Searching hard versus searching smart : the role of search process quality in an internship context

Based on a self-regulatory approach, we propose that students searching for an internship following a high-quality process will show greater search success. In a sample of 191 Belgian final year students looking for an internship, the quality of students’ search process was positively related to both self-reported and objective search outcomes, beyond the mere intensity of their search. Specifically, reflection related positively to students’ satisfaction and perceived fit with their internship as well as to organizations’ assessment of students’ internship performance. Planning related positively to the speed of finding an internship. Furthermore, the four search process quality dimensions explained incremental variance in these outcomes beyond a unidimensional measure of metacognitive activities, supporting the added value of our multidimensional approach

Werk zoeken tijdens de coronacrisis : het werkzoekproces en psychisch welzijn van werkzoekenden tijdens de coronacrisis

De uitbraak van de Covid-19-pandemie in het begin van 2020 en de bijhorende coronacrisis heeft tot een bijzondere situatie op de arbeidsmarkt geleid. Eerder onderzoek toonde reeds aan dat een dergelijke crisis kan zorgen voor veranderingen in het werkzoekproces en psychisch welzijn van werkzoekenden. Of dit ook geldt voor de coronacrisis is voorlopig onbekend. Daarom voerden wij een online bevraging uit bij 327 werkzoekenden uit Vlaanderen in de vroege fase van de coronacrisis. Hierbij werd gebruikgemaakt van zowel gesloten als open vragen. Ten eerste melden de meeste respondenten dat zij het zoekproces voortzetten, maar de helft ervaart wel veranderingen in het zoekproces. Bepaalde jobaspecten zoals werkzekerheid zijn belangrijker geworden door de coronacrisis. Ten tweede lijkt de coronacrisis een negatieve invloed te hebben op het psychisch welzijn van de werkzoekenden: ze zijn meer bezorgd om geen job te vinden en ervaren uitzonderlijk veel stress en een sterk verminderd mentaal welbevinden. Ten derde blijken er maar weinig verschillen te zijn tussen de verschillende demografische groepen en de invloed van de coronacrisis op het werkzoekgedrag en psychisch welzijn. De resultaten van deze studie kunnen HR-professionals helpen om hun rekruteringsprocessen beter af te stemmen op potentiële sollicitanten om zo hun competitief voordeel en aantrekkelijkheid als werkgever te vergroten

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

This two-wave field study draws from social cognitive theory to investigate the specific job search self-efficacy beliefs and behaviors of unemployed ethnic minority women in the Netherlands. We go beyond prior job search research that predominantly used white samples and conceptualized job search self-efficacy and behavior as global, unidimensional constructs. We found that networking self-efficacy and Internet self-efficacy were the main predictors of ethnic minority women's job search behaviors. Moreover, the more time they spent on contacting employment agencies and looking at job ads the more job offers they received. Finally, time spent on job ads was more positively related to job offers when job ad self-efficacy was high and time spent on networking only predicted job offers when networking self-efficacy was high

How to hit a home run on your next job search : covering the four bases of job search quality

Due to the current tightness in several labor markets around the globe there are more jobs available than ever before. This brings about countless employment opportunities, but also uncertainty and higher risks. Limited knowledge about the available job opportunities often results in considerable uncertainty for job seekers, especially for recent graduates. Since the risks of landing a low-quality job are similar to being unemployed and can hinder future career success, it is of utmost importance that job seekers find a fitting job. Although the ability to find a fitting job depends on a variety of factors, a key determinant that is controllable by individuals is job search behavior. Research has generally focused on the quantitative aspects of job search behaviors, operationalized as the time and effort that people spend on a number of job search activities. Research shows that job seekers who spend more time looking for a job receive more job offers, are more likely to find a job, and find a job faster. However, the effects are rather small, and job search quantity seems to be unrelated to employment quality. Thus, spending a lot of time on job search activities does not necessarily mean that the search is done effectively. Along these lines, several leading scholars have called for more research looking at job search quality. Many of these studies start from the idea that job seekers should search smarter, not harder. Although this seems obvious, empirical research is still scarce and fragmented. In this dissertation, we conceptualize job search quality as a multidimensional model consisting of four dimensions: goal establishment, planning, goal striving, and reflection. We set out to investigate the added value of job search quality, the outcomes of job search quality, the antecedents of job search quality, and how job search quality can be facilitated. To address these objectives, four empirical studies were conducted. Our studies show that (a) the four dimensions of job search quality show added value beyond job search intensity and metacognitive activities, (b) job search quality is positively related to several job search outcomes, including employment quality, (c) personality, attitudinal factors, and contextual factors were identified as antecedents for job search quality, and (d) job search quality can be facilitated by conducting a positive psychology intervention

Fostering metacognitive activities during job search : the Three Good Job Search Things intervention

Based on principles from positive psychology and broaden-and-build theory, we examined whether conducting a Three Good Job Search Things intervention can increase metacognitive activities among job seekers. We further theorize that positive affect (i.e., activating and deactivating) serves as a mediating mechanism for the effect of the reflection intervention on metacognitive activities. We designed a randomized control group pretest–posttest experimental study with three groups (i.e., Three Good Job Search Things, active control, and passive control) and two measurement times (N = 116). Results show that the Three Good Job Search Things intervention increased job seekers' metacognitive activities as compared with the passive control group, but not as compared to the active control group. However, the active control group results did not differ significantly from the passive control group. The effects of the intervention on job seekers' metacognitive activities were not mediated by enhanced positive affect. This study contributes to the job search literature by expanding our understanding of how metacognition during job search can be improved by reflecting upon one's job search process. Positive psychology interventions, including those integrated into job search training, might offer potential benefits for job seekers, influencing job search behavior while considering well-being. The Three Good Job Search Things intervention, though not significantly differing from an active reflection control group, might encourage job seekers to engage in metacognitive activities. Low-cost, online reflection interventions seem a promising tool to improve self-regulation during job search