“You’re overqualified” is probably the most dreaded compliment in the history of hiring. This assertion is usually accompanied with remarks such as: “What sort of position do you really want?” or “Don’t you think this position would be a step down?” According to a Career Transitions post in Psychology Today by Katharine Brooks, Ed.D, accomplished female professionals have been turned away from lucrative opportunities because of being perceived as a hiring risk. From an employer’s perspective “overqualified” professionals are those who ‘won’t fit in, will cost too much, or won’t keep up with trends.’ Brooks explains that interviewers use this unappealing commendation to mask their apprehension and avoid hiring an employee who they feel may will “get bored and leave the job as soon as something better comes along.”

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