Skip to main content
Article
Overqualified Employees: Making the Best of a Potentially Bad Situation for Individuals and Organizations
Industrial & Organizational Psychology (2011)
  • Berrin Erdogan, Portland State University
  • Talya N. Bauer, Portland State University
  • José María Peiró, University of Valencia
  • Donald M. Truxillo, Portland State University
Abstract

One of the 'truisms' of personnel selection is that overqualified applicants are likely to be a poor fit and thus experience low job satisfaction and performance and higher turnover. Recently, the issue of overqualification has come to the forefront because of the economic downturn, especially in some European Union countries where unemployment rates are extremely high. However, empirical research on overqualification in the industrial-organizational/organizational behavior literature is limited. In this article, we argue that although there may be drawbacks to overqualification for both organizations and employees, overqualification may also provide a number of positive outcomes for workers and employers alike. We review the limited research on overqualification, noting the positive and negative consequences of overqualification and the conditions under which overqualified employees may be a boon to organizations. We conclude by recommending some possible research streams to better understand the overqualification phenomenon and by making recommendations for organizational practices.

Publication Date
June, 2011
Publisher Statement
Copyright 2011 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Citation Information
Berrin Erdogan, Talya N. Bauer, José María Peiró and Donald M. Truxillo. "Overqualified Employees: Making the Best of a Potentially Bad Situation for Individuals and Organizations" Industrial & Organizational Psychology Vol. 4 Iss. 2 (2011)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/talya_bauer/18/