Вікторія Горбік Work 11 June 2025, 09:00

"No one will 'drive nails with a microscope'." Recruiters explained why skilled candidates are rejected when hiring for a more modest position

IT professionals complain online that they are sometimes denied an offer because they are so-called overqualified, that is, because they have more experience or advanced skills than are required for the position they are applying for. dev.ua decided to ask recruiters and hiring specialists in which cases they tell a candidate: «We are not hiring you because you are too qualified for this position?» The answers shed some light on this issue.

Candidate experience

SMM expert Nazariy Vakula drew attention online to the fact that the reason for refusing to hire a job with the wording «you are overqualified for us» is his «favorite.» «It’s a strange thing. It’s like telling an employer that you offer too high a salary, so I won’t be comfortable earning that much,» he said, adding that he had already received rejections a couple of times due to overskilling. His post on this topic garnered over 180 comments, in which many IT professionals confirmed that they had also been rejected with similar wording.

Speaking on this topic, Tech Lead Valentyn Tishchenko suggested that such a formulation sounds almost like a compliment, but in fact, in his opinion, it is just a convenient formula to not explain anything, but «not look like assholes.»

«Overqualified is when you are technically qualified, but emotionally too complex and uncomfortable,» the specialist is confident .

However, he added that sometimes in the case of such rejections, it is about skills, salary or risks, but more often it is about emotional discomfort. What do hiring professionals really think about this topic?

"It's a good thing we didn't hire this person." How recruiters react to IT professionals' inappropriate behavior after rejection and the lessons they learn for themselves in such situations

What recruiters say

Several recruiters told dev.ua that there are situations when a specialist can be rejected because he is «too good» for the job. And, as Alyona Kashchuk, Lead of Recruitment at FlowJobs, is sure, the overheated IT labor market and the rapid dynamics of changes towards AI have significantly changed the approach to hiring.

«As for overqualified candidates, companies often reject them because no one will «drive nails into the ground with a microscope,» the specialist emphasizes.

IT recruiter Maria Samoiluk has personally encountered this more than once. In her opinion, rejection of overskilled specialists occurs in cases where the candidate has more experience than is required for the role. For example, as the recruiter recalls, the company is looking for a Middle-level developer, and the candidate is a Lead, who managed the team.

The resume shows that the candidate solved complex problems, launched projects, and made decisions. And the employer thinks:

«We won’t be able to give this person career growth.»
«She will be bored without strategic tasks.»
«There may be conflicts with the current manager.»

In such cases, according to Maria Samoiluk, they are often rejected even before the interview.

However, there is another approach in employer companies. In particular, as SoftServe responded, they try to approach each candidate individually — including those whose experience significantly exceeds the requirements for the role. «We often consider the possibility of offering them other positions that better match their level of expertise and career expectations,» emphasized Inna Gerasimovich, IT Recruiter at SoftServe .

When candidates with clearly more experience and a broader skill set are applying for a position , Viktoriya Zakharova, HRBP at international fintech company Nayax, advocates honesty. If she is approached as a recruiter by a senior specialist and is running a vacancy for a middle-level position, she always weighs several important factors .

In most cases, Victoria honestly says that they are looking for a middle-level specialist for this role, because:

the tasks and area of responsibility will not meet the expectations of a senior specialist;
There is a high risk that such a person will quickly get bored, will not be sufficiently involved in the process, and will leave as soon as a better opportunity arises;
As a product company, we are looking for stable people who want to be part of the team and grow with the product.

«I understand very well the situation in the market, when even very strong specialists respond to less relevant roles due to a lack of offers. But for me it is important to build long-term relationships, and not just close positions. Therefore, I prefer to honestly say „not the right match now“, but I will maintain contact and get back to the person when a relevant vacancy appears. In this way, I show respect for the candidate’s experience and the company’s goals,» explains the HRBP from Nayax.

That’s why, says Victoria, she always chooses honesty:

explains the situation,
keeps in touch,
returns to the candidate with an offer when a vacancy of the relevant level becomes available.

“Either I don't fit into any position, or everyone keeps this database and no one opens it.” Do recruiters return to candidates after they've been saved in the database?

Three reasons for rejection due to overskilling

Recruitment experts emphasize that overqualified specialists can be rejected when it is obvious that the tasks and required competencies do not require such extensive experience. But even if, as Artem Nikityuk, Talent Acquisition Lead at the consulting company Deloitte, says, at first glance it may seem like a convenient excuse not to hire a candidate, the truth is a little deeper.

«Rejection due to 'overqualified': this is not an excuse, but about risks for business,» he is sure.

In addition, the specialist adds that when a company specifies a specific level of specialist in a vacancy, it is not just a formality, it is the result of calculations, expectations, and experience. «And if a candidate clearly exceeds the stated requirements, the business sees this not as an advantage, but as potential risks,» emphasizes Artem Nikityuk.

What are companies really guided by when making decisions to reject overqualified candidates? Recruitment experts interviewed by dev.ua almost unanimously agreed on several reasons for such answers.

Guilt money

Yes, one of the risks that a potential employer sees in an overly skilled candidate is that sooner or later the candidate will want a higher salary — objectively, because the skills are worth it. Artem Nikityuk emphasizes this.

As Viktoriya Zakharova emphasizes, if this is a middle position, then the salary range corresponds to this level — it is, of course, lower than what a senior expects. «And even if a person agrees to a lower salary now, this is usually a temporary solution. As soon as there is an opportunity to receive compensation that corresponds to their experience, such a person leaves. For the company, this means additional costs: looking for a specialist again, spending time and resources on onboarding and adaptation,» adds the HRBP from Nayax.

And, as Darya Rusanova, HR People Partner and Recruitment Expert at the IT product company Uvoteam, notes , a budget is usually already planned for the vacancy and further development, and it can be quite limited .

However, according to Taras Popovych, Tech Recruiter at the IT recruitment agency Sunvery, the requirements for the position and the candidate’s salary expectations should always be discussed with all parties, because, as he says, situations can be different.

«In some cases, it is possible to negotiate the hiring of a more skilled specialist for a slightly higher salary, but, I emphasize, these are individual cases that need to be considered under a microscope,» adds Tech Recruiter.

Interest and ambition are to blame

This risk was almost always ranked first on the list by some of the surveyed experts. As Artem Nikityuk emphasizes, an overskilled candidate can quickly become bored in a lower position because the tasks will not match his level.

And even when a candidate is in the budget, as Alyona Kashchuk emphasizes, this does not guarantee that he will stay on the project for a long time. «He will simply not be interested or, conditionally, he will have his own view on the project,» adds Alyona. The latter can also be one of the risks when, as Artem Nikityuk suggests, the candidate may try to change existing processes, even if they are already working stably and meet business goals.

Or the candidate may even agree to the proposed salary range, but for the company there is a risk that after a short period of time the hired overqualified specialist will be fired due to uninteresting tasks, notes Darya Rusanova. «Usually, simple tasks do not motivate, but rather, both professional and financial development. The company understands at the hiring stage that it cannot offer this. Therefore, there is no point in hiring an overqualified specialist. Because there are others in the candidate pool who are motivated and for whom this company can really offer interesting tasks,» she explains.

In addition, according to HR People Partner at IT company Uvoteam, the employer is always confused by the candidate’s motivation to agree to a downgrade. No one wants to hire people when there are a lot of significant risks up front. And globally, this always affects the transparency of performance evaluation, salary review, and other related processes in the company.

If the candidate has a very cool experience, Taras Popovych gives an example, when a candidate with experience working as a Senior Dev-a applies for a position for, relatively speaking, a Middle specialist, the employer may fear that the person will quickly lose interest in the work due to the lack of challenges. «This is, in principle, one of the main reasons why recruiters may refuse a candidate. But I will note that this is still a very individual issue,» the specialist notes.

On the other hand, he said, there is a fear that a candidate with extensive experience may feel that the responsibilities of the proposed position are too simple or do not meet his ambitions, which could lead to frustration and, as a result, dismissal or the search for another position.

«If there is no potential for professional growth, this risk arises again,» adds Taras Popovych.

Additional costs incurred

Of course, the above creates risks for the employer company, as Artem Nikityuk says, that the candidate will leave the company as soon as a «better» opportunity appears.

Darya Rusanova agrees that the market is difficult now, and it is no secret that there are cases when a candidate searches for a job, for example, for a long time, agrees to the «first» offer, and then works and looks for a job in parallel. And then quits during the first six months of working in a new company, because he found a more interesting offer for himself. And it turns out, as the specialist explains, that the company actually only spent money on this hiring and onboarding and did not earn anything. This is a business, and it is clear that every company seeks to earn more and more efficiently.

«In short, it’s just a decision or strategy based on the business context of each individual company. And we can’t condemn the decisions made because we don’t know the situation from the inside,» adds Darya.

“Then I ran away without looking back.” Recruiter shares red flags she would not accept in an interview if she were the candidate

Advice to candidates

What should experienced job seekers who are applying for less skilled roles do? Alyona Kashchuk is sure that they need to study new technologies, the market and, relatively speaking, be ready to become a «junior» on such projects, where all the requirements from both sides are met. In addition, as Artem Nikityuk notes, convincing a potential employer that the candidate is ready to adapt and they will be able to agree will not work. “ This works in personal communication — between people. Business does not think through trust, but through systems, frameworks and risk minimization,» notes the Talent Acquisition Lead.

Therefore, Artem Nikityuk advises overqualified candidates not to perceive rejection due to their excessive experience as a personal defeat, but to continue the search. «This is not a recruiter’s whim — it is a clear position of the company, based on its needs and strategy. Your role is where your level will be a value, not a risk,» he adds.

In addition to practical tips that overskilled candidates can use, IT recruiter Maria Samoiluk advises:

Have two resumes: one for management positions, where you talk about your managerial experience, and another for technical positions, where you emphasize how you work with your hands (coding, testing, etc.). «You wrote ‘Senior’ on your resume, and they’re looking for ‘Middle.’ Sometimes a company sees that word and immediately decides that you’re too expensive, or that you won’t be interested. Although you might really like this particular project and be willing to work for less money. But they won’t even give you a chance to explain it,» she adds.
It’s better not to write «junior,» «middle,» or «senior» on your resume. «Instead, describe what exactly you did, what tasks you worked on, how you worked independently. This gives the recruiter more information than just a title,» she emphasizes.
Explain your motivation in your resume. For example, as Maria Samoiluk suggests, if you want to work closer to technology, change direction, work without managerial tasks, then sometimes your «overqualified» becomes an advantage. «The company is afraid that you will quickly be fired. Another reason is the fear that you will agree to work now, but in a couple of months you will find something more interesting and leave. This is a risk for business,» the recruiter explains.

To support her words, Maria Samoiluk gives an example of a similar situation where a person was a team player for 3 years, but got tired of the rallies and wanted to write code again. If she explains this clearly, she can be hired as a strong engineer — without expectations for management.

«So, ‘Overqualified’ is not a sentence. But it is important to correctly present your experience and explain your motivation. Sometimes you need to not only be a good specialist, but also help the employer understand you correctly,» she adds.

Read the country's main IT news in our Telegram

"I invested so much in development, studied, and improved my skills, but then I heard — sorry, you're overqualified!". Aitovo residents discuss why they get such an answer at interviews

"You are overqualified": a recruiter's excuses or a valid reason for rejecting a candidate. What IT professionals and recruiters think about it

Overqualified developers with 15+ years of experience complain that they can't find work for a long time. Employers say that such specialists are valued and do not discriminate: what is happening?