Have you ever been told that you are overqualified for a job? Many people are finding this to be their response when applying for entry level jobs in the midst of a declining economy. Many individuals with college degrees are stuck in limbo between being unqualified for higher paying jobs, but being overqualified for entry level jobs. I couldn't believe that when I asked to become an operator that they said I was overqualified for the position.

I thought to myself "What? I've never answered phones for a living in my life, how can I be overqualified. So instead of running into the same problem over and over, I learned all I could in my spare time about computers and writing on the computer. Most companies asked for experience, but didn't articulate exactly how much experience and what type of experience they required. Most job postings asked for a year or two in writing, but needed no proof of it. I would put that I had that type of experience, and wouldn't be lying, but I'd leave out the fact that most of it wasn't in a professional setting.

Comparing the results from before the independent research and after, I found that my success in being called back for jobs increased by about 70%. I hadn't actually been involved in the respective fields longer, but I had read more tips on how to fit into them. There's really no substitute for experience in this fast paced world where everyone and their mother has a college degree. I had no idea that it would be such a staggering number of jobs calling back due to some slight research and independent honing of skills, but the results are absolutely skewed in that direction.

So next time someone tells you that you are overqualified for a job, don't get mad, simply get some skills needed to better excel in that field. The results from my independent study have told me that it's not so much credentials that matter, but rather how much you can say you've been there. Almost makes me wonder who decides who is being hired, but hey, you have to learn how to play the game.