[rwmj]

It depends if you want to be a philosopher or not. The surveys do actually ask this question, see questions #93-95 here for example: http://gpiatlantic.org/pdf/communitygpi/communitypart2b.pdf

(I think you are right to ask if a survey can accurately capture "underemployment", there are many problems with the definition and how to capture the right information to measure it.)

[hiAndrewQuinn]

You're darn right I am right to question it. These questions only leave me further convinced this is a bad term.

""" 93. Would you rather have a job more closely related to your education, training and experience?

94. Considering your education, training and experience, do you feel that you are overqualified for your current job?

95. Considering your education, training and experience, do you feel that you have been overqualified for most of your jobs? """

93 is not a question I suspect most people answer faithfully. Because most people with tertiary education could probably find such a job - but it would be at a substantial pay cut. Yet the angle of compensation is nowhere to be found in the question itself.

94 is subject to the same bias that makes 90% of people think they're in the top 50% of driving, parenting, lovemaking and/or karaoke.

95 has that same issue, but also brings in a narcissistic wound aspect to it. No, of course you're better than all of those hams, shams, and japeths who you worked with/under/over through the years.