Writing a Cover Letter When Youre Overqualified

Writing a Cover Letter When Youre OverqualifiedWriting a Cover Letter When Youre OverqualifiedWhat can you do if youre overqualified for a job, but totenstill want to apply? When the job market is slow, there may be a shortage of jobs for which you are qualified, and it can make sense to expand your job search. Even when unemployment is low, you might have personal reasons that make a lateral or downward move seem appealing. For example, you might be starting a family or want a shorter commute. But regardless of why you want the position, if you appear overqualified for a job, youll need tocarefully craft a cover letterso that your application will be considered. Employers are notorious for discarding overqualified candidates. Thats because theyre afraid that the person will be bored or unmotivated and might move on to another job in short order. Employers are most eager to hire people who will stay with the company for a while, since its expensive to hire, train, and onboard new emp loyees. If your work experience or education could make you appear overqualified, its important to construct your cover letter and resume to counteract the perception that youll be unhappy in the position and only in it for a short period. Explain How You Enjoyed Similar Jobs A key factor ingetting your cover letter noticedis to highlight any similar jobs you have held even if the position welches not your most recent. You will need to point out why those comparable jobs were satisfying and successful experiences for you. This will show potential employers that despite being overqualified, you dont necessarily plan to move on to a more challenging role in the near future. For example, take the case of someone who is applying for asales assistant job, but has worked most recently as an account manager or salesperson. If they have had enjoyable jobs as an assistant in the past and excelled in that role, it will be critical to highlight those experiences. You can also consider ackn owledging that you are overqualified for the position, and explaining why youre still interested. Being honest, and not letting your qualifications become the elephant in the interview room, can be helpful. In the example above, the candidate might point out that she prefers organization and detail to persuasion, and then focus on her successes as a sales assistant. As much as possible in your letter, seek to assuage potential employer concerns about how long youd be with the company. If youve always been at jobs for several years, for instance, you can mention your loyalty and that you are eager for a long-term relationship with your next employer. Write a Targeted Letter A one-size-fits-all cover letter will not do in this instance. If you appear overqualified in your resume, use your cover letter to make it clear why you are actually a good match for the position. For example, maybe your experience at some high-level positions will still help and inform your day-to-day work i n the current position (or can be an add-on that you provide). It will be critical to analyze the skills, interests, and assets that an individual would need to possess in order to excel in the target role. Then, in your cover letter, use concrete examples to show how you possess these assets and have achieved success in past jobs, volunteer work, or course projects. Finding the right job will require you to knowhow to write a targeted cover letterand how tomatch your qualifications for a job. If youre unsure of where to start writing a cover letter, using anexample cover letterfrom your industry or based on your level of experience is a great place to start. Follow Up During your interview, be prepared toanswer questions about being overqualified- as in your cover letter, use this as an opportunity to tell a story that shows youre a candidate who plans to stick around in the position long-term. Follow-up communications after the interview should show enthusiasm for the actual content of the job. If possible, ask a former colleague who supervised you in a similar role to make an unsolicited recommendation call (or send an email) to decision-makers. Having a clear strategy abouthow to follow upafter your interviews is important, so plan one out before you walk into the meeting. When possible, adjust your follow-up to include details from your interview itself. Showing your enthusiasm for the role will help convince the interviewer that this isnt a desperate measure and that you really do want the job. The unsolicited recommendation call or email will also demonstrate your interest in the role. Its easy to be overlooked when youre overqualified for a position but by putting a little extra effort into your application, you can show the interviewer that your interest is sincere and not fleeting or desperate. Sample Cover Letter When Youre Overqualified for a Position Jonathan Smith1 Chestnut StreetMiddle City, CA 98765555-212-1234memywebsite.comNovember 2, 20 19Rosemarie JohnsonRecruiter, Human ResourcesBrainy Toys, Inc.7 Main StreetMiddle City, CA 98765Dear Ms. Johnson,I was excited to see your advertisement for the position of administrative assistant and would like to apply for the job. Ive been a big fan of Brainy Toys ever since my favorite uncle bought me my first Junior Chemistry Set for my 10thbirthday. (He was my favorite uncle for a reason)Even today, in my current job as Executive Assistant to the Director at ABC Corp, I have a Pocket Herb Garden and an Abracadabra Abacus on my desk. Id love to come to work every day and know that I was using my skills and experience in support of products I love.In terms of the requirements outlined in your ad, I haveExcellent phone and interpersonal skillsExtensive experience maintaining filing systems, organizing and scheduling meetings, booking travel arrangements, and ordering schreibstube suppliesAttention to detail and organizational skillsFacility with most popular office and project m anagement software programs, including Microsoft Office, Trello, and Asana plus a high level of comfort with new platforms and a willingness to learnA commitment to working as a team and achieving our goalsIm confident that my skills and passion for your products and company make me a good choice for this role. Im happy to provide you with references or any additional materials that might be useful. Ive included my resume and hope to hear from you soon to discuss the job in more detail.Sincerely,Signature (hard copy letter)Jonathan Smith Expand