You might think 25 years of experience would make you the perfect candidate. Think again.
If you’ve been job hunting lately and keep hearing you’re “overqualified,” you’re not imagining things. A troubling pattern is emerging across corporate America, and it’s hitting mid-career professionals the hardest.
What’s Happening
According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the middle of America’s workforce is getting squeezed out. Companies are cutting management layers in massive numbers.
The numbers are stark. Amazon laid off 14,000 office workers this week, with plans to cut up to 30,000 desk jobs total. The company’s internal memo mentioned “reducing bureaucracy” and “removing layers”—corporate speak for eliminating middle management.
They’re not alone. Target, UPS, and Booz Allen Hamilton have all announced similar white-collar cuts recently.
Why This Matters to You
Here’s the problem: You’re caught in the middle. You have too much experience for entry-level roles that AI hasn’t replaced yet. But you’re not quite senior leadership material either.
And it gets worse. When you apply for positions that ask for 10-15 years of experience, your 25-year resume doesn’t help. Instead, employers see someone who will:
- Demand too much money
- Leave as soon as something better comes along
- Be too set in their ways
Rachel Kargas, a Denver-area recruiter, puts it bluntly: “With the job market the way it is, employers can be very picky. There are so many applicants for every opening that they can find exactly what they want, and that might be a young person.”
Real People, Real Problems
Anthony Nigbur knows this frustration firsthand. The 41-year-old program manager has been job hunting since May. His recruiter keeps getting the same feedback: “This guy looks great, he’s got all this experience, but we don’t necessarily need it or know how to use him.”
Nigbur’s situation shows why the “overqualified” label misses the point. He’s taken on the lead parenting role while his wife increased her nursing hours. He doesn’t need a bigger salary—he needs work-life balance.
But he can’t explain that because he never gets the interview.
The Bigger Picture
A Georgetown University study projects something ironic: By 2032, there will be a shortage of 2.9 million managers. Companies are cutting so deep that they’re creating future problems.
But that doesn’t help anyone looking for work today.
What You Can Actually Do About It
Anne Marie Sterling figured out a workaround. The 55-year-old sales manager landed her current job at a solar company by “playing dumb”—her words, not mine.
She doesn’t mean acting unintelligent. She means downplaying her decades of sales experience while emphasizing she was new to solar. The strategy worked because it addressed employers’ real fear: that she’d come in acting like a know-it-all.
Seattle recruiter Kristen Fife recommends a more strategic approach to your resume:
Remove excess experience. Show only the last 5-7 years, maximum 10. Your resume should meet the job requirements—not vastly exceed them.
Delete graduation dates. This helps mask your career length without lying.
Focus on depth, not length. Ditch the one-line summary of every job you’ve ever had. Instead, give detailed descriptions of your impact in only your most recent roles.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Sometimes “overqualified” is code for age discrimination. Sometimes it’s a polite way to reject you for other reasons—the professional version of “it’s not you, it’s me.”
Be honest with yourself. Did you really miss out because you were too good? Or is there something else going on?
Recruiters admit they sometimes use “overqualified” to spare applicants’ feelings. It’s worth considering whether you need to adjust your approach beyond just trimming your resume.
What This Means Going Forward
Corporate America is fundamentally reshaping how it views experience. More isn’t always better anymore. Companies want flat structures and “just enough” expertise.
This shift isn’t temporary. Cost-conscious businesses are done hoarding talent or overstaffing for potential good times. They want lean, productive teams—even if it means letting experienced professionals slip through their fingers.
Your Move
If you’re facing the “overqualified” rejection, you have two choices: adapt your presentation or wait for the market to shift back (which Georgetown says won’t happen until 2032).
What’s your experience been? Have you been told you’re overqualified? Did trimming your resume help, or did you find another solution? The job market is brutal right now, and strategies that work deserve to be shared.
Drop a comment and let other job seekers know what’s actually working out there.
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