Challenging the "overqualified" label - This post has great advice, especially for tenured government intelligence analysts seeking to transition to different roles outside of government. ⬇️ #fbiaia #intelligenceanalysis #intelligenceanalyst
A scarlet letter for older private sector intelligence analysts looking to reenter the workforce is the dreaded label "overqualified" - the underlying assumption being that such analysts won’t be happy with their compensation and role, and will leave as soon as they have another opportunity. I ran into this after being laid off in 2022, and am eternally grateful to Ruraigh Purcell and Stephanie Phillips for taking a chance on me anyways. To all the hiring managers out there who are mulling over candidates who seem too experienced for an open role, here are a couple questions worth keeping in mind: 1.) What is their motivation? The assumption that “overqualified” candidates will immediately leave is underpinned by a couple other assumptions - namely, that compensation and titles/leadership roles are the key motivator for all candidates - and these aren’t always true. In my case, I was determined to stay in Minnesota for the sake of my family, which meant that I wasn’t going to leave for any roles involving relocation. Other senior analysts may be burned out from leadership or high-stress roles, and welcome a better work/life balance. Others still may want better job stability, or leadership and organizational values that are in sync with their own beliefs. Always understand why folks are applying before you make a decision. 2.) What can they bring to your team? Even if they don’t stay for the long term, senior analysts can help permanently upgrade any team (especially a new one). Senior analysts make great trainers, mentors, and editors, which is particularly important when so many private sector analysts learn their work on the job. Senior analysts often have a lot of contacts around the private sector security community (and elsewhere), which can open doors and facilitate benchmarking and information sharing. Seniors can help construct or update foundational documents (trusted sources, likelihood/impact definitions, style guides, or step by step process documents for common assessments), or help managers build out new team capabilities, like strategic forecasting or intelligence support for major events - my colleague Tim Hart did amazing work in support of the Olympics when we worked together. For any recruiters or hiring managers out there who are willing to take a chance on an older analyst, let me know - there are a lot of people in my network who could bring your intel function to the next level, and welcome the opportunity.