Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-b95js Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-29T00:27:18.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Overqualification Theory, Research, and Practice: Things That Matter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2015

Berrin Erdogan ,
Talya N. Bauer ,
José María Peiró  and
Donald M. Truxillo
Berrin Erdogan*
Affiliation:
Portland State University
Talya N. Bauer
Affiliation:
Portland State University
José María Peiró
Affiliation:
University of Valencia & IVIE
Donald M. Truxillo
Affiliation:
Portland State University
*
E-mail: [email protected], Address: School of Business Administration, Portland State University, 631 SW Harrison Street, Portland, OR 97207
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In our focal article, we contended that overqualified employees may present unique advantages to hiring organizations and that decisions regarding overqualified employees should be made considering the strengths as well as potential limitations of employing overqualified employees. In this response to commentaries on our original article, we identify distinctions researchers should pay attention to. Specifically, measurement of overqualification (whether objective or subjective measures are used), dimension of overqualification in question (overeducation, being overskilled, overintelligence, or overexperience), when and from whose perspective overqualification is assessed (before or after employment), whether overqualification occurs within the context of other overqualified employees, the degree of choice available to the job applicant in becoming overqualified, as well as the specific nature of the population being affected by overqualification are important issues that affect the theory as well as management of overqualification.

Type
Response
Information
Industrial and Organizational Psychology , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , June 2011 , pp. 260 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2011 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

José María Peiró's contribution was supported by funds from the project SEJ2006-14086/PSIC.

References

Byrne, D. E. (1971). The attraction paradigm. New York: Academic Press. Google Scholar
Byron, K. (2005). A meta-analytic review of work–family conflict and its antecedents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 169–198. Google Scholar
Culbertson, S. S., Mills, M. J., & Huffman, A. H. (2011). Implications of overqualification for work–family conflict: Bringing too much to the table? Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 252–255.Google Scholar
Erdogan, B., & Bauer, T. N. (2009). Perceived overqualification and its outcomes: The moderating role of empowerment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94, 557–565. Google Scholar
Erdogan, B., & Bauer, T. N. (2010). Differentiated leader-member exchanges (LMX): The buffering role of justice climate. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95, 1104–1120. Google Scholar
Erdogan, B., Bauer, T. N., Peiró, J. M., & Truxillo, D. M. (2011). Overqualified employees: Making the best of a bad situation for individuals and organizations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 215–232.Google Scholar
Feldman, D. C., & Maynard, D. C. (2011). A labor economic perspective on overqualification. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 233–235.Google Scholar
Fine, S., & Nevo, B. (2011). Overqualified job applicants: We still need predictive models. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 240–242.Google Scholar
Finkelstein, L. M. (2011). Overqualified as a euphemism for too old? Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 250–251.Google Scholar
Heller, D., Watson, D., & Ilies, R. (2004). The role of person versus situation in life satisfaction: A critical examination. Psychological Bulletin, 130, 574–600. Google Scholar
Krausz, M., Brandwein, T., & Fox, S. (1995). Work attitudes and emotional responses of permanent, voluntary, and involuntary temporary-help employees: An exploratory study. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 44, 217–232. Google Scholar
Liden, R. C., & Graen, G. (1980). Generalizability of the vertical dyad linkage model of leadership. Academy of Management Journal, 23, 451–465. Google Scholar
Luksyte, A., & Spitzmueller, C. (2011). Overqualified women: What can be done about this potentially bad situation? Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 256–259.Google Scholar
Maltarich, M. A., Reilly, G., & Nyberg, A. J. (2011). Objective and subjective overqualification: Distinctions, relationships, and a place for each in the literature. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 236–239.Google Scholar
Shultz, K. S., Olson, D. A., & Wang, M. (2011). Overqualified employees: Perspectives of older workers. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 247–249.Google Scholar
Sias, P. M., & Jablin, F. M. (1995). Differential supervisor-subordinate relationships, perceptions of fairness, and coworker communication. Human Communication Research, 22, 5–38. Google Scholar
Sierra, M. J. (2011). A multilevel approach to understanding employee overqualification. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4, 243–246.Google Scholar
Tsui, A. S., Egan, T. D., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1992). Being different: Relational demography and organizational attachment. Administrative Science Quarterly, 37, 549–579. Google Scholar
Verhaest, D., & Omey, E. (2006). The impact of overeducation and its measurement. Social Indicators Research, 77, 419–448. Google Scholar