Are You Overqualified for Your Job?

When you are professionally overqualified, there are usually lots of stressful issues, which have to be dealt with.

When you are in this situation, there is a constant internal struggle and debate going on in your mind about your presence at that job. You keep asking yourself, “What am I doing here? What am I doing with my life?" You even begin to question who you are and the things you stand for! When others inquire why such a talented and qualified person like yourself would accept a job like that, you justify it by saying, “It’s because of the money”, or that you are still looking for something better or that it’s only a temporary situation.

The reasons why you may be working at a job for which you are overqualified can’t be trivialized. These things happen to people all the time and sometimes you have to do what you have to do to make ends meet. So, how can you cope during this period, when you feel like you have been hit under the belt?

6 coping tips for overqualified you:

1. Talk to your boss.

You may have to schmooze to do this. You have to do what you have to do to get where you want to be. Don’t be shy about telling your boss or any other significant person in your organization about your other professional qualifications and skills. Let them know that you would be interested in applying for other positions within the company, which match your skills better. Ask your boss to let you know about suitable positions that are open. Inquire about how to employees can apply internally for vacant positions within the company. Speak out…Mother Luck may just smile on you!

2. Prepare to mentally re-adjust.

Life is tough as it is and being professionally overqualified means that you have to have the right mental attitude to adjust to your situation.

Mentally re-adjusting involves accepting your position and planning how to deal with it. You have to be prepared to not only deal with being a direct report to a boss who may be less qualified than you but also a leaner paycheck and a bruised ego. If you were once in management, you may have to get used to being managed, micro-managed or being yelled at by a bad boss who is too busy to hear your opinion.

You may also have to trim your resume and down play your qualifications to suit your current job description. The ability to maintain a positive attitude will do so much for you in terms of preserving your sanity. It never hurt anyone to look on the bright side.

3. Find a more suitable job.

One good thing about being overqualified is that there are always other options available. Mount an aggressive job search, research your industry of interest, look at current job listings on the internet, in the classified section of your local newspaper and contact temporary employment agencies and recruiters that hire professionals.

Find out what employers are looking for and what you need to do to get an advantage over the rest of the job seekers in your field. In your spare time, work on learning any new skills you might need for the job you want.

Network with people who can give you leads about job availabilities in the sectors that interest you. Update your resume and keep all your relevant job related documents ready. Don’t give up.

4. Don’t be afraid to start fresh or do something totally different.

It is sometimes easier to get a clear perspective of what you really want to do when life is not going as smoothly as you expect. Take time to search your soul and take an inventory of what matters most in your life. If you feel that you may have a better chance in another professional field, don’t be afraid to start a new. New beginnings can be a welcome relief especially if your current skills are standing in the way of better opportunities. Think about using your skills or qualifications to start a business, or do something radically different. It’s never too late to start a fresh. You can always re-invent yourself, repackage yourself and find fulfillment. Be prepared to adjust your life to new experiences and other opportunities.

5. Join a professional association.

Volunteer or seek membership in a professional association that addresses issues in your field of expertise. This will keep you abreast of the latest developments in your field and keep you intellectually challenged.

Making contributions to the association and being actively involved in its activities will give you a chance to indirectly pursue what you are qualified to do. It will also give you a chance to meet and network with stakeholders who may widen your chances of getting hired in your preferred field.

6. Consider it a learning experience.

There are many lessons to learn from being professionally overqualified. Apart from acquiring new job skills, you may discover that you have strengths in other fields which you never knew you had. Sometimes it takes hardship for your best attributes to be revealed. If you just take the time to view things from another perspective, you will be surprised at what’s possible.

Caroline is a life coach for women who are ready to take step towards living an exceptional life. She helps women strike the match that sets them ablaze to discover who they are, explore and expand on what they can do and take action to achieve their goals. Are you settling for less than you deserve because you are stuck or are you stuck because you are settling for less than you deserve? Send your responses to Caroline@motivationzone.com or visit http://www.motivationzone.com

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