Whether it’s because of financial necessity or personal fulfillment, many job applicants today are pursuing positions that they would never have considered earlier in their careers.

And that has created an interesting dilemma for recruiters and hiring managers who often reject those applicants as being overqualified.

As a former recruiter for some of the world’s largest companies, I understand their quandary. I, too, rarely hired overqualified candidates, particularly if it meant offering them less money than they previously earned.

The exceptions were those applicants who succeeded in convincing me they wanted a job for reasons other than the paycheck. In contrast to openly sharing purely financial motives – “I really need this job to save my house from foreclosure” – successful candidates told me why the job appealed to them on a more intrinsic level.

For instance, I once interviewed an elderly gentleman for a mid-level management job on my staff. Because he had once held bigger positions than the one I had available, I was concerned he would jump ship once a more lucrative or challenging opportunity came along.

When I asked him to explain his interest, he replied:

“Well, I’ve tried retirement and, quite frankly, I’m just not very good at it. While I’ve learned a lot in my career that can be of immediate value to you, from a personal standpoint I really miss the sense of purpose I get from helping others.

Not only did I hire him but he stayed with the company long after I had moved on.

The point is, if you are willing to take a lesser job than your career history suggests, be certain to share your applicable skills, experiences, interests and motives so that the recruiter or hiring manager understands money isn’t the primary reason for wanting the job.

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