You are overqualified - how do you make it look good on the CV

It will so happen every now and then that people want to take up a job which is slightly below them due to certain benefits that they perceive the job will offer them. In fact being overqualified for a job and applying means that you are underselling yourself and if this is not done well, you will come across as a person who has low self-esteem or low value overall. The employer will feel the same as you would feel if you all of a sudden if something very valuable in the market were being sold at half the price. However good it would be, it would make highly suspicious and even if you would not find anything wrong with it, you would still not prefer to buy it for fear that there is a defect that will creep out later on.

In the same manner, when an employer sees he CV of somebody overqualified, will immediately think, 'what is wrong with this person?', 'why is he/she here?'. Your job is to allay the fears and suspicion that arise from this situation effectively through the CV itself.

The CV should in this case clearly contain your acceptance that you are aware that you qualification exceed the expectation of the job. Then, proceed to explain why inspite of this fact, you would still want to be considered for the opening.

• You could highlight you strongest skills and connecting them to the growth prospects in the company, imply that working for that company in question would actually make allowance for such a sacrifice on your part
• You could say that after having a gap in working (for legitimate reasons - such as child rearing, spouse career support, launching business in the family, etc) you are looking forward to work again in the industry which was and is your first and last love (this should match with your career objective)
• Put your willingness to work in a lesser position as a method for the company to test your abilities and attitude, highlighting the fact that you are a very hardworking person as well who would very soon be a highly valuable member of the said company
• Bring away the focus from your educational qualifications by putting high emphasis on your skills and achievements which should match (or made to match) perfectly with the job requisites

Use the cover letter as a gateway to prepare the employer for the discrepancy in the match by subtle flattery (you can say that the honor of working with so-and-so company far exceeds the little inconvenience of a lesser designation) and show confidence that you will prove as an asset to the company

It is possible to sell yourself for a lesser job, but this tactic is actually highly counter-productive and frustrating in the long run. Do not really consider this move unless you are really in a desperate situation and have no other choice.