Profiling the “big fish in a small pond” and examining which one swims the most happily

Abstract

PurposeTo disentangle the impact of each type of overqualification, the author created four profiles of overqualified workers based on the metaphor of the big fish in a small pond: “the fish that fits the pond,” “the unaware big fish in a small pond,” “the fish fitting the pond, but feeling cramped” and “the aware big fish in a small pond.”Design/methodology/approachUsing a Canadian representative survey, the author examined the distinctive effect of objective and subjective overqualification on job satisfaction among recent graduate workers. The subjective measure is based on the individual's perception of the match of his/her education level, training and experience with the requirements of his/her job; and the objective measure assesses the match between the individual's educational attainment and the skill level associated with his/her occupational group.FindingsThe results show that only the “the fish fitting the pond, but feeling cramped” and “the aware big fish in a small pond” profiles of overqualified workers lead to a lower probability of being satisfied with their job compared to “fish that fits the pond.”Originality/valueThe current study is original because the findings reveal that being objectively overqualified without feeling cramped has no consequence on workers' job satisfaction, while feeling cramped without being objectively overqualified leads to lower job satisfaction. Recruiters should therefore avoid to focus on overeducation since it has no impact on their job satisfaction. They should pay more attention to the feeling of being cramped when they look for the best candidates. Even if the candidate's diploma corresponds to that required by the position, this feeling reduces their chances to be satisfied with the job.