Overqualified

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Have you ever been passed for a job because you were overqualified? This makes no sense to me. It's been happening to me often

That's a phrase to encode some other reason why they don't want you, e.g.:
- they think you'll be looking for another job while working for them, and they're looking for a long term employee
- they think you'll be unhappy in the job because it's not challenging enough (so you won't do it well)
- they think you'll have too many opinions and they only want someone who does as he's told
- they didn't like your nose

...

I feel like the working world is stacked against me. I purposely go for jobs that are very technical and don't require much social interaction. But i feel I am still judged on my social skills. Doesn't that seem a bit discriminatory?

Yeah, often. Overqualified, yet underskilled in skills in which cant be learned like communcation and such.

People want to feel comfortable at work, so if they think you're hard to get along with or just don't "fit in" with the rest of the team, they won't hire you, no matter what. There's a certain scarcity among people with technical skills, but it's not bad enough for companies to only focus on that.

Your best bet might be trying to come across as someone with an appropriate skill-set who is a bit introverted yet "normal" otherwise. As long as you don't raise any red flags, being introverted is usually deemed acceptable.

To the OP:

When I send out my resume, I tailor it to the specific job requirements. If you have a graduate degree in an unrelated field for example, it does no harm to skip that part. Same with the number of jobs you've had before. I put stuff relating to the job and keep the resume under a page.

I don't think my resume is the issue. During interviews I get flustered easily. The last interview i decided to rant on about my self designed 3d printer. I assumed it would help me out in this case. The job required working with engineers on new products. They had me fix two computers that they rigged, I passed with flying colors. I even interviewed with the president and we had a geek out session. I just don't understand what went wrong.

I think these bits may be the problem. They want to know you can work under a bit of pressure.

Do you research the company and prepare relevant questions for each interview?

You need to balance 'selling yourself' with an interest in what their future holds for you as an employee.

I have a JD degree.

Almost everyone with a JD degree gets that if they want to work in a non-law position.

    This is true. And funny.

    What's a JD degree?

Juris Doctorate (law degree in USA).

Realized in my last semester that I didn't want to work in the law (anxiety attacks finally got me to be honest with myself).

With me I think a lot of employers were kind of ignorant about career paths in my field....I have a CPA but only one year of accounting experience. I was turned down for a entry level position at a private company because they were afraid I'd leave to work at a CPA firm again once the economy improved. Most people start at CPA firms and end up at private companies, but these people didn't understand that.

Thankfully my career is in a different direction now so it no longer matters...

Having an advanced degree in an unrelated field can be a huge red flag. Like having a Masters in History and applying for a job in a bank.

I have seen rational career coaches actually recommend leaving that experience/education off a resume so as not to make the employer think you are going to bolt at the first opportunity in your field of choice. Dumbing down the resume.

In my current job, they said right away that I was overqualified, but I made the case that working in the role will fill a hole in my career progression and that I wanted the hands on experience. They offered me the job on the spot - because they understood why I wanted to be there (that it wasn't just "I need a job NOW" desperation). It doesn't always work out that way though, and there were extenuating circumstances - the manager was told to hire someone with specific licenses or she would have to obtain them herself, and I have said licenses, so it was mutually beneficial.

Make the case for why you want the job, and why you want to work for them specifically - and you may be pleasantly surprised.

I think I missed out on two jobs recently because I was considered overqualified. The first was a part time library job and though they didn’t say they thought I was overqualified, they couldn’t give a good reason for not hiring me. My interview was good and my sorting test was perfect! I should have got that job and I really wish I had! I think they probably thought I was just using it as a stop-gap until something better came along, which I really wasn’t. The job would have been so valuable to me for testing my capacity to work after a long period of unemployment due to illness. I was extremely disappointed not to get it.

The second job I interviewed for was a trainee vet nurse position and the woman interviewing me actually said she was concerned the role would be “beneath me”. I didn’t really respond to that comment but have since realised I should have. I blame my Asperger’s for that! If she’d asked it as a question, like “having learned more about the role, do you think it will be beneath you?” or “do you consider yourself overqualified for this job?” I would have reassured her that I do not. At the time I didn’t know she wanted/expected me to respond.

A relative of mine once got told that they were overqualified when applying for a job at a convenience store. They never even graduated high school and was working at a fast food place at the time. They were a shift supervisor but that doesn't mean much.