How to address being 'overqualified' in a job interview, according to career expert: 'Make sure that you're owning your story'

As an executive resume writer and career coach, Jessica Hernandez aims to demystify the hiring process for the job seekers she works with.

Her mission is to equip them with “all of the little tips and strategies and behind-the-scenes things” that they don’t usually get to access, she says.

One topic that she says comes up frequently with her clients is being labeled ‘overqualified.’

From a candidate’s perspective, overqualified typically means “that you have more experience or more requirements or credentials or certifications or degrees than what the basic requirements are for the role,” she says.

There are a few reasons a job seeker might apply to a role they’re overqualified for: they could be trying to change industries or looking for a lower-stress role, according to Hernandez.