Why would any company turn down a candidate with an amazing resume and the ability to go above and beyond the job description? It happens all the time.

Many of my brightest and most talented career coaching clients have heard the dreaded, “Sorry, you’re overqualified.” Have you passed over a potential star employee due to fear that she was too experienced for the role?
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Why Say No to an Experienced Candidate?
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Hiring managers are right to hesitate before hiring “overqualified” candidates. The risks of hiring someone who is “too good” for the job include:

Wasting time (and money) on a job hopper: If a candidate is pursuing the position simply because they need a job right now, there’s a risk he will abandon you as soon as a better opportunity comes along. You don’t want to spend time and money recruiting and training someone — only to have him ditch you after a few weeks or months for a more challenging (and/or better paying) gig.

Dealing with attitude problems: Some overqualified candidates will turn their noses up at duties they consider “beneath” them. Others may feel bored or disengaged if they’re not challenged by the work — this can lead to all kinds of performance and attitude issues.

Protecting your own job: Many managers won’t admit this, but there is a real danger that an overqualified candidate is on a mission to take over and run the show. This can be a concern for more than your own selfish reasons (and honestly, who wants to re-enact All About Eve at the office). Productivity suffers when team members are more focused on politics than the work at hand. It’s also impossible to collaborate effectively with someone you don’t trust or who has an ulterior motive to make you look bad.
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How to Interview “Overqualified” Candidates
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On the other hand, many seemingly overqualified candidates have the potential to be star employees. The trick is to identify their motivations and goals through the interview process.

The following questions will help you determine if an overqualified candidate represents a risky proposition or a business opportunity:

1) Do you think you’re overqualified for this position? Why not?
Just put it out there if it’s a concern and listen carefully to the response. Does the candidate sound truly enthusiastic about the how she can contribute? Does she see ways that the position will engage and challenge her? Can you detect hints of distaste for the more mundane aspects of the role?

2) What are your long-term career goals?
Does this position fit into the candidate’s career plans? Will it help him learn and grow? Does he seem to view this position as a real opportunity or a short-term stepping stone? Does he seem overly concerned about being promoted quickly?

3) What specifically interests you about this company and position?
Listen carefully and probe if the candidate responds with generic interview patter. You want to hear that she would be able to do the work — and would actually enjoy it. You’re looking for convincing, specific reasons. You don’t want someone who’s desperate for any job, but someone who would be thrilled to be offered THIS job.

4) How do you feel about working late, making copies, sitting in a cubicle, reporting to someone with less experience than you have?
Ask about the potentially unattractive aspects of the position to see if you’re dealing with a prima donna or someone eager to roll up their sleeves and contribute.

5) Where else are you interviewing? What types of positions?
See what you can learn about the candidate’s job search. Is this position his #1 choice or one of many options? Does he seem more excited about other, more senior jobs or jobs in other areas/industries? You’re not likely to get a completely candid answer to this question, but you should be able to elicit some useful information about the candidate’s goals.
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How to Engage “Overqualified” Employees
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If you decide to hire that overqualified candidate, you may find yourself the happy manager of a star employee.

To effectively manage star employees, it’s important to understand what drives them and provide recognition and development opportunities accordingly.

Offer your “overqualified” employees openings to take on new responsibilities and stretch themselves. Yes, you should also provide raises and bonuses when they are earned, but often other job perks (autonomy, flexibility, meaningful work) are even more important to your most valuable team members.

Most expensive hiring mistakes could be avoided if hiring managers were better interviewers.

Sure, the members of the HR team are usually well trained in the art of the interview. But hiring managers are usually the ones with the most influence over who gets hired. And most hiring managers never receive training in how to interview.

Inexperienced hiring managers make assumptions, rely too much on gut instinct, miss red flags, and neglect to probe in key areas. They think they know how to interview because they’ve been through the process as job seekers.

Unfortunately, they often model bad interviewers without even realizing it — which can lead to costly errors that could have been easily prevented.

Here are the top 5 mistakes that new managers make when conducting job interviews:

1. They don’t analyze the job description thoroughly.

Managers should play a key role in developing and updating job descriptions. They should not rely on generic or outdated descriptions when selecting candidates.

Many new managers don’t take the time to sit down with Human Resources and/or members of their team to ensure a thorough, specific, and up-to-date understanding of the experience, skills, and competencies required for the position.

As a result, they often fall back on generic questions that don’t really probe deeply enough into specifics about how the candidate would approach the role. This can lead them to hire candidates that look good on paper and talk a good game, but don’t truly have the needed skills.

2. They skimp on preparation.

Even when working with a solid job description, many new managers fail to take enough time to prepare for interviews. They don’t develop a list of prioritized questions that delve into the most important qualifications for the job.

Instead, they “wing it” and this often means they fall back on general, cliché questions and often fail to get the information they need to make a smart hiring decision.

3. They fail to spot red flags.

Because new managers often walk into interviews feeling unprepared, they are too distracted to spot red flags and signs that a candidate is not being completely honest.

Danger signs might show up on resumes (strange gaps, odd patterns, dates that don’t add up), in a candidate’s physical presentation (eye contact, facial expressions, body language), and in responses to interview questions (avoiding questions, answers that don’t ring true, negative attitudes).

In some cases, new managers miss these red flags because they’re so busy focusing on what they’re going to say. In others, they just haven’t been taught what to look out for and how to probe when they see inconsistency.

4. They rely on gut feelings.

Most managers rely too much on their instincts. After all, they’re smart people and probably feel they’re pretty good at reading people. This overdependence on intuition can be very dangerous.

It can lead to biased decisions when managers favor those who are most like them (often unconsciously) instead of striving for objectivity. “Going with the gut” can also lead to hiring the best schmoozer instead of the most qualified candidate.

5. They avoid probing and asking difficult questions.

Some new managers shy away from confrontation or uncomfortable conversations. It’s never fun to ask someone about weaknesses, failures, or gaps between jobs. Many new managers prefer to rush past difficult questions.

They make assumptions or take the candidate’s word instead of probing to verify and/or clarify. As a result, they are more likely to get fooled by a dishonest candidate and can also pass over someone fantastic because of a resume blemish that could have been easily explained.

In a job interview, it’s all about how you answer the questions, right? That’s only half the story. Most candidates would be surprised to learn how much non-verbal communication (body language, facial expressions, etc.) matters.

Some studies have shown that people form first impressions based 55% on body language and only 7% on actual verbal content. Actions really can speak louder than words. You start making a non-verbal impression from the moment you walk in the lobby door until the moment you leave. Some non-verbal mistakes can ruin your chances of a job offer — even if your answers to the interview questions are impressive.

PREPARING TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION

Let’s start with the basics: Your first impression. Beauty is only skin deep, but you will make a visual impression within seconds of meeting your interviewer — before you get the opportunity to say a word. You can immediately turn an interviewer off if you look (or smell) unprofessional, slovenly, or nervous.

How You Look: Make sure that you are dressed properly from top to bottom. It’s not about looking beautiful, it’s about presenting a professional, confident persona.

How You Smell: This may sound obvious, but it’s essential to avoid making a bad olfactory first impression. Don’t walk into your job interview smelling like you’ve bathed in cologne or perfume, reeking of cigarette or cigar smoke, or emanating eau de locker room or dirty laundry hamper.

What You Bring: Don’t forget to bring a few hard copies of your resume (at least one for each of the people you’re scheduled to meet, plus an extra or two just in case). Bring your portfolio and work samples, if appropriate, and make sure that they are organized professionally. Be prepared for emergencies by adding the following to your job interview survival kit: gum or mints, tissues, safety pins, a mini-lint roller, and make-up for touch-ups (if you wear it).

WAITING IN THE LOBBY

Make a point of greeting the receptionist professionally before taking a seat to wait for your interviewer. Be polite, but not overly friendly. You never know who might be watching you while you wait, so don’t slouch in your chair and read Us Magazine or sing along to your iPod. Don’t take phone calls or obsessively check your Blackberry or iPhone as if you have better places to be. Sit down and wait patiently. Review your interview preparation notes or any company materials displayed in the lobby.

GREETING YOUR INTERVIEWER

Walk confidently to greet your interviewer, make eye contact, smile, and offer your hand. This is your only chance to make a first impression.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Your Posture: When you take your seat, be sure to sit up straight and avoid slouching. You can lean forward a little to show your interest. The goal here is to appear natural, confident, and enthusiastic. Avoid any body language that could be construed as showing disinterest or desperation. Don’t lean back (you’ll look too relaxed or lethargic) or fidget (you’ll look nervous or immature) and don’t invade your interviewer’s personal space (you’ll look like a stalker).

Your Hands and Feet: Keep your feet on the floor and your hands positioned naturally. If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, keep them folded loosely in your lap or on the tabletop.

Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact in a natural way. Just don’t stare fixedly at your interviewer. That can seem creepy or robotic. Listen carefully and smile and nod as appropriate.

WRAPPING UP THE INTERVIEW

Once the interview is over, when you thank your interviewer politely for her time, shake her hand professionally and smile.

Then it’s time to walk confidently out the door, secure in the knowledge that you’ve made a winning non-verbal impression.