If you ask many recruiters why they bypass overqualified candidates they will tell you that it's risky to hire an overqualified candidate because they will turnover quickly out of boredom. But that is not why people leave a company. They leave because of how the company treats them, the company environment, and the way they were on-boarded. In this economy, it might just be worth the investment to hire someone who is overqualified and here is why.

The economy is still in dire straits in the Bay Area. While the U.S. average unemployment rate is at 9.1%, the San Francisco Bay Area is at 9.9 percent. There have been estimates that say that we won't see a full upswing in the economy until 2015. That is scary stuff. However, there is a plethora of top talent out there looking for work and their resumes are coming across your desk. This is where the Bay Area's top talent is but they are being bypassed.

If expectations are clearly communicated up front with the potential candidate, boredom and frustration will not be a factor. Further, try and think of the broader picture, there may be room for that overqualified person to do more than what the job calls for currently. Try to think of ways that you can utilize their other skills. Focus on your future needs, even though you may not have a requisition for it. Further, depending on how long they have been out of work, might just work to your benefit. They may be so thankful to get a job that they may work harder than ever, coming up with new inventive ideas that you haven't even yet considered.

So don't just judge a resume by first glance. These days, everyone has an M.B.A., but that doesn't mean that they have an abundance of experience in the current role. Make a quick 10 minute phone call and ask them specifically why they are interested in the current role. Maybe their current lifestyle is calling for a break from their Blackberry. Maybe they don't want to be a director, manager or VP and are completely satisfied with doing something that is less stressful. The point is, you'll never know unless you ask them flat out why they are seeking a lower level position.