Should you hire an ‘overqualified’ candidate?

With unemployment still relatively high and lots of charity professionals currently searching for a job, we’ve noticed that not for profit organisations are receiving more applications from ‘overqualified’ candidates.  But employers can be reluctant to consider these candidates, even though they would certainly be able to handle the role.

In this blog post, we look at what overqualified means and the pros and cons of hiring an overqualified candidate.

What is overqualified?

Candidates are described as overqualified when they are skilled or educated beyond the requirements for the role.  For example, while a person specification for a role may require a bachelor’s degree, employers could receive applications from candidates with a master’s degree.  Or employers could request candidates with some previous experience of that role, and receive applications from jobseekers with over ten years’ experience.

However, having lots of education or experience does not necessarily make a candidate overqualified.  The key is whether that education or experience is relevant to the role.  If not, they are really starting at the same level as any other candidate.

It is also very important to steer clear of any age discrimination when determining if candidates are overqualified.  Simply having worked for a long period of time does not automatically make an applicant overqualified.

Traditional objections to overqualified candidates
If employers are looking for certain skills and experience, you might think that a candidate exceeding their expectations would be snapped up, but many organisations are reluctant to consider overqualified candidates.  One of the most common reasons cited is a fear that the candidate will expect a higher salary in exchange for their qualifications.  The other is an assumption that the candidate is only using this role as a placeholder and will leave as soon as a better opportunity presents itself – this is a particular worry in the current job market, with many candidates agreeing to take any job purely to avoid unemployment.

Employers may also have concerns that an overqualified candidate would not be challenged or fully engaged in the role and become unproductive and unhappy.  One disgruntled employee can then have a knock-on effect on the rest of the team.

Dispelling the myths

Overqualification does not automatically lead to lower job satisfaction or higher turnover.  In a study from the US, sales associates who were thought to be overqualified actually performed better than their peers, and the more empowered they were in their role, the more likely they were to stay put.  Indeed, nearly half of graduates are now considered overqualified for their first role.

Candidates have a huge range of motivations for taking a charity job and overqualified applicants may have a very good reason for wanting that particular role, rather than simple desperation for a job.  They could be downshifting and looking to achieve a better work/life balance, or wanting to change sectors or roles following a previous unsatisfactory career move, or they could be moving to a new location.

The interview stage is the best time to determine an overqualified candidate’s level of seriousness about the role.  Questions like “Can you describe your favourite job from the past and what you did?” or “What did you not like doing in former jobs?” can help define their motivations and determine whether they would be a good fit for your team.  Have confidence in your organisation’s culture; if you choose to work for your organisation, other people will also want to.

Some ‘hidden’ benefits

There are some less obvious benefits to hiring an overqualified candidate that some employers would not immediately consider.  For example, it can be good for morale overall, as a more experienced employee will be able to pick up the work more quickly, relieving the rest of the team from having to cover the responsibilities.  This is particularly important during this period of belt-tightening, when many employees are already having to take on extra tasks.

In addition, most teams function best with a mixture of people, not just clones of your current or previous employees.  Someone with unexpected skills and lots of life experience may bring something extra to the table that you have not previously considered.

If an overqualified candidate has a good reason for wanting to take your role, chances are that they have really considered what they want to do and may actually be a better long-term proposition than a candidate who exactly fits the person specification.  For example, a jobseeker with lots of commercial experience may move into the charity sector looking for a more meaningful role.  Getting promoted or moving on may therefore be lower on their list of priorities than a candidate moving up within the sector.

Future proof your team

When considering a candidate who is overqualified for the job, it’s always worth looking at the big picture.  When making hiring decisions, the best leaders don’t just consider current needs, but also look to the future.

Overqualified candidates often have other skills in areas that are not required for a particular role but may be useful for the organisation as a whole.  This gives them greater flexibility for the future and could allow them to accomplish things in the future that you have not considered part of that role.  Rather than just fulfilling an immediate need, they could help your organisation grow and achieve even more.

These employees can also improve the skill set of the team as a whole, as they could mentor or train up others to their level.  They can also serve as a model for your employees and help challenge them to bring productivity up.  Having extra skills in your team can also give you the flexibility to react to challenges or opportunities that may arise in the future.  Making full use of their skills will also make them a more engaged employee.

Be honest

If you are considering an overqualified candidate for a position, it’s extremely important to be up front about the role’s potential right from the start.  Being honest about salary, benefits and promotion prospects will help to weed out candidates really looking for something else and will avoid an applicant expecting too much from a role.  But if you think they may be temporarily underutilised, but there is great potential for the future, make sure you make that clear.

You could use phone screening to go through these details, check that the candidate is happy with the terms and weed out those with unrealistic expectations before interview stage.

It is also very important to confirm that their manager would be comfortable working with them and vice versa.  Sometimes it can be difficult to manage an employee who has more years of experience than you do.  Make sure you explore this thoroughly at interview – again, it is worth being completely honest and asking them straight out if they foresee any problems.

It can’t hurt…

Rather than rejecting them out of hand, it’s always worth at least considering an overqualified candidate.  After all, they would certainly be able to handle the role advertised  Often it can be difficult to fully judge a candidate’s motivations and dedication to a role without at least offering them an opportunity to meet with you face to face in an interview.

If you do interview them and you feel that the candidate would still not be a good fit for your organisation, that could help you to refine your person specification and direct your job search.

Hiring an overqualified candidate can be a risk, but sometimes you have to take risks to realise your organisation’s full potential.  When weighing up the pros and cons, there are often more benefits to hiring an overqualified employee than downsides.  And even if they do turn out to be only there short-term, they could still make a positive long-term impact on your organisation.

There are also ways to mitigate some of the risk of hiring an overqualified employee.  You could offer them the role on a temporary or contract basis, to see how they will actually turn out on the job and to get the role filled.

There is a definite move in the commercial world to take advantage of the current candidate-heavy job market and actively seek out overqualified employees to get extra value for money.  Perhaps the charity sector should also be more open to capitalising on this talent glut.  After all, sometimes more is simply more.

How to evaluate a cover letter

Every application for a role that comes directly from a candidate should include a cover letter, whether it is a separate attachment or in the body of the email.  In this blog post, we look at how to tell a good cover letter from a bad one, and how you can use them to find out more information about the applicant.


Firstly, read the cover letter!

It sounds obvious, but with hundreds of applications to go through, it can be tempting to ignore cover letters entirely and skip straight to the CV.  And if you use an applicant tracking system to process CVs, it may not like covering letters, preventing you from seeing them in the first place.  But wherever possible you should read a cover letter provided, as they can give you valuable information about a candidate that you can’t get from the CV alone.  Plus, if an applicant has spent hours carefully crafting a superb cover letter, they are treating it as an essential part of their application, and so should you.

However, it’s certainly true that increasing numbers of employers don’t bother to read cover letters, and candidates include them less often these days.  If you definitely want to receive cover letters from all applicants, make sure this is specified in the job advertisement.  And if your organisation uses application forms, don’t make candidates send cover letters as well, as this just complicates the application process.


Check the details

Making sure a cover letter includes the right details can tell you how much effort a candidate has put into crafting their application, and can demonstrate how interested they actually are in the role.  For example, did they address the cover letter to a specific individual (even if this is not specified in the job ad, a quick phone call can usually provide a contact name)?

Every cover letter should be tailored to the role applied for, and demonstrate that the candidate has researched both your organisation and the job.  Make sure it includes at least some reference to your specific organisation, as well as the job title of the role, and that all these details are correct.

Occasionally, a candidate will mention that they have been referred by a mutual contact.  It’s always a good idea to do a quick check to make sure that this is actually the case.


Look at the quality of writing

Obviously, cover letters with spelling or grammatical errors can be discounted, as these show the candidate has not taken the time or effort to proof read their application fully.  You can also use cover letters to assess a candidate’s (written) communication skills.

If the job requires a certain standard of writing, eg if it is a communications or PR role, does the covering letter meet that standard?  Generally, cover letters should be clear, to the point and easy to follow.  They should be broken down into short paragraphs, rather than a big block of text, and neither too short or too long.  An incredibly long and detailed letter may be a result of a candidate’s passion for the role, but may suggest they have trouble keeping things concise.


Look for specifics

The best cover letters tend to have specific details about previous roles and experience and achievements.  Generic statements such as “I have a great deal of experience in fundraising management and am looking for my next role” should ring warning bells.  Instead, look for concrete and measurable examples of what they accomplished in previous roles.  The candidates who can provide this level of detail tend to be the ones who are most suitable.

Similarly, the best candidates don’t tend to talk about what they are looking for.  Instead, they concentrate on what aspects of this particular role they can excel in and what they can bring to your organisation overall.  A really simple way to measure this is to count the number of times they mention you or your organisation instead of themselves.

For any non-profit, it is important that their staff are committed to the organisation’s mission.  A good covering letter should always address why that candidate is attracted to your charity’s cause and demonstrate their passion and commitment.


Tone of voice

The tone in which a covering letter is written can usually tell you something about the personality of the writer.  The most obvious thing to look for is whether they sound excited and enthusiastic about the role.  If they really want the role, it is likely that this will be obvious from their letter.

Other things to look out for are if the candidate has gone for an overly formal or informal tone of voice (although the criteria for this varies depending on the role).  Either way, getting it wrong can demonstrate a certain lack of judgement.

However, it is important to bear in mind that judgements based on tone of voice are subjective and a final decision on whether or not to progress with that candidate should always be based on the content of their CV.


A quick checklist

•    Is the letter addressed generically, rather than to a specific individual?
•    Is the letter tailored to the role applied for?
•    Does it contain spelling and grammatical errors?
•    Does it mention your organisation and the specific role applied for?
•    Does it clearly state what value the candidate can bring to your organisation?
•    Does the letter simply repeat points already made on their CV?
•    Does it communicate their passion and enthusiasm?


Finally…

Here are a few examples of truly terrible cover letters:
http://www.bubble-jobs.co.uk/blog/cv-tips/warning-worlds-worst-cover-letter
http://gawker.com/5883684/the-awful-cover-letter-all-of-wall-street-is-laughing-about
http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/best-cover-letter-ever

Why you need to review your application form

Even though many job applicants dislike filling out application forms, lots of non-profit employers prefer to use them for their recruitment.  In this post, we look at the pros and cons of application forms and how to tailor them to get the best possible response for your vacancy.


Why do employers use them?

There are some distinct advantages to asking a candidate to fill out an application form, rather than send in a CV.  They usually save an employer time and effort, especially if it’s an online form that feeds directly into an ATS (applicant tracking system).  They also make it easier to reduce bias when shortlisting candidates, as each candidate is forced to give exactly the same information.  Many of the questions on application forms are there for legal or institutional reasons, and ensure compliance when recruiting.

The fact that application forms are so very unpopular also encourages some employers to use them. Filling out an application form tests the candidate’s commitment to that role and discourages unsuitable candidates or those who simply send off untailored CVs to every role going.

However, one of the most common reasons for organisations to use application forms is simply because they always have done.  Each time they recruit, extra questions are added to the form, without reviewing it as a whole – resulting in forms that are extremely long and full of redundant questions.


What are the negatives?

The main problem with application forms is that they tend to be far too long and extremely tedious to complete.  Candidates have usually already spent a long time polishing up their CV prior to starting to look for roles, and having to start from scratch each time can be very repetitive and time consuming.  The questions asked are also not always obviously relevant to the job a candidate is applying for.

At TPP, we have a lot of anecdotal evidence that really good candidates simply don’t bother applying for roles if the process is too complicated.  Application forms may discourage unwelcome responses, but they can also deter some candidates who might be ideal for your role.  It takes most jobseekers at least half a day to complete an application form, which is time that’s hard to find if you’re already working full time.  Exceptional candidates can be greatly in demand, and if they can get a job easily elsewhere with less effort, they are not likely to apply for yours.

The more senior your vacancy, the more likely it is that your ideal candidates are ‘passive’ jobseekers, ie those who are not actively looking for a new role but might be tempted by the ideal job.  These candidates are even less likely to sacrifice the time it takes to complete a long and complicated application form.

Other problems with application forms are that they lack flexibility and make it difficult for good candidates to distinguish themselves in a creative way or to really demonstrate their personality.  Also, if a candidate makes a small mistake filling out the form, their application may be automatically rejected, even if they are perfect for your role.


So what should you do?

First of all, you need to find out if you are required to use application forms for every role in your organisation.  If not, it’s worth deciding on a case-by-case basis whether to use them.  The more senior, specialist or niche your role, the less likely you are to have high volumes of suitable applicants, so it’s worth making it as easy as possible to apply.

A compromise solution might be a two-tier process.  Ask candidates to send in their CV and do an initial quick shortlist of those with the right skills and experience.  You can then ask those applicants to complete an application forms to make the final shortlisting process easier and fairer.  These candidates will also be motivated to fill in the forms as they have already passed one hurdle.

The most important thing you can do to improve your recruitment process is to review your application form and make sure it is doing its job – allowing you to identify excellent candidates while filtering out unwanted applications.  The golden rule is, the shorter and easier your form is and the more relevant the questions, the more likely candidates are to make it to the end.


What should you include?

Always start off with basic information and questions that are easy to complete, such as name and contact details and the post applied for, as this encourages candidates to start filling out the form.

You should ask applicants to confirm their right to work in the UK, give details of previous employment, education and qualifications.

It is also very important to include a free text box to allow candidates to write a personal statement in order to sell themselves, along the lines of “why should we consider you for this role”.  It is also a good idea to give applicants room to comment on their answers, eg to explain gaps in their career or unusual career choices.  However, avoid asking too many open-ended questions, as this will lead to repetition, which makes application forms tedious to complete and to read.  Keep behavioural questions, asking candidates to demonstrate their experience, for an interview setting instead.


What should you take off?

Quite simply, take out anything that is unnecessary.  For example, do you really need details for every one of the candidate’s previous employers?  Or just the most recent or relevant?

It is also important to make sure that the questions elicit responses that are non-discriminatory.  For example, you should not ask for a candidate’s date of birth, native language or religion.  Some questions are borderline, eg asking for reference details is standard but may result in average candidates being shortlisted purely because they have impressive referees.  See our post on interview questions to avoid for more tips on avoiding discrimination.

Many not for profit employers like to collect equal opportunities information to monitor the success of their policies designed to promote diversity.  TPP’s advice is that this is a separate, completely anonymous form and not simply tacked on to the application form.


Make the process easy

Even if you can’t improve your application form, there are steps you can take to make the application process as a whole better for candidates.  Your application form should be attached to job advertisements wherever possible; requiring candidates to contact you to request a form is simply creating more work for both you and them.

Online forms are usually the easiest to complete, but even these can be difficult.  Make it clear to applicants how many sections there are to the form and what stage they have reached, and make sure that they can save their progress mid-way and that the form won’t time out.  Adding validation to required fields means that candidates can only submit the form when they’ve given you all the mandatory information you require.

Finally, after making candidates jump through hoops to apply for your job, you should always acknowledge receipt of their application and let them know the outcome, whether successful or not.  After all, people interested in working for you may also be those most likely to donate, refer or volunteer, and you don’t want to damage your relationship with them or your organisation’s reputation.


Finally, test the process

The last stage in improving your application forms is to make sure that they are clear and unambiguous and as easy as possible to complete.  The best way to do this is to have several current employees pretend to be candidates and complete the form for you, giving you feedback on the overall process.

It’s also worth getting hold of the forms used by organisations similar to yours and comparing them to your own.  If it’s much harder to apply for your roles, candidates may choose to go elsewhere instead.


Useful Resources
Application form template for charity jobs from HRBird

CIPD – How to design application forms, including good tips on avoiding discrimination

How to sell your organisation to interviewees

An interview is a two-way process; it’s an opportunity for both the organisation and the candidate to find out whether they are suitable for each other.

It looks like the job market is starting to recover, meaning that there will be more roles out there and jobseekers can start to be more selective.  And as we mentioned before, the very best candidates are always in high demand, and there are some roles that will always prove difficult to recruit for.

Particularly for smaller charities, who may not be able to compete on salary, or those in less attractive locations, it is important to sell the benefits of working for your organisation, both functional (location, salary, benefits) and intangible (passion for our work, workplace culture), so that candidates will choose to work for you.  In this month’s blog, we look at some of the most effective ways to sell your organisation during the interview process; giving you the best chance of attracting and appointing the best candidates.

Start with what your candidate wants

‘Know your customer’ is a basic rule of successful sales – in this case your customer is your candidate.  To make your organisation as attractive as possible to them, it’s important to know exactly what they’re looking for and how you can meet their expectations.

Although it’s important to keep competency-based interview questions standard to all interviewees, the section where you talk about your organisation should ideally be tailored to each individual.  Bear this in mind when you are reading through their CV or doing online research prior to an interview.  For example, if they have children (and voluntarily mention this) they are much more likely to be interested in family-friendly policies and benefits.

It’s also a good idea to find out if your candidate is interviewing elsewhere, and if so, where and when.  This gives you an idea of the timescale in which you’ll have to act to get them on board, but also gives you an idea of what they are looking for.

Of course, the easiest way to find out what is important to a candidate is simply to ask them in the interview.  You can then immediately tell them how strong your organisation is in these areas.

Do your research

You can find out a lot about how attractive your organisation is as an employer by simply asking your candidates and existing employees a few questions.  For example, speak to employees who have recently joined and ask them how they found the interview process and what particularly attracted them to the organisation or role.

After a round of recruitment, it’s best practice to follow up with candidates (particularly those who went to other organisations instead of yours) about the interview process and their decisions.  This can help you find out what’s missing from your offering and either correct it or stress other areas in which you are strong.

There’s also a lot of information out there to help you benchmark your organisation.  Use salary surveys and monitor charity job  advertising to find out if the salaries and benefits you offer are competitive and to discover which areas you’ll need to compensate for.  A good recruitment consultancy like TPP will include this in their recruitment service.

Sell the mission

People who work for charities almost always do so because they are passionate about their cause and want to make a difference.  Your organisation’s mission is one of the most valuable recruitment sales tools you have and it’s important to be able to effectively communicate the values and vision of the organisation.

In the same way as you’d attract potential donors, you can use stories to illustrate exactly how important the services you offer are and the impact that they have on the community.  Make sure you cover both what your organisation is and does, and what you hope to achieve in the future.

Wherever possible, relate what you do to the interviewee’s background and previous experience.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to ask interviewees why they want to work for you and use their reply to tell them why they should work for you.

Talk about the future

When you’re talking about your organisation, and the role in general, it’s important to cover any plans for the future, as these could have a dramatic effect on both the organisation and job.  Is the organisation planning to expand or take on new responsibilities?  Do you have an ambitious strategy or a 5-year plan?  How will this affect their department or team?

Exciting plans for the future are generally attractive to potential employees as they suggest that the organisation is ambitious and forward-thinking and that their role could develop as the organisation does.

Benefits

Benefits are one of the key ways for charities to distinguish themselves as employers without increasing salaries and jobseekers in the third sector generally expect better benefits.  Some things to consider mentioning include:

• Paid benefits like medical or dental cover or travel insurance
• Salary sacrifice schemes for computers or mobile purchases, travel loans, childcare vouchers or cycle to work schemes
• Do you offer more than 20 days annual leave?  Are there extended breaks around holidays?
• Extra payments to cover relocation or travel
• Parental leave cover
• Pension contributions
• ·         Flexible or home working options
   

TPP has done a great deal of research into charity employees’ motivations for moving roles and we have found that two areas score consistently highly: pension contributions and flexible working.  Make sure you are familiar with your organisation’s policy on flexible working and pension plan, as these are the areas that are most likely to affect a candidate’s decision to join you.

While some organisations have a fixed benefits package, others are willing to negotiate with key employees to get them on board.  Make sure you know if this is an option prior to interview, as offering them better benefits can head off rejections based on salary from the outset.

Employer Brand

While all good interviewees should have done their research into your organisation’s performance as a charity, they may not be aware of your track record as an employer.  Look for opportunities during the interview to talk about your organisation’s reputation as an employer and show them why you have this reputation.

If you have a particularly low turnover of staff, this is a good sign that they are happy working there.  You can also mention employee satisfaction surveys, if you conduct them, or any employer certifications or awards you have received.  You need to discover the things that make your organisation a good place to work and distinguishes you from other potential employers.

Office culture

We’ve talked before about the importance of recruiting to fit your organisation’s culture.  The day-to-day working atmosphere can have a big impact on how happy your employees are and it’s important to cover this in interviews so candidates know whether it will suit them.

Obviously, different candidates want different types of environment, so consider how your organisation could appeal to people at different stages of life.  Are you a ‘fun’ employer with lots of social activities, do you offer stability and family-friendly benefits, or are you a diverse organisation with a wide range of characters?

Don’t duck any issues

No organisation can be perfect for every employee and there are always going to be areas in which you score lower than others.  However, there might be some obvious things that could put candidates off.  In this case, they are best addressed in the interview, when you can put a positive spin on the problem, rather than it being swept under the carpet.

For example, if you are a smaller charity in an out-of-town location which might put some candidates off, you could stress the benefits of a rural location such as less noise and pollution, an easier commute with plenty of parking, support for the local community etc.

In this period, job stability is one of the most important motivators for jobseekers, so if your organisation has just had a reorganisation or round of redundancies, make sure you talk about the reasons why this occurred and the benefits it has brought to the organisation, as well as stressing that this period is now over.

Or get someone else to do it for you…

A significant advantage of using recruitment consultancies like TPP to fill your vacancies is that jobseekers will often trust third party endorsements more than those from the horse’s mouth.  We are experts in recruiting for the third sector, and we know exactly what best motivates our candidates.  We take the time, wherever possible, to get to know your organisation and its culture, so all the candidates we send to interview will already have a positive (but honest) impression of your organisation.