Overqualified Employee: A Liability or An Asset?

You nailed the interview and fulfilled all the job requirements but the employers still turned you down? Why were you turned down? The frustrating reason given by the employer is that the company will look for another candidate since you are ‘overqualified’. This bombshell has been dropped on a lot of candidates over the years and has caused frustration among those who failed to get a job despite being well-educated and experienced. The situation is not that easy for the employers either, who are interviewing a perfect candidate with a lot of experience but cannot hire him because he is overqualified and might not stick with them for long.

What Does Being ‘Overqualified’ Mean?

Overqualified is a term that is applied to any candidate who has more experience and level of education than what is required for the job. It appears to be a good thing to the layman but the managers and employers show the tendency to ignore such candidates in favor of those who fall within the parameters of the given requirements. Actually being overqualified is not a negative thing and can be beneficial for the company but there are a few issues that can arise if a firm hires a person who is overqualified for the job. What the company managers have to decide is whether they can deal with the problems that arise after hiring an overqualified person or do they feel better hiring a person who fulfils just the desired criterion. In most of the cases, the employers choose the second option.

Pros and Cons of Hiring Overqualified Employees:

Like all other situations, hiring overqualified in an organization has both positive and negative aspects. In order to evaluate a situation properly and reach the right decision, we have to take a look at all the aspects.

Benefits Of Hiring An Over Qualified Employee:

There is no doubt that hiring an overqualified employee is not without its benefits. Some of these benefits are:

Level of Experience

When an employee with a lot of work experience joins your firm, he brings a lot of experience which is good for the company. Previous experience is the most valuable thing in a prospective employee and the more experienced he is, the more able he is to deal with difficult situations.

Healthy Competition

When a highly experienced and well qualified employee joins the company, it will give rise to healthy competition. The rest of the employees will try to match the high standards being set by the more experienced employee and work harder. Thus a healthy competition will be started, which will improve the outputs of all the employees in the long run.

A Source of Inspiration

The more experienced and well educated employee will become a source of inspiration for other employees, who will want to learn from his experience and will perform better in the long term.

Downside of Hiring an Overqualified Employee:

When employers meet a candidate who is overqualified for a job they have some basic concerns that stop them from hiring him for the position. The basic concerns are:

Switching Jobs at Better Offer

Since a candidate is overqualified the managers will be concerned that he might leave the job as soon as a better job offer comes by. Since a candidate is applying for a job that is below his level of expertise and education, the obvious conclusion drawn by the employer is that the job seeker is desperate for the job and will apply anywhere at any post.

Demand Higher Pay

Since the candidate is overqualified and has a lot of experience, the employer feel that he might be asking for a much higher salary than what is feasible for them for a certain job. This makes the situation less favorable for the candidate as the employers feel that they should keep looking for a more appropriate candidate.

Lack of Motivation

The employers feel insecure while hiring someone who is overqualified because they feel that the work will not be challenging enough for him and he will get bored quickly, loosing focus and motivation. When an employee loses focus he instantly starts looking for another job and thus becomes a flight risk.

How to Deal With an Overqualified Employee?

While there might be a lot of problems with hiring an overqualified employee, if you handle him properly he can prove to be an asset for the company in the long run. It is not as hard to deal with an overqualified employee as most of the managers think. Here are a few things you can try to make sure that the overqualified employee you have hired does not turn into a liability:

Maintain A Healthy Environment

A healthy and productive work environment is essential not only for improving the efficiency of the employees but also for the overall growth of the company. An overqualified employee might get more restless and bored if he is working in a nonproductive environment where he feels that he cannot work at his maximum potential. Make sure that the work environment in your company is conducive where the employees feel motivated to work at their maximum potential.

Make Them Feel Valued and Respected

The worst thing that you can do to an overqualified employee is make him feel undervalued and humiliate him. It is never wise to make your employee feel undervalued but since the overqualified employee will be more sensitive to such things so you have to make sure to be appreciative and understanding. If your attitude towards the employee is condescending, he will start looking for another job where he will feel respected.

Keep Challenging the Employee

In order to retain an overqualified employee, you have to keep him motivated. To keep an employee motivated you have to keep challenging him by giving more interesting projects. Mundane routine makes them question their own productivity and gives rise to dissatisfaction.

Utilize His Expertise

If you have an overqualified employee on the team be sure to utilize his experience rather than feeling threatened by it. His expertise is a valuable asset for you and you can utilize it for the progress of your company.

What to Do If You Are Being Labeled As Overqualified?

Enough has been said about overqualified employees and what the management can do to deal effectively with them. As for the jobseekers that have been labeled as overqualified, there are a few things that can help in turning the label into a positive thing. Here are a few tips that will help you in landing a good job despite being overqualified.

• Show you are willing to work at the position that you have applied for. You should have a valid reason for applying to a job that is below your level of experience and expertise otherwise the employers will assume that you are just desperate for a job.

• Be enthusiastic about the job that you are being offered. Show how you can bring stability and growth to the company. However, make sure that you do not appear pompous or a show off.

• Emphasize your loyalty to previous employer. Give references if you left the employer on good term. You have to establish that despite being overqualified you are not a flight risk.

• Show a positive attitude at work. Do not be lethargic or monotonous in your routine. It will make the employers feel like you are losing interest in the job and might leave soon.

• Articulate your capabilities well and emphasize on the level of sophistication you will bring to the job. Show them that you are willing to work hard at a job that might be below your level of expertise because you believe you can improve the quality of work.

• Do not push hard for a higher salary as it will make the employers think that you are not a goal oriented person. By all means ask for the salary that you deserve and is appropriate for the position that you are working for but do not go completely overboard.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT CO-WORKERS

During the course of professional life, one often comes across coworkers who are not so easy to get along with. Some of them can be avoided easily, yet others make it impossible for you to simply ignore them and continue your work. Most of us choose to ignore a difficult employee, even if he is directly interfering with our work, rather than confronting him. While this might be the easier solution, having a difficult coworker affects your work productivity tremendously and makes it hard for you to perform at your maximum potential in the long run.

Is he really being difficult?

The most important thing that you have to figure out is whether the coworkers is actually being difficult on purpose or is it just your perception. It might be that you are having problems with a coworker just because the two of you have different personality types that clash too often. There are a lot of people who just fail to get along well as they have very different personalities. It does not mean that any one of them is being difficult rather the problem is that both of them are failing to find a common ground. If this is what is causing trouble between you and a colleague then it can be easily resolved. The best way is to talk it out with the coworker. Ask him which of your habits are causing him inconvenience and listen to him patiently, as there is no point in being offended by what he has to say. Try to remain objective and figure out what you can do to resolve the situation. Make sure that you also communicate your problems to the coworker, but do it tactfully. It should not appear that you are criticizing the colleague just to spite him. Vocalize your concerns in a friendly and amiable manner so that the other person reacts positively as well. However, if you are sure that there is nothing untoward in your attitude and the coworker is being difficult on purpose, then you have to take some steps to set the situation right.

How to deal with a difficult coworker?

There are many ways to deal with a difficult coworker without making a big deal and creating a bad impression on the boss.

Confront or avoid?

The first thing you have to decide when dealing with a coworker is how you want to go about it. Many people choose to avoid conflict and try to mind their own business as much as possible so that they can avoid any sort of confrontation. This approach may do the trick for a short time, but sooner or later you will have to deal with a difficult coworker who makes it impossible for you to avoid him. In such a case there are several options for you regarding how to successfully deal with a troublesome coworker.

Avoid petty arguments

The most important thing that you have to keep in mind is that whatever the situation might be; try to avoid getting into petty arguments with a difficult colleague. Arguments seldom solve anything and whenever you argue with a person who is bent on being difficult, the end result is bound to be frustrating for you. You will end up gaining nothing and will have given the other person the satisfaction of an argument. It is likely that by avoiding getting into petty arguments you will be able to make the difficult coworker follow your example.

Keep an open mind

You should keep an open mind when dealing with a difficult coworker, as there is a chance that you are failing to understand his point of view and that is what is causing the trouble. If you have particular trouble while communicating with a specific colleague, try bringing in a third party to make sure that you do no misinterpret anything that is said by him or you.

Imagine yourself in his shoes

Before you take any major step that could alter the fate of the fellow employee, imagine yourself in his shoes at least once. There might be some personal problems that are leading the coworker to behave in a difficult manner. Try to be reasonable and do not take any action that might end up permanently damaging his career.

Keep it to yourself

If you are having trouble with a coworker it is best to keep it to yourself. If you whine about it to any of your other colleagues, there is a high probability that it will be circulated throughout the office and sooner or later the person you are having trouble with will hear what you have said about him.

Do not retaliate

If a difficult coworker is badmouthing you, do not retaliate under any circumstances. This will get you involved in petty politics and lead the managers to believe that you are unprofessional who cannot deal with a little criticism. So keep in mind, whatever your colleagues might be saying about you must keep your cool at all times.

Talk to the boss

After you have tried everything else, talk to your boss about the difficult coworker as a last resort. Make sure that it does not appear as if you are making baseless accusations or just whining about petty things. Articulate the things that are creating difficulties for you and suggest how they can be minimized. Do not badmouth your colleague as it will lead the boss to conclude that you have some personal vendetta against the coworker. Never under any circumstances suggest to the boss that he should lay off the coworker as it can be the worst thing that you do not only for the colleague but also for yourself. By doing so, you will end up losing respectability in the eyes of the boss.

Final thoughts

Having a healthy and positive attitude at work is essential if you wish to be productive and give the maximum possible output. If you have a colleague who disrupts the smooth flow of work and is creating unnecessary problems for you, then it is best that you tackle the problem rather than letting your work suffer. However, if the difficult coworker is not interfering with your work then it is best to simply avoid and ignore him as much as possible and focus all your energies at work.

TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT

Introduction

The training needs assessment is a critical activity for the training and development function. Whether you are a human resource generalist or a specialist, you should be adept at performing a training needs assessment. This article will begin with an overview of the training and development function and how the needs assessment fits into this process, followed by an in-depth look at the core concepts and steps involved in conducting a training needs assessment.

Background

Designing a training and development program involves a sequence of steps that can be grouped into five phases: needs assessment, instructional objectives, design, implementation and evaluation. To be effective and efficient, all training programs must start with a needs assessment. Long before any actual training occurs, the training manager must determine the who, what, when, where, why and how of training. To do this, the training manager must analyze as much information as possible about the following:

·        Organization and its goals and objectives.

·        Jobs and related tasks that need to be learned.

·        Competencies and skills that are need to perform the job.

·        Individuals who are to be trained.

Overview of Training and Development

The first step in designing a training and development program is to conduct a needs assessment. The assessment begins with a "need" which can be identified in several ways but is generally described as a gap between what is currently in place and what is needed, now and in the future. Gaps can include discrepancies/differences between:

·        What the organization expects to happen and what actually happens.

·        Current and desired job performance.

·        Existing and desired competencies and skills.

A need assessment can also be used to assist with:

·        Competencies and performance of work teams.

·        Problem solving or productivity issues.

·        The need to prepare for and respond to future changes in the organization or job duties.

The results of the needs assessment allows the training manager to set the training objectives by answering two very basic questions: who, if anyone, needs training and what training is needed. Sometimes training is not the solution. Some performance gaps can be reduced or eliminated through other management solutions such as communicating expectations, providing a supportive work environment, arranging consequences, removing obstacles and checking job fit.

Once the needs assessment is completed and training objectives are clearly identified, the design phase of the training and development process is initiated:

·        Select the internal or external person or resource to design and develop the training.

·        Select and design the program content.

·        Select the techniques used to facilitate learning (lecture, role play, simulation, etc.).

·        Select the appropriate setting (on the job, classroom, etc.).

·        Select the materials to be used in delivering the training (work books, videos, etc.).

·        Identify and train instructors (if internal).

After completing the design phase, the training is ready for implementation:

·        Schedule classes, facilities and participants.

·        Schedule instructors to teach.

·        Prepare materials and deliver them to scheduled locations.

·        Conduct the training.

The final phase in the training and development program is evaluation of the program to determine whether the training objectives were met. The evaluation process includes determining participant reaction to the training program, how much participants learned and how well the participants transfer the training back on the job. The information gathered from the training evaluation is then included in the next cycle of training needs assessment. It is important to note that the training needs assessment, training objectives, design, and implementation and evaluation process is a continual process for the organization.

Needs Assessment

There are three levels of needs assessment: organizational analysis, task analysis and individual analysis.

Organizational analysis looks at the effectiveness of the organization and determines where training is needed and under what conditions it will be conducted.

The organizational analysis should identify:

·        Environmental impacts (new laws such as ADA, FMLA, OSHA, etc.).

·        State of the economy and the impact on operating costs.

·        Changing work force demographics and the need to address cultural or language barriers.

·        Changing technology and automation.

·        Increasing global/world market places.

·        Political trends such as sexual harassment and workplace violence.

·        Organizational goals (how effective is the organization in meetings its goals), resources available (money, facilities; materials on hand and current, available expertise within the organization).

·        Climate and support for training (top management support, employee willingness to participate, and responsibility for outcomes).

The information needed to conduct an organizational analysis can be obtained from a variety of sources including:

·        Organizational goals and objectives, mission statements, strategic plans.

·        Staffing inventory, succession planning, long and short term staffing needs.

·        Skills inventory: both currently available and short and long term needs, organizational climate indices: labor/management relationships, grievances, turnover rates, absenteeism, suggestions, productivity, accidents, short term sickness, and observations of employee behavior, attitude surveys, and customer complaints.

·        Analysis of efficiency indices: costs of labor, costs of materials, quality of products, equipment utilization, production rates, costs of distribution, waste, down time, late deliveries, and repairs.

·        Changes in equipment, technology or automation.

·        Annual report.

·        Plans for reorganization or job restructuring.

·        Audit exceptions; reward systems.

·        Planning systems.

·        Delegation and control systems.

·        Employee attitudes and satisfaction.

Task analysis provides data about a job or a group of jobs and the knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities needed to achieve optimum performance.

There are a variety of sources for collecting data for a task analysis:

·        Job description: A narrative statement of the major activities involved in performing the job and the conditions under which these activities are performed. If an accurate job description is not available or is out of date, one should be prepared using job analysis techniques.

·        KSA analysis: A more detailed list of specified tasks for each job including Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Abilities required of incumbents.

·        Performance standards: Objectives of the tasks of the job and the standards by which they will be judged. This is needed to identify performance discrepancies.

·        Observe the job (sample the work)

·        Perform the job

·        Job inventory questionnaire: Evaluate tasks in terms of importance and time spent performing.

·        Review literature about the job:          Research the "best practices" from other companies, review professional journals.

·        Ask questions about the job: Of the incumbents, of the supervisor, of upper management.

·        Analysis of operating problems: Down time, waste, repairs, late deliveries, quality control.

Individual analysis analyzes how well the individual employee is doing the job and determines which employees need training and what kind.

Sources of information available for an individual analysis include:

·        Performance evaluation (Identifies weaknesses and areas of improvement).

·        Performance problems (Productivity, absenteeism or tardiness, accidents, grievances, waste, product quality, down time, repairs, equipment utilization, customer complaints)

·        Observation (Observe both behavior and the results of the behavior)

·        Work samples (Observe products generated)

·        Interviews (Talk to manager, supervisor and employee. Ask employee about what he/she believes he/she needs to learn)

·        Questionnaires (Written form of the interview, tests, must measure job-related qualities such as job knowledge and skills)

·        Attitude surveys (Measures morale, motivation, satisfaction)

·        Checklists or training progress charts (Up-to-date listing of current skills)

Results of the Needs Assessment

Assuming that the needs assessment identifies more than one training need, the training manager, working with management, prioritizes the training based on the urgency of the need (timeliness), the extent of the need (how many employees need to be trained) and the resources available. Based on this information, the training manager can develop the instructional objectives for the training and development program.

All three levels of needs analysis are interrelated and the data collected from each level is critical to a thorough and effective needs assessment.

Summary

The purpose of a training needs assessment is to identify performance requirements or needs within an organization in order to help direct resources to the areas of greatest need, those that closely relate to fulfilling the organizational goals and objectives, improving productivity and providing quality products and services.

The needs assessment is the first step in the establishment of a training and development Program. It is used as the foundation for determining instructional objectives, the selection and design of instructional programs, the implementation of the programs and the evaluation of the training provided. These processes form a continuous cycle which always begins with a needs assessment.