Seven in 10 U.S. hiring managers say their company usually considers employing overqualified applicants, according to a survey from Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll. However, 75% of employers believe such hires struggle to stay motivated in lower-level roles.
Biopharma professionals aren’t out of the running for positions they’re overqualified for, based on a new survey of hiring decision-makers from Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll. It found that 70% of U.S. hiring-manager respondents say their company typically considers overqualified candidates.
Businesses are willing to employ such applicants for several reasons, according to the survey, whose results were released this month. At the top of the list: Half of respondents believe these candidates have more confidence on the job, and 48% say they’re more productive. However, there are concerns about bringing such applicants on board. The survey found that 75% of employer respondents believe overqualified hires struggle to stay motivated in lower-level roles, and 74% worry they’ll leave as soon as a better opportunity comes along.
A March BioSpace LinkedIn poll found that 44% of respondents had recently taken a biopharma job they were overqualified for. At that time, Bryan Blair, vice president of life sciences at talent solutions firm GQR, told BioSpace that given today’s job market, biotech and pharma professionals were perhaps 10 times more likely to turn to such roles than they would have been a few years ago.
The market has been highly competitive in 2025, based on BioSpace data showing year-over-year decreases in job postings live on the website as layoffs continue. For example, during the third quarter, jobs live dropped 28% from the same time in 2024. At the same time, made or projected biopharma workforce cuts totaled just over 23,000 employees, a 280% year-over-year Q3 jump, based on BioSpace tallies.*
As to biotech and pharma companies’ views on hiring applicants who would be considered underemployed, Blair noted that employers seem to want barely overqualified candidates rather than people who have, say, 25 years of experience for a position that requires five.
Regarding how overqualified applicants affect other job seekers’ employment chances, a 2025 Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll survey of job seekers highlighted the issue. It found that:
- 55% of respondents said it’s impossible to compete against such candidates.
- 74% believe companies are more likely to hire overqualified applicants over those with only entry-level experience.
- 67% worry that employers prefer overqualified candidates because they “bring more to the table,” even if the role doesn’t match their level.
Still, the survey found that 87% of respondents believe it’s appropriate to apply for positions where they’d be underemployed. The need for income was the top motivator, at 59%. Other reasons included better work-life balance (56%) and passion for the industry (41%).
The hiring decision-maker and job-seeker surveys were conducted in June, and each had 1,000 respondents.
* Layoff numbers exclude contract development and manufacturing organizations, contract research organizations, tools and services businesses and medical device firms. To tally the cuts, BioSpace compiles data for known workforce reductions. The number of employees affected is identified or estimated primarily through information in company press releases, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices, SEC filings and other media outlets’ reports or via confirmation from company officials.
Not all companies disclose downsizing, and some share only the percentage of staff affected. Some biopharmas provide total numbers retrospectively rather than disclosing individual workforce reductions as they happen.
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