While I  completely support continuous learning, higher education and professional development activities, I agree that it is possible to become “over-educated” if that is not simultaneously paired with the accumulation of diverse on-the-job experience. For example, if typical HR generalist / manager positions only require a BS, BA, a person with a MA, MS or MBA may be less attractive. That would especially be true if others at that level or above in a particular company don’t also hold advanced degrees.

In general, it seems that beyond the baseline education required, higher value tends to be placed on real-world experience over degrees and/or other credentials. Obviously a combination of both is ideal. And, that builds as one progresses to more advanced positions. 

HR tends to have wide ranging interpretations from one company to another and there is almost never any consistency between job title, compensation and competencies across the industry. A generalist in one place may be expected to perform very senior level work, while an executive in another place may be handling hands-on administrative duties.

Rather than focus on an arbitrary number (years of experience) or any particular job title/level, my recommendation is to position yourself as a fit for your desired role(s) by leveraging the depth and breadth of your relevant prior experience. If you already have significant work experience in the field combined with an advanced degree, I suggest tailoring your career marketing package to reflect the blend of information that shows prospective employers how you would contribute to their organization and how you match their business requirements.

Hope that helps!

KB @TalentTalks