The HR guy who told me I was 'overqualified' and then hired someone with less experience

I applied for a project coordinator job at a company in Austin last fall. The HR manager called me and said my resume was too impressive that I would get bored and leave. I tried to explain I wanted the role for the stability and the team, not the title. Two weeks later I saw they hired a friend of his who had zero project management experience. That moment made me realize how many hiring managers use 'overqualified' as a cover for nepotism. Has anyone else had a recruiter straight up tell you they were passing on you for a reason that made no sense?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathana4815d agoMost Upvoted

Right?! They'd rather hire somebody who doesn't know which end of a spreadsheet is up than admit they're doing their buddy a solid. "Too enthusiastic" is definitely a new one though... maybe they wanted someone who'd complain about the spreadsheets right out of the gate.

angelar5716d ago

Oh man, that stings so bad lol. I once had a recruiter tell me I was "too enthusiastic" about the job and that worried them. Like sorry for wanting to actually do the work? Then they hired someone who quit after two weeks cause they "didn't realize there would be so many spreadsheets." I swear sometimes these people just make up reasons to give the job to their buddy. The overqualified thing is such a classic cover, especially when the person they pick is clearly just connected somehow.