Is it worth applying for a lower-level position in a company to get your foot in the door?

25 Comments

1. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 3:26PM UTC

   Apply anyway. Some companies read “overqualified” as “old” and if so, you wouldn’t want to be there anyway. However, some companies feel extremely lucky to find someone highly qualified. Go for it!

2. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 3:40PM UTC

   So, some companies encourage people to work up the ladder and look out for the ones who state online “room for growth” or even ask in the interview if there is so, down the line. Don’t answer that you are in a rush to leave as they will not give you the job unless the job is temporary / a stepping stone… Then regarding the sad possibility of ageism falling into play, some tips have been given about changing your resume. If you could take out the years of your education / degrees completed and take out some older years of experience, then do so, customizing the resume depending on the job environment / description and giving less hints of age. It’s a sad statistic that some companies show online pictures of only their young employees and sometimes don’t consider overqualified people…you got to hide the age initially, that is if you really want to work in such a place.

3. LpAugust 14,2022 at 1:06PM UTC

   I can testify this resume adjustment works. Good luck!

4. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 4:00PM UTC

   Every company is different, so you wouldnt not know unless you tried. If you get interviews, ask questions about career progression. See if they will allow you to talk to workers who perform duties you will perform if hired and that also interest you if you were to progress to guage the possibilities. I would keep your options open to ensure you can cover your bills. But also network on linked in and join groups to help strategically place you where you want to be.

5. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 4:06PM UTC

   Suggest you lower down your resume. It's worth a try. Good luck on this.

6. Cyndi RosenblattAugust 13,2022 at 4:37PM UTC

   It really depends on the company culture. There are some offices where they exclusively hire from within and you have to start in a lower-level role before moving up. Others are not nearly as deliberate, so there's no advice that applies across the board. Doesn't hurt to apply and ask them about growth opportunities to get an idea of the potential.

7. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 4:43PM UTC

   Thank you, all! I've contacted a former employee at the company that worked in that division. I wanted to get her take on what the company is looking for and I can tailor my resume accordingly.

   If I don't hear back, I decided I'll apply anyways. My concern is the salary questions that is a required question. From researching the company, they are a high-paying organization but I'm not sure what to put as the experience only requires a few years. That being said, other managerial positions are over 100K. Should I put 90-100K to be safe?

8. AnonymousAugust 14,2022 at 1:56PM UTC

   Don’t ask for less than you want. I got hired at a nonprofit and suggested what I thought was a “reasonable” salary, and I regret it. I ended up taking a 30k pay cut!

9. Julie McGovern, EdDAugust 14,2022 at 2:34PM UTC

   I would not take a pay cut when you know you’re worth more. I did that many years ago. It ended up a toxic workplace made all the worse by knowing I was making less than I should have been.

10. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 2:47PM UTC

    Agreed! This also happened to me. I tried to negotiate a higher salary, but they wouldn't budge. It turned out to be a really toxic environment and I only stayed a few months.

11. AnonymousAugust 17,2022 at 4:28AM UTC

    Highly doubt they're paying 90-100k for an entry level position.

12. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 6:06PM UTC

    It can be! I have!

    But be careful because if it's "too low", it can backfire meaning HR might detect a motive.

    Sounds dumb I know, yet unfortunately.... I would know. Good news though is this of they say no, you might just be better off! I know I am!!!

13. Amanda AlleyAugust 14,2022 at 4:51PM UTC

    Thru should not that would be discrimination & most applicants are asked if u worked with company or has someone referred u

14. AnonymousAugust 14,2022 at 5:16PM UTC

    It can work.
    A savvy HR Professional may even see your resume and recommend you for a better position than what you applied for! However be careful when conveying your desire to move up. You mention a good point about being overqualified, but likewise a hiring manager may not take kindly to having to fill the same position again when you move on or UP. So it's a fine tightrope u have to walk but absolutely possible!

15. AnonymousAugust 14,2022 at 8:38PM UTC

    Thank you all! What would you suggest in terms of salary? The application requires adding an amount? It's still managerial but requires only a few years experience. To add context, it's for Event Marketing but for a large corporation.

16. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 10:12AM UTC

    I think you research the labor market in your area for this level of position.

17. Jackie GhedineAugust 15,2022 at 11:29AM UTC

    I am going to be the outcast here but I think it's important to say this. As a career and executive coach, I would advise you to really consider this move carefully.

    You have 20 years of experience and to move to a position where you only need 2 years of experience is a risky move. While some cultures promote from within, statistics show moving from company to company is one of the only ways women can close the wage gap.

    Our careers are not a straight shot up the corporate ladder, that is unrealistic and we do have to take side steps and backward steps to see growth.

    However, going back down to the bottom rung is a slippery slope.

    You have 20 years experience, why settle?

18. Jackie GhedineAugust 15,2022 at 3:55PM UTC

    I'm going to add, research also shows the average increase once you are in an organization is a 3% raise per year! 3%! At that rate, you may not get back to where you were before.

19. AnonymousAugust 28,2022 at 1:23PM UTC

    Spot on!

20. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 2:45PM UTC

    I tried this a few times and was always told I was "overqualified." I went through a test and then 8 Zoom interviews only to have the head of the department ask me, "You know this is an entry level job - right?" Well, it never said anywhere in the description is was entry level. I would ask if your qualifications match the job description up front before you invest a lot of time in the interview process.

21. Liz MilneAugust 15,2022 at 11:07PM UTC

    If you are happy with entry level positions, just say something like, 'I have more experience than you require, but I'm looking to reset my career' or something similar to show that you know you're overqualified and you're not going to suddenly demand more money because of your existing skills. I mean, hopefully, they'll give you the max salary they've advertised, but yeah...

22. Kirby LodholzAugust 16,2022 at 2:15PM UTC

    Ignore the naysayers. If you can literally afford a pay cut and can live with a lower level position in the chain, then consider that there’s also a premium to be awarded for happiness and doing what you want to be doing.

23. AnonymousAugust 16,2022 at 3:05PM UTC

    OP: I appreciated your feedback! The company is known for promoting from within and for high salaries. It's the type of company that depending on the role would be a higher salary than my former jobs as it's a headquarters of a corporation. While the position doesn't require as much experience, the salary most likely would be around 20K more than I made at my highest level.

24. AnonymousAugust 28,2022 at 1:21PM UTC

    I love the comments and advice. I would be upfront that you have more experience than is required but that you really love the company and feel your experience would benefit them. Be very aware of the hiring mgr has less experience than you, they may be intimidated by it and pass on you. I wish that weren’t true and that they would look at it as hiring a replacement for themselves so they can advance quicker. Sadly most don’t think of it that way! Also, sadly, I find female leaders are more intimidated by experience of others more than men.

25. AnonymousAugust 29,2022 at 4:28AM UTC

    I've had the same experience and most of the time from female leaders. Most of the time as an employee but another situation that arose years later during a conference. While working at the event, she approached me and said that I wasn't hired as I had more experience than her and she worried about future competition. That idea never crossed my mind as I wanted to work for the company, not compete with my boss.