# The most common ageist trope: 'You're overqualified'

- **Episode:** [187](https://agents.truthliesandwork.com/episodes/187.md) (2025-04-10)
- **Type:** interview
- **Tags:** ageism, overqualified, job-search
- **Time:** 19:15–23:12 (start 1155s)
- **Listen:** [https://truthliesandwork.com/187?t=1155](https://truthliesandwork.com/187?t=1155)

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[19:15] John Tarnoff: The most common ageist trope is, I think you're a little overqualified for this position, or don't you think you're a little overqualified for this position? Right. And to be fair, on the employer and the recruiter side, their fears are pretty much as follows. If this candidate is applying to a job that they have previously done, will they get bored? Will they be frustrated at taking directions from a younger boss who does not have the same level of experience, who is maybe doing this job for the first time? The candidate had, has done the job repeatedly. What is the level of commitment from that candidate to that job? Is this a stepping stone? Is this a circuitous way into the company to get a higher-level position? Should that hiring manager be worried that the candidate is gunning for their job? I understand those questions and they are not unreasonable questions. However, they do not necessarily apply. And here's what I say to my clients about this. I explain the point of view that they may be encountering and the why, because they see this as being very unfair. Their reply very often is, but I need this job. I can do this job. Why won't they let me do this job? I've done this forever
[20:54] Al Elliott: Why?
[20:55] John Tarnoff: And I said, well, here are the problems, right? Here's what they're thinking. So you as the candidate need to allay these fears and you really need to kind of search inside yourself and say, is there any truth to their objection? What is your motivation for doing this job? Because if your motivation is, out of all the work that I've ever done, All the leadership, all the skills that I've learned. This job actually represents what I love to do. And at this point in my life, I've climbed the ladder. I've had those jobs. I've been in those positions. I've had that responsibility. I've had that headache. I've had that stress. I don't want it anymore. I'm at a point in my life where I'd much rather serve someone else's agenda And use my experience and wisdom to help them be successful. That's what motivates me at this, at this point. If that's the case, then you have to sell that to the hiring manager. You have to dissuade them from all of the fears and the biases that they have on their side and reassure them that not only are you not a threat, are you not a flight risk, are you not there for nefarious reasons, but you provide more value because of your experience, because of your focus, because of your dedication to that job. It's not a stepping stone for you. It's not a, it's not a stop along the way to a higher position that you're using as a younger professional to climb the ladder. No, you want that job. I think that's a very compelling argument. that a candidate can make to a hiring manager. And all of a sudden, maybe the sky opens up and the hiring manager goes, oh my God, what a gift. What a gift to have this person with all of this value and experience, plus their ability to mentor and support others on the team. What a gift to me as a manager to have someone like that who can really be kind of my wing person, my aide-de-camp, my number 2 on a certain level. culturally with the team, I mean, it's such an amazing opportunity for a win