One of the biggest fears that employers have when hiring during a downturn is that they will pick up seemingly overqualified “superstars” who will eventually leave once a better paying more prestigious position comes along.  No company wants to invest their resources in “overqualified” candidates who will only leave once the economy turns around.  So how do recruiters combat the image that their candidates are overqualified and will only be around in the short-term?

1. Don’t ignore the fact that your job candidate is in fact overqualified for the job because your client will not ignore it may very well use it as a reason to not only dismiss the possibility of the hiring the candidate but question your ability to find appropriate candidates.
2. Talk to the candidate about why they want this job even though they are clearly overqualified. Many times candidates are a looking for less challenging work especially if they are older or starting families.  Or they may be switching industries and need to start somewhere.  If the candidate has a valid reason for seeking work they are overqualified for, make sure you express that to the client.
3. Coach your job candidate so that they are prepared to address the perception that they are overqualified and not a good fit, during the interview. Even if the employers don’t bring up their perception, the job candidate should briefly and tactfully address their reasons for wanting to take the job in way that will dispel the employer’s fears.