Graduates: How to get round the 'overqualified' label

How do you persuade an employer that you aren't a "flight risk", liable to go as soon as a better opportunity arises? If you are getting feedback that you're overqualified for roles, try these strategies:

Don't lead with your degree on your CV

Unless you're applying for a graduate-entry role where your degree is crucial, prioritise your skills or employment history instead. Make a business case for hiring you as early as possible in your CV.

An employer won't necessarily see the relevance of your degree, so translate what you learnt into tangible business benefits. Include other elements from your university experience: you may have picked up useful transferable skills from extra-curricular activities.

Emphasise experience and skills match

You need to convince an employer you're capable of the job. If you lack relevant work experience, examine voluntary work, holiday jobs, gap-years, work-shadowing and so on for evidence that you have key experience and skills. Non-graduate roles may have given you valuable experience in customer services, sales, or more general office-type skills.

In A graduate guide to job seeking, Simon Reichwald of Bright Futures says: "Graduates need to 'sell' what they have done by showing how their skills match up to what employers want. Make it easy for recruiters to see what you have achieved."

Be clear why you want the job

Employers want to know why you're interested in them, so explain in your covering letter, as well as at interview. Try to strike a balance between your ability to do the job and the opportunity it offers for professional development. Perhaps you want to work your way up, or the chance to learn from mentors. Never give the impression that you'll get bored or feel the role is beneath you.

Research the company and the role thoroughly so you can show you understand the job requirements. Steve Thompson says that questions about commercial awareness and personal motivation are often the trickiest, and he advises graduates to learn how to answer questions such as "Why do you want this role?" or "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?"

(This blog post from HBR has useful tips on how to answer this question.)

A temp or admin post might pave the way for a role with more responsibility. In a smaller company you may also be doing more than the job title suggests, so emphasise how you appreciate the opportunity to gain CV-building experience and make an impact beyond the scope of the role.

Deal with the salary question

Minimise fears that you expect a higher salary because you're a graduate. Research the market range for the position, but ask about probationary periods and career progression in the company.

Attitude is critical

Employers like to see the six key traits of commitment, honesty, trustworthiness, adaptability, accountability and loyalty.

In a Live Q&A on how to deliver in your first job, Nicole Corr says, "One of the key mistakes grads often make is thinking that their degree accounts for everything. Learning how organisations operate and colleagues interact are hugely important life skills which build a positive work ethic. The best way to develop these skills is to get stuck in, apply yourself 110% to your role and your working environment."