Why Companies Don’t Hire the Most Experienced Candidate Applying?

I am often asked why an employer wouldn’t want to hire the most experienced candidate interested in a job. The most common reasons I get:

1. The hire would upset internal hierarchy. Existing team members may feel like they will lose out on promotion opportunities or interesting projects.
2. Experienced candidates want to be paid more than what’s budgeted, if not now then soon.
3. Experienced candidates will soon be bored. Managers think candidates say they are happy to do mundane work mixed in with the sophisticated, but will soon tire of it.
4. Experienced candidates already have a way of doing things. Managers may want them to do it a different way and are concerned they will be rigid.
5. Managers want to hire people with a long runway and think more junior people could stay longer.

How to mitigate those concerns? The best way may be through networking, where someone the manager trusts extols your virtues and explains what you are like (ideally great at your job, easy to work with, and there for the long haul). Also, post a good picture on LinkedIn. Show you are tech-savvy (do NOT use an AOL email address). Finally, demonstrate you are up-to-date in your subject matter, e.g., list recent classes and certifications.