Are they really overqualification? Evaluation of perceived overqualification by the employees

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the self-perception of hotel industry employees regarding their overqualification, the factors that contribute to overqualification, and the attitudes and behaviors of managers and colleagues towards overqualified employees. To achieve the research objective, a qualitative research approach was used, involving interviews with personnel to collect data. During the interviews, employees were asked four main questions. Thematic analysis was used to examine the participants' responses to the inquiries. Eight distinct themes were identified based on the examination of responses to the multiple-choice questions. The analysis revealed that a significant portion of employees felt they were overqualified for their roles. The perception of employees as overqualified is primarily influenced by factors such as education, experience, and foreign language proficiency. As per employees, this attribute distinguishes them from their peers. Moreover, a substantial portion of the workforce often perceives individuals to have excessive qualifications, as observed by their supervisors and peers. In conclusion, most participants, except for one, demonstrated a clear preference for overqualification. Employees engage in activities to enhance their qualifications in their pursuit of overqualification. These activities involve enhancing their education, enrolling in vocational training programs, obtaining work-related certifications, attending seminars, and improving their foreign language proficiency. In a broader context, there is a concept of improving employee overqualification by promoting higher education and foreign language proficiency.