To think people saying “I can’t get a job in a supermarket because I’m over qualified” is bollocks?

[Washyourhands48]

I have a Bsc, my husband has one too.

After years in the Civil Service and a lot of stress, we both took the decision to take voluntary redundancies and have both been very happy in supermarket jobs on a part time basis since. So it really gets my goat when I see ‘this “over qualified” nonsense being quoted on here. Supermarket interviews do not ask you what your PhD is in or anything like that, the fact is that you were hit just right for the job and probably thought it was beneath you which probably cama across at interview.

AIBU?

I've applied for four jobs at a local supermarket and had one rejection, and the other three times I never even heard back from them - so YABU. They don't just take anyone who asks for a job! (Not in the UK, but can't see that would make a difference)

So they are not so much over qualified but it shows their age which is the actual deterrent.

I agree with this. I have over 40 years customer service experience, but can't get a job anywhere. It seems once you hit a certain age you aren't wanted - and I'm not looking for a job just to fill in time, I really need one.

Yabu - they dont want turnover. Even if the application form doesnt ask much, it often comes across in interviews and you are viewed as a risk.

YABU. Other PP have it spot on. They don't want someone who will need to be paid more than minimum wage, not be flexible enough to work shifts at the drop of a hat or work weekends, and actually care about workers rights.

The job market has also changed phenomenally in six short months. Just because you walked into a supermarket job two years ago, doesn't mean it's like that now. In my department, a job was advertised in January and 10 people applied for it. Same job was advertised last month and over 100 people applied.

I see the over qualified view as they will always be looking for something else, which is usually the case.

It depends on the recrreuiment process and the recruiters, someone with a PhD in astrophysics vs someone with a few years entry level experience in a job, the latter is significantly more likely to stay longer, but it depends if that matters. It's annoying when someone assumes their experience is the same across the board and dismisses that of others.

@Tarantulala

I see the over qualified view as they will always be looking for something else, which is usually the case.

It’s easy to use that though isn’t it? Supermarkets indeed mainly use screening questions to get you to an interview. They have so many applications, they don’t even look at your educational achievements if you have failed at those.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified”.

My dh went for a school caretaker interview in a suit, they were rude and said Dont expect to dress like that here!
he was over qualified and this was not the first time he was rejected on that basis.

even for an admin role, i had someone turn me down on the basis that i was going for a lower grade than usual,

Supermarkets here tend only to hire teens and college aged people.

I work in a supermarket full time and have done for over 10 years. My company prefers to hire students to do either two or three shifts a week because it apparently makes it easier to cover them for holidays or illness. I am lucky because I got my hours increased years ago, that wouldn't happen now. I don't understand the thinking. We need people who are committed to long term working whatever their qualifications, not people who move on after a year.

Oh I forgot we all get the same pay, at least the two lower level colleagues do.

It seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified“.

I’ve been told I was overqualified for jobs. When you just really, really need a job, it’s can be a more difficult knock back than being told you are great, but another candidate has more experience. Either way, you don’t get the job, plus it suggests that something about you makes people think you’re snooty, or unreliable, or you won’t stay long. Which is not necessarily fair.

Its not about being over qualified at all. My dp has a degree and used to work in a high pressure job. He left that at Christmas and during lockdown started work as emergency staff at a supermarket. He actually enjoyed it that much he applied and got a job working nights in the same chain. It works well so we don't need wrap around care etc and he's happier than he's been in years and they are looking at progression.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified” I don't know why you seem so smug in declaring all of this.

That's different, if someone fails the screening tests they fail them. People are likely referring to when they reach interview, and having interviewed around 100 people before retraining, they are correct. Also many retail outlets and other entry level jobs don't use screening tests, it'll be CV or a basic sift application. I don't know why you're do adverse to the truth that in some cases, someone actually being thought of as overqualified does stop them getting the job, just as some don't get it as they fail the application as it's not good enough.

It depends, for supermarkets the way the process works it is fairly unlikely, but for wider retail and other entry level jobs it absolutely can be the case. The reality is that a lot of the time people will be using it as a stop gap if their qualifications are far beyond the ones required, and that's not that appealing to an employer who is preparing for them to leave before they've even started.

YABU - the fact that you found a job at a supermarket whilst being over qualified doesn't mean everyone has the same experience.

You're talking "bollocks" op
I know a number of people who have been made redundant due to Covid 19 who have been finding it impossible to gain a new job that they are over qualified for, one friend was told directly that they didn't want to offer him a warehouse job because he would be there temporarily and then leave once his industry is back again.
You may have got lucky op, but the struggle is real right now.

I have a degree and don't see myself as over qualified for anything tbh. And as far as I recall, no one interviewing me has given the impression that they thought that either.

The thing is though that supermarkets often take on students (a lot of student in fact have supermarket jobs) so I'm not quite sure that the whole over qualified so won't stick at it excuse washes. Students aren't likely to stick at it and may leave once the summer holidays are upon then to go home etc.

Ultimately your CV is a personal marketing document. You aren't obliged to list every qualification you have on it. Obviously you absolutely should not make up qualifications you don't have, but you don't have to include degrees - or, indeed, prior jobs - that you don't feel add to your candidacy for the job. If I were applying for a supermarket job, I probably wouldn't include the fact that I have two bachelor's degrees and a master's in the same way that I might if I were applying for something where they'd be more relevant, and I'd probably be emphasising different aspects of my work experience, too.

Of course, if someone's just finished four years of PhD study then they may feel they want to include it just to explain what they were doing during that time, so it doesn't necessarily help them, but for someone whose study was less recent, it's arguably not something that needs to be on there for that particular job.

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

The thing is though that supermarkets often take on students (a lot of student in fact have supermarket jobs) so I'm not quite sure that the whole over qualified so won't stick at it excuse washes. Students aren't likely to stick at it and may leave once the summer holidays are upon then to go home etc.

Actually students are brilliant hires, because you usually have them for three or four years, covering the majority of the years, and many choose to stay on afterwards.

How would you explain the gaps on your CV if you leave your degree off @Persipan?

@doctorhamster

How would you explain the gaps on your CV if you leave your degree off *@Persipan*?

Just say career break. That's what I do for my years as a sahm and no one has ever questioned it.

"It’s easy to use that though isn’t it? Supermarkets indeed mainly use screening questions to get you to an interview. They have so many applications, they don’t even look at your educational achievements if you have failed at those.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified”."

Are you seriously gatekeeping working in a supermarket?