How qualified is OVERqualified?

Sometimes I only get the chance to blog once a week. And since I can't always get up the motivation to think of a topic, it's nice to have other friends to blog with so we can take turns. I enjoy being challenged to write about stuff that might not normally come to mind and also reading everyone else's thoughts on the same topic. Blog Project 3.0 has been going on for about a year now, even though one of the group members changed after a few months. I love blogging with this group and I hope we can continue to inspire each other.

This week Darwin Shrugged chose the topic: Can someone be overqualified for something?

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

When I think of the word "overqualified," I think of applying to jobs. Then again, I was usually told I didn't have enough experience for the job I was angling to get. How does one get experience if no one will give it to them in the first place?!? I don't know that I've been overqualified for any of the jobs I applied for, per se. Most jobs I've had required a learning curve of some sort. My husband has the kind of career now where he could be overqualified for certain positions. He's made his way up the IT ladder since he started out in the field. So he now even feels overqualified for a job that he had five years ago.

Oddly enough, in timing with this week's topic, I saw this article about a bestselling author who tried to get a job at The Container Store. Do you think her past jobs have rendered her overqualified? When is a job just a job?

I was thinking about the field of performing arts and how someone who is an established actor would be overqualified to be put in a movie as an extra without a speaking role. I also thought about someone who has had a professional career going for an entry-level position in their field. However, if someone wants to start fresh in a field where they have no base of familiarity, I wouldn't say they are overqualified if they don't have the experience in that field to begin with.

There are some jobs or careers where one can never be overqualified. This is because I feel they should have as many qualifications as possible to be the utmost successful.

Doctor: I think you should have every qualification in the book and also pick up new skills if you're going to be responsible for someone else's health and well-being. Case in point...my younger son had terrible ear pain a few weeks ago. His ENT (that is "ear, nose and throat" specialist) couldn't figure out that the ear wax that he even saw was causing the problem. That caused his pain to last longer than it had to and added inconvenience for us both.

Dentist: Same thing...if the health of my teeth is in your hands, you better have every qualification imaginable. I'm still impressed with my dentist's ability to fix the tooth I cracked earlier this year. You can't even tell anything happened to it!

Teacher: If you have too many qualifications, you could always be a professor instead. Seriously, education is so important that someone should know what they're talking about first before passing along that knowledge. Especially with this new "Common Core" stuff our kids are being taught.

Any job involving possible danger to self or others. Like a pilot, construction worker, electrician, etc.

Chef: If the success of a restaurant is depending on your cooking skills, you should be as qualified as possible.

Any job involving handling money. Otherwise we're putting our trust in someone who could lead us into another Ponzi scheme.

President or any other major leadership role. Do I even have to explain this one?

What jobs do YOU think someone can't possibly be overqualified for?