Published on: Monday, March 28, 2011

Six-Figure Hotline: Be Someone’s Aspirin

Posted By: Dave Opton
Filed Under: execunet, executive job search, dave opton, six-figure hotline, interviewing, age discrimination, overqualified

Comments (2)

As part of ExecuNet membership, I conduct a weekly teleconference called Six-Figure Hotline where members call in to ask the questions keeping them up at night, and to gain market and trend insight from the career experts who join me in talking about issues that are important to executives today. Whether you are in a job search, thinking about changing positions, or want to learn how to strengthen your success in your current position, this weekly teleconference is designed to provide you the support you need to reach your goals.

Recently, in one such teleconference, I was asked about candidacies getting flattened by the "You are overqualified" objection. The caller said: "I am trying to re-direct my career from doing turnarounds to becoming COO with an early stage company. Invariably, this means working with younger individuals. It seems they buy into me on paper and on the phone, but when they find out how old I am when I show up I am suddenly 'overqualified.' Maybe it's just my imagination, but..."

This is a great question and one ExecuNet members have been asking for years, so I thought I'd share my answer here since chances are good many of you have wondered the same thing. Here's what I had to say:

I wish it were your imagination, but as they say "if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck..." We get into this topic a lot, especially since the average age of ExecuNet members is 50, which based on our research for the last 20 years is when age discrimination becomes a factor. When it comes to dealing with this sort of thing, as with other aspects of managing a search, you have to approach it by dealing with what you can control — not those things that you can't.

Focus on smaller companies; they are much more likely not to focus on age or over qualification. Are you going to get fewer interviews than someone who is 35? Yes, but on the other side of it, you are in a position to bring to a company something the 35 year-old can't — experience!

If the job is a step back and you are indeed "overqualified" embrace that. Explain why the job is enough for you. Help them get past the fact that you have "too much experience." They could simply be worried that once the market turns you'll be gone because the job is too much of "been there, done that" and "they won't be able to keep you challenged" etc. Your job as the "salesperson" is to anticipate the objection and have points to make that will put their minds at ease.

If you are bringing 20+ years of experience you can make the argument that you have been around the game long enough to know what you like, don't like and where your job satisfaction comes from, which is part of why you are so excited about the opportunity. It's up to you to explain how passionate you are about this role and this company.

If you can match your interests and skills to the position's responsibilities your age and your "excess experience" can be turned into advantages. Target your search. Network your way to opportunities. Identify their specific pain points and position yourself as the aspirin to their headache. Then watch their relief when you accept their offer.

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Dave Opton's avatar Dave Opton
Dave Opton founded ExecuNet in 1988 to provide a trusted environment where senior-level executives could build career opportunities by facilitating connections to other executives, experts and key market insights. Dave has drawn upon his 35 years of experience in human resources to develop and grow what has become the leading business and career membership network for executives and senior managers. A widely recognized executive career management expert, Dave is regularly quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune, Fast Company, and other leading business publications. Mr. Opton received his BA from Indiana University. Dave blogs at Six Figure Learnings

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Posted by Louis
04/05 @ 12:41 PM

Simple.
Remember Charlie in Charlie's Angels? You never did see his face. I have tried that quite successfully up to the point that when the "freshmen" finally see you they are overcome for a few seconds ONLY, before deciding on whether to accept or reject what they see. You have to ensure that by the time they DO see you with perhaps the full-blown silver mane and the million and one etchins on your face you, have provided enough suggestions and solutions that they, are convinced that they can move in one direction only ... yours which is the voice of experience.

If you really have it and its not a load of BS you will have faced the challenge they think is totally new, some three, ten, twenty or thirty years ago with the difference being that YOU know what the right answer or solution was, because you will remember (I guarantee you will) whether you were right or wrong when you sought to solve it the first time round.

There is nothing "new" in business, it just depends on whether or not your memory is good enough to go back far enough.

Posted by Mike Magill
04/04 @ 12:43 PM

54 yrs old and anticipating going back on the job market. I'm not as familiar with the social networking tools as the younger candidates are -- I am starting to feel both overqualified and outdated.