Job search self-efficacy: Reconceptualizing the construct and its measurement

Abstract

Job search self-efficacy (JSSE) is one of the most studied variables in the job search literature and an important component of the theory of planned behavior and self-regulation theory which have both been used to explain the job search process. However, even though JSSE has been a part of job search research for thirty years, the measurement of JSSE has varied from study to study. This questions both the validity of the measures used and the findings from each study that used a different measure. In this paper, we propose and test a two dimensional measure of JSSE that corresponds to job search behavior (JSSE-B) and job search outcomes (JSSE-O). The results of a longitudinal study of employed and unemployed job seekers support a two-factor model corresponding to the two dimensions of JSSE. We also found differential relationships between each dimension of JSSE and several antecedents and consequences. Among the antecedents, environmental exploration and self-exploration were stronger predictors of JSSE-B while career planning was a stronger predictor of JSSE-O. In terms of consequences, JSSE-B was a stronger predictor of job search intention and behavior while JSSE-O was a stronger predictor of the number of job offers received. These findings provide support for two dimensions of JSSE and have important implications for job search research and practice.

Adaptabilidade de Carreira e Autoeficácia na Transição para o Trabalho: O papel da Empregabilidade Percebida – Estudo com Estudantes do Ensino Superior

“…Num primeiro momento, tal como esperávamos, as análises de correlações sugerem associações positivas e significativas entre adaptabilidade de carreira e autoeficácia na transição ao trabalho (e.g., Forstenlecher et al, 2014;Guana et al, 2013;Saks et al, 2015), sobretudo através das dimensões controlo e confiança, e entre adaptabilidade de carreira e a empregabilidade percebida (interna) (e.g., Duffy, 2010;Lent, 2013;Savickas, 1997Savickas, , 2005Savickas, , 2013. Assim, tal como no estudo de Guana e colaboradores (2013), os estudantes com maiores níveis de adaptabilidade reportam também uma maior confiança na resolução das tarefas relativas à transição para o trabalho.…”

“…ser capaz de resolver problemas, e ser eficaz na resolução dos mesmos). Por seu turno, os estudos empíricos sugerem que a adaptabilidade de carreira surge frequentemente associada à autoeficácia no âmbito da tomada de decisão (e.g., Duffy, 2010;Hou, Wu, & Liu, 2014), e no âmbito da transição para o mundo do trabalho (e.g., Forstenlecher et al, 2014;Guana et al, 2013;Saks, Zikic, & Koen, 2015). Assim sendo, espera -se que a adaptabilidade de carreira, enquanto fonte de estratégias de autorregulação no domínio vocacional, se revele um preditor significativo da confiança com que os estudantes universitários encaram as tarefas específicas associadas à transição para o mundo do trabalho (ex., procura de emprego, adaptação ao trabalho e regulação emocional).…”

Specific job search self‐efficacy beliefs and behaviors of unemployed ethnic minority women

“…Another possible explanation for the mixed findings might be that prior research looked at global job search self‐efficacy, lumping together many different job search activities (Saks, Zikic, & Koen, ). Given that divergent search activities such as looking for jobs on the Internet versus networking are likely to require different resources and skills, we argue that distinguishing between specific job search self‐efficacies contributes to the prediction of specific job search behaviors and their effects.…”

Relationships between career indecision, search for work self-efficacy, and psychological well-being in Italian never-employed young adults

“…Traditional models of career choice identified self-efficacy with regard to search for work as an important cognitive component for starting career planning and job searching activities (e.g., Pepe, Farnese, Avalone, & Vecchione, 2010; Saks, Zikic, & Koen, 2015). In terms of non-cognitive aspects, psychological well-being was found to be a critical affective component in relation to career difficulties (Gati et al, 1996).…”