Center for Organizational Research (COR)

You are here: Home / Events / Colloquium – Patricia Martinez ““Overqualification: An asset or liability in hiring decisions?”” Monday June 1st, 2015 3:30pm

Colloquium – Patricia Martinez ““Overqualification: An asset or liability in hiring decisions?”” Monday June 1st, 2015 3:30pm

by

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT COLLOQUIUM

Patricia Martinez
Loyola Marymount University
Associate Professor
Academic Affairs/College of Business Administration/Management

Host: Jone Pearce
Monday June 1st, 2015
3:30pm-5:00pm (reception to follow)
SB1 5400
(Lyman Porter Colloquia Room)

“Overqualification: An asset or liability in hiring decisions?”

Abstract:
Does excess education or experience hinder an applicant’s selection for a job interview? Depending upon the theoretical perspective adopted, possessing education or experience beyond a job’s requirements (over-qualification) can be perceived either as an asset or liability. The person-job fit literature suggests that overqualified applicants will be selected less often that those who exactly match the job requirements. In contrast, human capital theory predicts that overqualified applicants will be selected as often as those who are exactly qualified. In this colloquium presentation, I will provide an overview of three studies where my colleagues and I examine how perceived over-qualification affects selection decisions. In Study 1 (Martinez, Lengnick-Hall & Kulkarni, 2014) we propose a conceptual model for conducting research on how Human Resource and hiring managers form impressions of overqualified individuals and how these impressions affect selection decisions. In Study 2 (Kulkarni, Lengnick-Hall & Martinez, 2014), based on a qualitative interview data analysis, we found that in most cases, managers are willing to interview and hire individuals whose education or experience exceeds a job’s requirements. Additionally, we propose a typology for categorizing applicant qualification levels and how these relate to human resource outcomes such as hiring decisions. Finally, In Study 3 (Martinez, Lengnick-Hall & Kulkarni, 2015), using a policy-capturing methodology, we simulated a resume screening process for interview selection. We found that possessing more related education or more related experience than required for a job does not lower the chances of obtaining an interview.