Second Act, Michelle V. Raftner
The Pew Research Center shows that 26% of currently employed adults are less likely than other workers to say they are satisfied with their jobs and more likely to say they are overqualified. Author, key note speaker, and CEO of The Employee Engagement Group, Bob Kelleher offers the following advice for what to do and what not to do if you are working in a position for which you are overqualified:
Be enthusiastic: Attitude is everything, People want to be around positive people, Kelleher emphasizes. Excel In the Job You Are In: The best way to show a boss you are capable of more is to excel in your current role. Make yourself indispensable. Volunteer For Extra Work and Don’t Ask to Be Paid For It: If there’s a project underway and it’s something that could benefit from your previous experience, offer to help out. Be A Team Player: Keep your achievements and aspirations to yourself. Nobody wants to work with a braggart. If you about about it in a boastful way, you’ll create animosity among your teammates, do it like you’re there to help the team. Become a mentor: Some professionals take pride in working with the junior people on their team, and they become invaluable, says Kelleher. Maintain Realistic Expectations: If you’re in a job you are overqualified for, concentrate on the reasons you took the position in the first place. Like any successful relationship, it has to be mutually beneficial, Kelleher notes.
