민간에서 공공부문으로 이직에 따른 과잉자격 현상에 관한 질적 연구

The recent global economic recession has compelled many job seekers to accept positions that are misaligned with their educational qualifications or professional experience, thereby contributing to the growing scholarly interest in the phenomenon of overqualification. This study explores a relatively under examined but frequently occurring context of overqualification—voluntary transitions from the private sector to the public sector. In recent years, public sector organizations in Korea and elsewhere have actively recruited individuals with private sector experience in an effort to promote innovation. However, when the potential mismatch between private sector experience and the nature of public sector work is not suffi ciently taken into account, employees may be exposed to unintended overqualification. Given the lack of prior research on overqualification arising from voluntary sectoral transitions, this study seeks to explore and explain the overqualification experiences and surrounding contexts of individuals who have moved from the private to the public sector, based on qualitative data collected through purposeful sampling. Data were gathered through online, questionnaire-based interviews with 27 employees who had made such transitions within the past five years, and analyzed using the grounded theory methodology. The findings reveal that overqualification stemming from voluntary rather than involuntary labor market factors was clearly reflected in participants’ narratives. Moreover, the expression of voice based on prior private sector experience, and the degree to which such voice was endorsed within the organization, emerged as key mechanisms that mitigated feelings of overqualification and facilitated positive organizational interactions. Despite similarities in the causes and content of overqualification, individual responses—both short- and long-term—varied considerably. This suggests that fostering positive coping patterns among these employees is a critical task for public organizations. The study offers practical implications not only for public institutions aiming to integrate private-sector talent more effectively, but also for individuals considering a career shift into the public sector.