Does psychological detachment benefit job seekers? A two study weekly investigation.

Abstract

On a weekly basis, job seekers need to exert effort to successfully navigate their search. Yet, despite the notion that job seeking is likely depleting, there has been little research and discussion to date surrounding whether taking time to recover from job seeking can be restorative and helpful for job seekers. Applying theory from the effort-recovery model (Meijman & Mulder, 1998) and the stressordetachment model (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2015) to the job search context, we highlight the self-regulatory and job search-related benefits associated with psychologically detaching from the job search each week. Specifically, we theorize that weekly psychological detachment from the job search (at t) helps job seekers feel recovered (at t) and, in turn, more vigorous (at t + 1), prompting subsequent job search effort (at t + 1); further, weekly job search effort is expected to engender an increase in subsequent interviews (at t + 2). We also explore the cross-level moderating effect of implicit theories of depletion, considering whether the beneficial impact of weekly psychological detachment is contingent on how depleting job seekers perceive the search process to be. We tested our model with two weekly experience sampling studies of over 200 new labor market entrants. Across both studies, we found considerable support for our model, suggesting that taking time to psychologically detach from the job search can help job seekers maintain their well-being and obtain job search success.

From crude jokes to diminutive terms: Exploring experiences of hostile and benevolent sexism during job search

“…Thus, our lower base rates for experiences of sexism are consistent with the sentiment that “experiencing some harassment [is] relatively common, but experiencing a lot [is] relatively rare” (Berdahl, 2007, p. 429) 8 . With respect to job search behaviors, we found that the average and standard deviation of weekly job search effort in our study ( M = 1.50, SD = 1.21)—although a tad lower—are similar to those reported in prior weekly job search studies (e.g., da Motta Veiga & Gabriel, 2016; Gabriel, MacGowan, et al., 2021; MacGowan et al., 2022). Future research may test our conceptual model over a longer time frame, seeing whether that affects both the base rates of these phenomena and the reported results of this work.…”

“…Further, given our sample of new labor market entrants who were applying for a vast variety of jobs across different positions, companies, and industries, obtaining our dependent variables from the companies would have necessitated a complex and convoluted process. Likely because of this, prior intraindividual job search research has also relied on job seekers’ own reports of search outcomes (e.g., Gabriel, Butts, et al., 2022; MacGowan et al., 2022; Sun et al., 2013). Nonetheless, we took several steps to alleviate the possibility of common method biases affecting the observed relationships.…”

“…2 Although there are differences between holding a full-time job versus a full-time internship, we expect that the underlying job search process tends to be the same. For instance, as recently reviewed by MacGowan et al (2022), both job and internship seeking involves: searching for/finding openings; preparing, tailoring, and revising résumés; preparing for/going on interviews; applying for positions and filling out applications; and writing, tailoring, and revising cover letters. This, combined with the fact that the implications associated with hostile and benevolent sexism are unlikely to be affected by search type, reduces concerns of search type affecting our observed effects.…”

“…Participants then received weekly surveys starting the week of the career fair, receiving a survey every Thursday morning for a total of 9 weeks or until participants indicated they were no longer job seeking. Each weekly survey was available until Sunday night, and reminders were sent on Friday and Sunday mornings to increase participation (e.g.,MacGowan et al, 2022). A weekly study helped allow for enough time for experiences of hostile and benevolent sexism and job search behaviors to vary within-person.The final sample consisted of 103 female job seekers who provided complete responses for at least three weeks, which is needed to appropriately model within-person variation.…”

The importance of leader recovery for leader identity and behavior.

“…For example, some leaders may enjoy strenuous workouts as a form of recovery, whereas others may enjoy leisurely strolls. Highlighting this idea further, in their study on psychological detachment, feelings of recovery, and job search, MacGowan et al (2022, p. 3) noted that when it comes to feelings of recovery: “It is less about a given [recovery] activity and more about the extent to which individuals experience recovery” (italics in original; see also Sonnentag & Fritz, 2007). That said, we recognize that it could be insightful to see which specific activities are more or less effective, and we invite future work to explore specific recovery activities and their implications on depletion and leader identity.…”