scholarly journals Self-regulation Training and Job Search Behavior: A Natural Field Experiment Within an Active Labor Market Program

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva M. Berger ◽  
Henning Hermes ◽  
Guenther Koenig ◽  
Felix Schmidt ◽  
Daniel Schunk
SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110672
Author(s):  
Ruirui Lian ◽  
Wenjing Cai ◽  
Kun Chen ◽  
Hongru Shen ◽  
Xiaopei Gao ◽  
...  

The present research aims to explore the impact of mentoring relationship on college graduates’ job search behavior among Chinese undergraduate students by examining the mediator of job search intention and the moderator of job search self-efficacy. A two-wave survey study was conducted in China ( N = 594). Our findings show a positive indirect relation between mentoring and college graduates’ job search behaviors through job search intention. The graduates’ job search self-efficacy positively moderated the indirect relationship such that when job search self-efficacy was higher, the influence of mentoring on behavior via job search intention was stronger. These findings extend the literature by clarifying how and when mentoring facilitates graduates’ job search behaviors and provide practical implications for facilitating a smooth school-to-work transition in China. As the first study that empirically clarifies why (through job search intention) and when (job search self-efficacy) mentoring function is positively related to job search behavior among Chinese undergraduate students, the present study contributes to the existing mentoring and job search literature. Future research is encouraged to extend the findings by integrating theory of planned behavior (TPB) with self-regulation theory toward deepening current understanding of how and when mentoring can contribute to a student’s success in job search behavior.


Author(s):  
Edwin van Hooft

Because job search often is a lengthy process accompanied by complexities, disruptions, rejections, and other adversities, job seekers need self-regulation to initiate and maintain job search behaviors for obtaining employment goals. This chapter reviews goal/intention properties (e.g., specificity, proximity, conflicts, motivation type) and skills, beliefs, strategies, and capacities (e.g., self-monitoring skills and type, trait and momentary self-control capacity, nonlimited willpower beliefs, implementation intentions, goal-shielding and goal maintenance strategies) that facilitate self-regulation and as such may moderate the relationship between job search intentions and job search behavior. For each moderator, a theoretical rationale is developed based on self-regulation theory linked to the theory of planned job search behavior, available empirical support is reviewed, and future research recommendations are provided. The importance of irrationality and nonconscious processes is discussed; examples are given of hypoegoic self-regulation strategies that reduce the need for deliberate self-regulation and conscious control by automatizing job search behaviors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Taggar ◽  
Lisa K. J. Kuron

Purpose – Individuals normally make fairness judgements when experiencing negative outcomes on an important task, such as finding employment. Fairness is an affect-laden subjective experience. Perceptions of injustice can cause resource depletion in unemployed job seekers, potentially leading to reduced self-regulation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of: first, justice perceptions during a job search and their impact on job search self-efficacy (JSSE); second, the mediating role of JSSE between justice perceptions and job search strategies; and third, associations between job search strategies and quantity and quality of job search behavior. Design/methodology/approach – Unemployed individuals (n=254) who were actively searching for a job reported on their past job search experiences with respect to justice, completed measures of JSSE, and reported recent job search behavior. Findings – Results reveal the potentially harmful impact of perceived injustice on job search strategies and the mediating role of JSSE, a self-regulatory construct and an important resource when looking for a job. Specifically, perceived injustice is negatively associated with JSSE. Reduced JSSE is associated with a haphazard job search strategy and less likelihood of exploratory and focussed strategies. A haphazard job search strategy is associated with making fewer job applications and poor decision making. Conversely, perceived justice is associated with higher JSSE and exploratory and focussed job search strategies. These two strategies are generally associated with higher quality job search behavior. Research limitations/implications – There are two major limitations. First, while grounded in social-cognitive theory of self-regulation and conservation of resources (COR) theory, a cross-sectional research design limits determination of causality in the model of JSSE as a central social-cognitive mechanism explaining how justice impacts job search strategies. Second, some results may be conservative because social desirability may have restricted the range of negative responses. Practical implications – This study provides insights to individuals who are supporting job seekers (e.g. career counselors, coaches, employers, and social networks). Specifically, interventions aimed at reducing perceptions of injustice, increasing JSSE, and improving job search strategies and behavior may ameliorate the damaging impact of perceived injustice. Originality/value – This study is the first to examine perceived justice in the job search process using social-cognitive theory of self-regulation and COR theory. Moreover, we provide further validation to a relatively new and under-researched job search strategy typology by linking the strategies to the quantity and quality of job search behaviors.


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