Overqualified, Underqualified: Where Do You Fit At?

Growing up I always remember being told that education was important and that it was imperative for one to go to school and get a college degree.  During the years, a Bachelor degree was a common thing so by the time I got to 9^th grade everyone was singing it was imperative to get a Master’s degree.  Of course, for me I was going to get whatever degrees it was necessary to get a good job to take care of my family. Now it seems that even with a Associates, Bachelors, Masters as well as a few certificates in various program does make a difference because now your either overqualified, under qualified, or qualified but not experienced enough.

After six years of educating myself I have now find myself at a job that pays okay but still doesn’t pay enough to cover the student loan bills that are now needing to be paid nor do I feel like I’m being challenged enough. Often times I apply for a position and I am told I am overqualified when I ask the hiring manager (yes it is okay to ask for feedback) what makes me overqualified?  I’m amaze to hear that with my combination of years in the fields that I've worked in which of course are little jobs customer service jobs mostly and my education they are basically telling me they don’t think they can pay me what I’m truly worth. To them they feel as if they will hire someone who will be looking for something else sooner than later and they do not want to be looked at as a stepping-stone. When I’m not being told I’m overqualified then I’m being told I’m under qualified which simply means either they are preferring someone with a PhD or something or that matter plus some sort of experience and since I don’t have that they don’t feel the need to even look at me as a candidate. Then there is the famous your qualified but don’t have enough experience. I don’t know what drives me most this or the under qualified comment because honestly I feel as if I was given the opportunity to get experience I could honestly have my picks of jobs.

 

However, with the economy today big corporations are not willing to bring a fresh college graduate on board to train them. They rather pay someone a little more who has the experience that the hiring manager is looking for but may lack the education that the other has but that person has the experience to perform the job and therefore they are the preferred hire because it costs less to bring them onboard.

Now if you’re like me your thinking then what in the world did I get my degree for because if it’s all about experience I can just get some internships at the company I want to work for and do a good job and get hire just like that. I have been looking at various articles about what degrees are the preferred by what companies.  It is surprising to see that Associates degrees in various fields are making some nice cash and I am sitting here kind of feeling a little out of place because I am paying student loans that amount to a nice house or car and not making what I need to make to pay back these funds.

What is really going on?

~Truly Blessed,

Misherald "Missy" & Jonathan "JB" Brown