Perceived overqualification of college graduates: assessing antecedents, outcomes, and boundary conditions
摘要
This study investigated the antecedents and outcomes of perceived overqualification among recent college graduates. Our hypotheses proposed that excessively ambitious career goals are likely to contribute to an increased perception of overqualification, consequently influencing a negative perception of career progress. We collected survey data from 499 college graduates who started their careers after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We found that career goals positively predicted perceived overqualification, and perceived overqualification, in turn, positively predicted career goal discrepancies. In addition, civil servants were less affected by perceived overqualification. Drawing upon the findings, we also made practical recommendations.