When reviewing resumes for an open clerical position at your company, you may be surprised to find the application of someone who is clearly overqualified for the job. At first glance, you may assume the person is simply looking to earn a paycheck in the interim until something better comes along, but that may not be the case at all.

Many people truly enjoy clerical work. They might have tried their hand at a higher-level position and didn’t like it, or are looking for more of a work-life balance. Either way, you may miss out on the best clerical worker to ever join your team if you automatically disqualify candidates because their resume is too impressive.

5 Reasons to Hire an Overqualified Clerical Candidate

1. You’ll Get More Experience for Your Money

When you hire an overqualified candidate, you’re not required to pay them a higher salary than you budgeted for the position. This means you’re able to get a seasoned clerical candidate for the price of someone with much less experience, which is a major win for your company.

2. They Can Serve as a Mentor

A practiced clerical worker can pass their skills and knowledge on to less-experienced colleagues, effectively making the entire team stronger. Everyone benefits from this arrangement, as they enjoy serving in a mentor role and the rest of your employees get to learn from them. This is a great way to build morale for the whole group.

3. They Won’t Require Much Training

Clerical candidates have a lot of responsibility, so it takes a great deal of time to train someone new to the field to work independently. However, if you hire someone with more than enough experience to succeed, they can hit the ground running from day one.

4. They’re Easy to Manage

Managing a candidate who is new to the workforce can be an all-encompassing job in its own right. In addition to training them on how to do their job, you’re also tasked with teaching them proper office etiquette, which may take some time to catch on. This will be a non-issue if you choose a seasoned professional, as they will require very little of your attention.

5. They’re Truly Passionate About the Work

Clerical jobs are sometimes viewed as a stepping stone, allowing people to gain professional experience so they can work their way up the corporate ladder. These team members are integral to the success of your business, so it’s beyond frustrating to have high levels of turnover in such a key role. Overqualified candidates know they could get a more advanced role, but they enjoy the work so much they’ve specifically chosen it.

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