Annu Sharma, a software engineer at Google, has sparked an engaging online debate by sharing a rejection letter from a startup. Based in Delhi, Sharma took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that her qualifications were considered “too good” for the position she applied for. In her post, she humorously remarked, “Didn’t know you could be rejected for being too good,” expressing her surprise at the reasoning behind the decision.
The letter from the startup explained that after reviewing Sharma's resume, they determined her qualifications exceeded the requirements for the position. The startup stated, “Our experience indicates that candidates with higher qualifications often find the work unfulfilling and tend to leave shortly after joining.” This reasoning has garnered significant attention, and her post quickly went viral.
Reactions on social media were varied, with many users expressing a blend of amusement and frustration. One commenter remarked, “I personally know a case of someone who came to do Masters after working for 10 years. He applied to entry level position through campus recruitment (standard process). He was rejected for the reason stated above, but was asked to apply to a Sr. Dev position (and got the job).”
Another user added, “I mean you have to appreciate their openness regarding the matter. They could have easily made up some excuse or could have pinned it on you. Instead they owned up and acknowledged your superiority for the role. You won’t find many companies doing that. And what if they were right and you didn’t like the opportunity there? Would have been a loss on both sides.”
“This is actually pretty relevant being on the other side of the fence. Overqualified for a job is a thing because the organisation spend time and money hiring people and then in a few months they keep looking for better opportunities and resign, leaving the company having wasted time, money and effort hiring and training the individual. So as a company they do need to find the right fit for the position and as a candidate you should also look for the job that’s rightly suited for you and not just apply for any position that you might not be satisfied with in long term,” commented a third internet user.