Overqualified???

What does that mean? Does that mean I am more "skilled" than you are and might end up taking over your restaurant? LOL It is "YOUR" restaurant, how can I take over? I hire the candidate with the highest skill level I can find, and work that into my development, of them, into my way of doing business. Can you follow a recipe? yes Do you understand this technique? yes Will you do it my way? yes, of course I have to agree it is hard to break someone of their bad habits of cheating on techniques and taking shortcuts, but is that worse than having to "babysit" them while they boil water? If you need someone with skill and talent, hire them and lay down the law, say it is done this way or the highway. Anybody that is "overqualified" will understand that, or they are "underqualified". I wish you the best in your ventures, but I do ask that you keep an open mind in hiring, older, or highly qualified persons, even if you are scared. Never know, you might learn something.

OUCH, touche' Annemarie, but price is always negotiable, and the ball is in your corner.

Also depends on what you are looking for. Many has been the time that I have posted an ad for a cook and gotten resumes from executive chefs, etc. who were all way overqualified for the position. Not only could I not afford to pay them their worth for the position I was trying to fill, but I also would have been wasting their abilities stirring roux, opening #10 cans, and peeling onions.

I too have been handed that line so I know what it is all about. Heck, one time when I just needed a job, I applied for all kinds of positions and repeatedly was told I was overqualified for the position. Explaining that I just needed a job, and any job was cool, was to no avail. I thought about scaling back my resume.

Sad, but true. Personally I would rather have the tried and true guy, rather than the, I need to learn guy. I like the, "show me what you can do" interview, as opposed to the Q & A kind. There are too many wannabees out there than you can shake a stick at, and not enough that can make a scratch hollandaise for 10, a la minute. It is just not fair.

Hey you guys, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. And yes, I am that good. So I have decided to open up my own place and put all you cheese-dips out of business. LOL LOL So, anybody want to lend me a half mil to get going? HA HA Anyway please re-think your hiring practices and work on your negotiation skills, you might get more for less. Personally, I would start for less, as long the opportunity to grow was there. I just love what I do and it is a bummer I am not "doing it".

At the last restaurant I was one of the sous chefs at and handling a lot of the hiring/firing I had multiple cooks come in repeatedly with years of experience as exec chefs and chefs de cuisine. I let all of them know that I was willing to pay X an hour for the position and that I would like them to come in for a trial shift to see if they could cook on my line. None of them ever showed back up. If you can't back up your resume on the line, I'd rather have someone willing to learn.

At the last restaurant I was one of the sous chefs at and handling a lot of the hiring/firing I had multiple cooks come in repeatedly with years of experience as exec chefs and chefs de cuisine. I let all of them know that I was willing to pay X an hour for the position and that I would like them to come in for a trial shift to see if they could cook on my line. None of them ever showed back up. If you can't back up your resume on the line, I'd rather have someone willing to learn.

I will...and have.

Chef Tim,
There is another way to look at this scenario.
Over qualified may lead the owner/hiring manager/chef to be wary of of your qualifications and weather or not you will continue to look for employment that better fits your qualifications while working for them.
I have hired over "over qualified" chefs/friends that just needed a job, had them commit to staying with me until a certain date (through season) only to have them leave in the middle of that time frame when they found a position that better matched/utilized their experience leaving me short handed in a busy time frame. Understandable, they needed the cash flow, but still leaves a suspicion towards the next "over qualified" candidate that comes calling.
There are a lot of over qualified candidates that have two or three jobs a year on their resumes.
Try offering a solid commitment, in writing.

I'll be happy to boil up whatever water you may need for a measly $70 K ... no weekends or nights and I don't want to work more than 3 hours a day ..

Chef Tim,
Over qualified may lead the owner/hiring manager/chef to be wary of of your qualifications and weather or not you will continue to look for employment that better fits your qualifications while working for them.

This is what overqualified always meant to me. Not that anyone ever used it to describe me

At the last restaurant I was one of the sous chefs at and handling a lot of the hiring/firing I had multiple cooks come in repeatedly with years of experience as exec chefs and chefs de cuisine. I let all of them know that I was willing to pay X an hour for the position and that I would like them to come in for a trial shift to see if they could cook on my line. None of them ever showed back up. If you can't back up your resume on the line, I'd rather have someone willing to learn.

I will...and have.

I've had some of your food at NA exchange and you're hired

'OVERQUALIFIED'

I will never believe in the term. Chefs are cooks, first. The sommelier or mixologist must first become bartender.

Hire the best. If they leave for better shores, then offer them the handshake and be proud of thier accomplishment.

Often, they will find the home- and stay for longer than joe-schmoe-'waiting-for the-real-job.'

Nonetheless, you gain the benefit of professionalism- for ever long you may have it.

'OVERQUALIFIED'

I will never believe in the term. Chefs are cooks, first. The sommelier or mixologist must first become bartender.

Hire the best. If they leave for better shores, then offer them the handshake and be proud of thier accomplishment.

Often, they will find the home- and stay for longer than joe-schmoe-'waiting-for the-real-job.'

Nonetheless, you gain the benefit of professionalism- for ever long you may have it.

Three cheers for professionalism! If your gig is paying your bills, you are a professional and should conduct yourself with pride. I would take ‘Chef Professional’ over ‘Chef Super-Talented-You-Don’t-Pay-Me-Enough’ any day!

That's it Lincoln. I can work anywhere and be professional about it. Just not getting the chance. I fell in love with cooking when I was 14 ,and that's all I want to do. I have never "dumbed it down", for anybody. I bring my 30 yrs of experience, and "A" game all the way to the dish tank if needed. I was happy at my previous job and left to help a friend open her new place, only to have that go south. I am "limited" in the transportation department as the wife and I share 1 vehicle, so I have to stay within cycling distance. But with the price of gas, that is a good thing. Like Stephen said, we all started out as line cooks, or whatever, and I am content doing it, as long as it is paying the bills. I am still out there knocking on doors and waiting for an opportunity. Maybe I'll see one of you guys out there. Just don't use that "overqualified" thing as an excuse. The ones that have done that have not even made me an offer. It is up to me to decide if I want to take it. There are a lot of good bargains out there, so everybody keep an open mind in your hiring practices and you might find one.

I’m feeling you Tim. Best of luck to you Chef and let me know where you end up!