/reports shit they have to deal with! No thank you.

This is excellent advice.

I wouldn’t want to employ someone like this. But I would be delighted to employ someone more mature in all sorts of roles that would normally go to a younger/less experienced person.

So I would construct an explanation that will reassure employers - I want this role so I can develop this other side of my skill set or so I can combine it with supporting my elderly mum. Something like that.

And as @LittleRedYoshi says, come across as an all singing all dancing team player

I'm looking at my CV at the moment and wondering whether I could just cut off my first couple of jobs (about 8 years worth of experience, which aren't relevant to the roles I want to apply for), and lose the dates from my qualifications section, so it looks like I'm a bit younger and less experienced than I actually am? If I minimise the reponsibility levels of my later positions it wouldn't look obvious.

It feels a bit deceptive but given you can't legally discriminate on age and I'm not failing to declare anything that actually makes me unsuitable for the roles (it's not like I spent that time in jail or something!)