Should You Consider Overqualified IT Talent?

Traditional recruiting strategies have typically discouraged hiring a candidate who is overqualified. The thinking is that these candidates will quickly grow bored and leave the company, creating a hole in the workforce and necessitating another long recruiting process. And while there is some validity to that way of thinking, hiring managers could be missing out on a golden opportunity by immediately disqualifying overqualified IT talent. Here’s why:

Larger Candidate Pool

Due to the high unemployment rate in recent years, large volumes of overqualified candidates routinely apply for vacant positions. Cutting them out of your ranks simply shirks the size of your candidate pool and reduces your chances of finding the right professional for the job.

Highly Motivated

There is a reason that overqualified candidates apply for lesser positions. They can be reentering the workforce, eager to break into a new industry, or bound to a certain geography. As a result, many of them start work highly motivated and eager to make the most of the opportunity.

Multiple Talents

Filling you workforce with highly capable individuals is never a bad thing. Even if a candidate has skills that seem irrelevant to your needs, they could prove to be an asset in the future. And the simple fact that these candidates have managed to build such vast and varied skill sets proves that they are the kind of agile thinkers you are looking for.

Talent Grooming

Top tech companies like Google evaluate candidates for “this and the next job.” One of the criteria that they use to assess applicants is their likelihood to advance, and this strategy has obviously proved successful for them. An overqualified candidate might have too many skills for the current vacancy, but all of the skills you will want when you need to hire a manager or team leader. By bringing that candidate into your fold early, you simplify the recruiting process down the road.

Workplace Mentors

Overqualified candidates often find a way to share their knowledge and experience with those around them. That mentoring can prove to be an asset that elevates your entire workforce. With just one hire, you may be able to improve the performance of your entire team.

More for Less

Overqualified IT talent typically takes less time to train and less effort to manage while reaching the desired levels of productivity and performance faster. Ultimately, isn’t that exactly what you are looking for in a new hire?

Now that you know how beneficial it can be to hire overqualified candidates, it is time to shake up your recruitment strategy. Working with a specialized recruiting firm can help you find the exact kinds of candidates you are seeking and help you find the top talent your company needs. Contact TekPartners today to find the talent you’ll need tomorrow.