Perceived Overqualification at Work: Implications for Extra-Role Behaviors and Advice Network Centrality

Abstract

In this study, we hypothesized that perceived overqualification would interact with person-organization fit (P-O fit) to predict extra-role behaviors toward coworkers (organizational citizenship behaviors targeting others [OCBI] and voice) and indirectly relate to advice network centrality. We collected data from 332 municipality services employees reporting to 41 supervisors in Istanbul, Turkey, across three timepoints and from three different sources. Tests of our model provided partial support for our predictions. Results revealed that perceived overqualification had negative main effects on OCBI and interacted with P-O fit to affect voice. Further, P-O fit moderated the indirect effects of perceived overqualification on advice network centrality such that there were significant negative indirect effects via OCBI only when P-O fit is low. Implications for the overqualification, perceptions of fit, and social network literatures are discussed.