My Dad Gave 25 Years to a Company. They Called Him Overqualified.
I didn't know what overqualified meant. I just knew it was bad. What I watched happen to my dad, and why your kids see you, not your title.
Originally shared on LinkedIn: April 1, 2026
My dad gave 25 years to a company. They called him overqualified for the rest of his (too short) life.
I didn't know what overqualified meant. I just knew it was bad.
I saw the looks exchanged. The quiet whispers between my parents.
I watched his self-worth evaporate.
Not when they handed him the pink slip. When he had nowhere to go in the morning.
Your kids are watching. Every move you make.
Your kids don't see your title. They see you.
You are not your job. You are not your years of service. You are not what they called you on the way out the door.
You're worth so much more than that.
Signed,
the 8-year-old who had no business knowing what "overqualified" meant
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does overqualified really mean when a company says it?
I didn't know what overqualified meant when I was 8. I just knew it was bad. I saw the looks between my parents. I watched my dad's self-worth evaporate. Overqualified is the word companies use to keep loyal, seasoned people out — and it does damage to families that lasts generations.
When did Lindsay's dad lose his self-worth?
Not when they handed him the pink slip. When he had nowhere to go in the morning. That's the moment I watched it evaporate. The label overqualified followed him for the rest of his too-short life.
What do kids actually see when a parent loses a job?
Everything. Your kids don't see your title. They see you. They see the whispers behind closed doors. They see when you stop putting on the suit. Your worth was never your job. You are not your years of service. You are not what they called you on the way out the door.
