How to answer "Don't you think this position requires less than your skills?" [duplicate]

Question

My recently graduated sibling had an interview this morning. Apparently she has been asked the titular question during the interview. She answered it like "No worries, since I will be continuing my master's program, it means I'll have more time to continue my studies without compromising work."

She has been a very hardworking student with a pretty good GPA, in addition she spent her last year doing part-time internships where she acquired the skills the company she applied offers long-term training programs for.

After the interview when she called me, I told her she should have answered it with something like, "Every job deserves to be taken very seriously. Even if you think my skills are above the requirements for this position, I think this will provide me with an opportunity to take more responsibility where I can utilize my experience."

Now, I know that a lot of the companies in my country ask questions that put the spotlight on the candidates, in order to "test" their humility (I know, pretty stupid, but humility is a part of the workplace culture and that's how it is). But I wonder if there could be a better way to answer this question again when (and if) she's called for a second interview.

Answer 1

No interviewer is going to mind getting an exceptionally skilled candidate per se. The real concern is that someone who is overskilled for the job might be bored, unmotivated, or suffer from low morale or company loyalty. That's the concern they're voicing when they ask a question like that, and that's the concern that you should address.

Your sibling responded with "that's okay. I want something low-key so that I can focus on getting my Masters." That's... not amazing, given that it both indicates that you're not intending to work very hard and that you'll be looking for a different position in a couple of years. Still, it is at least a valid answer to the question. Realistically, though, if you're applying for a position that's below your skill level, you should already know why you want it, you should figure that they'll ask, and hopefully you can come up with some slice of the true reason why you're interested in spite of that. Perhaps suggest that you hope or intend your position in the company will grow to match your skillset once you've had some time to learn their product, and they've had time to come to know you?

Answer 2

There's no individual correct answer of how to answer it.

You can answer it in a way suggesting that even though your skills qualify you for a higher level job- you'd find the job you're applying to to be more enjoyable and thus a better fit for you since you'd be more likely to stay at that job/company for longer. Or you can suggest that your skills would be beneficial for both the position and for future positions when moving up and that the job you're applying to is just a stepping stone for the future career goals you have.

Your sister made a mistake brushing off the job as just a temporary "easy" position to utilize while continuing on your masters degree. If I was a hiring manager- I would rather hire someone who actually wants the position and who would be willing to stay at the position for longer than the length of a degree. While some companies, typically those who hire high-school aged employees might not care about longevity- the fact they asked the question can imply that they aren't just looking for someone who desires a temp job and rather they're looking for a true committed employee.