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Original poster

Applying for a job I am massively over qualified for

29 replies

Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 14:07

I am trying to change from having a professional career to working in a term time only/25 hrs a week role in local Govt as an admin assistant. On the application form under why do you want this job I have explained that I want term time only coz my daughter now at school and I want to swap corporate life for improved work/life balance. I will be taking a drop of 30K pa so I have explained that the savings in a nanny off set reduction in salary. What do you think does this sound like a good reason to interview me? What more can I put to convince them?

OP posts:
PhantomCAM · 02/10/2006 14:10

I wouldn't put any of that, I think the question is to get some kind of idea why you want the actual job you're applying for, not why you want to leave your current job.

HuwEdwards · 02/10/2006 14:15

agree with CAM, sounds like it is just an arrangement to suit your personal life. You need to put some stuff about why you want to work in the dept. you're applying to/why local govt appeals etc.

Piffle · 02/10/2006 14:18

The greatest fear of employing over qualified people is that they are filling their time waiting for a better (paid) job to come along.
So you probably would be well sorted thinking of way to reassure them of that

PhantomCAM · 02/10/2006 14:21

Plus, a lot of govt. admin roles tend to hire on competency for the post, so qualifications are less important.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 02/10/2006 14:28

I think I would put the work/life balance thing, because you actually have to explain why you're looking for a job that pays 30 grand cheaper, otherwise they might think it's because you've shagged the boss and it's all gone horribly wrong or something. And I agree they need to know that you're actively seeking to stay there. But also you do need to find more positive things in the actual job description that you can say you want to do.

Ridiculous that question isn't it? Why do you want this job? Because I don't have a f**king private income you arseholes, why else would I be wasting my time filling in this form?

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:05

I did a similar level job 15 years ago so I do have the experience and skills. But since then I have progressed far beyoond the assistant level to senior manager level in the private sector. The skills I will bring appears in another section of the form. The only reason I want the job is the part time hrs/ term time. 1 mile from home. Who would take a 30k pay cut if they still had nightmare commute into London and hardly saw their kid. To say I have always wanted to work i local Govt sounds silly. caligula my thoughts exactly hence thought I should address their worries head on. caligua should I say bluntly this is a 30k pay cut but if i get the job I no longer need a nanny and season ticket so save £28K a year. It is the truth and it is motivating me. At least in local gove I will get a pension.

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 02/10/2006 15:12

I think you will have diificulty sounding convincing as a candidate, employers just don't like the hours/convenience arguments

mazzystar · 02/10/2006 15:16

why do you want to work in local govt? why this job?

if you can't explain that for the application form, you'll struggle at interview stage.

i think y our work/life balance stuff is relevant, but that should back up your statements about why you'd like this particular job, not be stated as prime motivation.

good luck!

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:19

Zippit do you think it a beter idea to resign from current role then look for something term time/part time only? Would this make me more convincing? I thought not as it may look like I am desperate for any job as I am currently unemployed.

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 02/10/2006 15:24

I think the employer is looking from their point of view and out of say 35 applicants they will look at measured competency on the person specification..plus a commitment ot the area of work, are you really as good/quick at the administration skills as someone who has spent less time managing teams and making policy? How will you cope with being told what to do, routine tasks, typing other people's reports?

Don't listen to me by the way i'm applying for jobs too!

Resigning your job won't change anything as it will still be your most recent employment, and look even more as though the admin job is a stop gap

Can you say that this local authority job is interesting to you or is just convenient because it's local and school hours?

zippitippitoes · 02/10/2006 15:29

I suspect also that the line manager/department manager would not feel especially comfortable with a high flying admin assistant..it could be potentially disruptive

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:33

zippit the job is interesting as it means I can keep my 'career' ticking over for the next 10 years at which point I would like to become a bursar in a school. The job is in an Local Education Authority, so the right area of local govt. I wouldn't apply for any old job it would have to be something where I felt I was making a difference. for e.g I couldn't work in a residents parking office only in an office where it did something I personally felt was worth while.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:37

Zippit I concur a lot will depend on the manager. If they are comfortable in their own role they won't feel threatened by having an assistant with an MBA. But my past is my past!

OP posts:
ProfYaffle · 02/10/2006 15:38

I've got a lot of experience of recruiting in Local Government. I think you should put both your reasons for wanting the job and what you can bring to the role. ime line managers can be very suspicious of over qualified candidates and putting some reason as to why you want this role may answer their concerns and get you an interview as opposed to be rejected out of hand.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 02/10/2006 15:50

It's funny how they talk about transferable skills and equal opportunities, but they really don't want to give equal ops to over-qualified candidates do they? There's something about us which makes them feel really jumpy. I think it's the sub-conscious discomfort they feel that we are prioritising something else apart from career.

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:52

proffYaffle why are they suspicious? In my case surely the people I will be up against will be other mums. Who else would want school friendly hours? Surely most of the applicants will be motivated by work/home balance.

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 02/10/2006 15:56

people don't like to employ someone who is potentially better at their job then they are themselves..you might get on your high horse and reorganise the place, be impatient, scathing and unmanageable

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 15:57

caligua I feel depressed. Taken me a long time to mentally relinguish my career and now it seems I cannot down size my work in reality.

OP posts:
ScareyCaligulaCorday · 02/10/2006 15:57

LOL. In much the same way older people used to be stereotyped as not liking younger people employed as their bosses.

ProfYaffle · 02/10/2006 16:01

the reason is usually fear of the over qualified person getting bored and leaving in a couple of months. It happens quite frequently.

ProfYaffle · 02/10/2006 16:03

Not defending the line mangers' pov by the way, it's just that this is the reality of the situation as I came across it.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 02/10/2006 16:05

Does that happen as often with mothers proyaffle?

I'm wildly over-qualified for my job but have stuck in it for 3 years so far because it fits so well with the kids.

As long as getting well-paid, well-qualified jobs that fit in with being a mother remains a rarity, I would have thought that an army of trapped mothers would be ideal...

Sobernow · 02/10/2006 16:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Lasvegas · 02/10/2006 16:11

Proff surely then if I say in my reasons for wanting the job, I don't care how boring this job is as it is ideal for me as it means I can drop/collect my child at school yet still earn enough to pay the school fees pay for family holidays and not feel that I am a total burden to DH. But I suppose I had better not mention Hertzberg's theory of motivation, as then they will know I have a degree, god forbid!

OP posts:
charleymouse · 02/10/2006 16:11

Hi LV
As long as you meet all the criteria on the essential/desirable list I think they have to interview you. Just make sure you really cover these aspects with clear examples of relevant qualifications/experience.

I would use the advice on previous posts re why you want this particular job and expleain why you want to leave current job. This way you have all the bases covered. Also use what you put here just expand a little that you wish to change to work in an area where you can have an impact in childrens education/lives etc etc etc.

"I wouldn't apply for any old job it would have to be something where I felt I was making a difference. for e.g I couldn't work in a residents parking office only in an office where it did something I personally felt was worth while."

I do think that you have to be careful how you come across though as some people where you are applying to may consider this job to be a "professional career" and your intitial post comes across as though you feel it isn't IYSWIM.

HTH

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