Mature age job seekers: the role of proactivity

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1082-1097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Zacher ◽  
Angelika Bock

Purpose – In the context of demographic and economic changes, helping mature age job seekers find employment is imperative. The purpose of this paper is to examine mature age job seekers’ proactive personality as a moderator of the relationship between age and job search intensity; and to examine job search self-efficacy as a mediator of this moderation effect. It was hypothesized that the generally negative relationships between age and job search self-efficacy and intensity are weaker among job seekers with a more proactive personality. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 188 job seekers between 40 and 64 years completed an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – Consistent with previous research, age was negatively related to job search intensity. Proactive personality was positively related to job search intensity and moderated the relationship between age and job search intensity. Extending previous research, proactive personality also positively predicted job search self-efficacy and moderated the relationship between age and job search self-efficacy which, in turn, positively predicted job search intensity. Research limitations/implications – Potential limitations of the study include the cross-sectional design, sample selectivity, and the omission of possibly important control variables. Practical implications – Practitioners, organizations, and societies concerned with helping mature age job seekers find employment could provide additional support to those with a less proactive personality and low job search self-efficacy. Originality/value – This study extends previous research by showing that mature age job seekers’ job search self-efficacy mediates the moderating effect of proactive personality on the relationship between age and job search intensity.

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1139-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
HANNES ZACHER

ABSTRACTLong-term unemployment of older people can have severe consequences for individuals, communities and ultimately economies, and is therefore a serious concern in countries with an ageing population. However, the interplay of chronological age and other individual difference characteristics in predicting older job seekers' job search is so far not well understood. This study investigated relationships among age, proactive personality, occupational future time perspective (FTP) and job search intensity of 182 job seekers between 43 and 77 years in Australia. Results were mostly consistent with expectations based on a combination of socio-emotional selectivity theory and the notion of compensatory psychological resources. Proactive personality was positively related to job search intensity and age was negatively related to job search intensity. Age moderated the relationship between proactive personality and job search intensity, such that the relationship was stronger at higher compared to lower ages. One dimension of occupational FTP (perceived remaining time left in the occupational context) mediated this moderating effect, but not the overall relationship between age and job search intensity. Implications for future research, including the interplay of occupational FTP and proactive personality, and some tentative practical implications are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ans De Vos ◽  
Anneleen Forrier ◽  
Beatrice Van der Heijden ◽  
Nele De Cuyper

Purpose In the current war for talent employers are concerned about the idea that the best employees are more likely to leave the organization for another employer (i.e. the management paradox). This study tests this management paradox. The purpose of this paper is to advance our understandings of how employees’ occupational expertise is associated with job search intensity, through its assumed relationships with perceived internal and external employability in the internal and the external labor market. The authors thereby tested the research model across three different age groups (young, middle-aged, and senior employees). Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a survey among 2,137 professional workers and applied multi-group structural equation modeling. Findings Perceived internal employability negatively mediated the relationship between occupational expertise and job search intensity, whilst there was a positive mediational effect of perceived external employability. Age had a moderating effect on the association between perceived internal employability and job search intensity. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to the scholarly literature on the management paradox, and the empirical work on employability and age. Practical implications Organizations can recoup their investments in expert workers’ employability and enhance their retention by providing opportunities for internal career development. Originality/value This study is original by including both internal and external employability. By doing so, the authors thereby shedding new light on how occupational expertise might explain job search and how this relationship differs depending on employee age, thereby using a large sample of respondents.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Dalla Rosa ◽  
Michelangelo Vianello ◽  
Elisa Maria Galliani ◽  
Ryan D. Duffy

We examined the relationship between calling, job-search clarity, and job-search intensity in a cross-sectional study of Italian unemployed job seekers (N = 315). Structural equation modeling with observed variables and latent moderated structural equation models were adopted to test whether optimism, self-esteem, and perseverance moderate the relation between calling, job-search clarity and job-search intensity. Perceiving a calling was positively related with job-search clarity and intensity and these relations were stronger in individuals with lower levels of optimism, self-esteem, and perseverance. This study suggests that perceiving a calling is an important personal resource that is related to a clearer job-search goal, more intense job-search activities and can support job seekers in personal adverse condition. These results suggest integrating job-search behaviors in the Work as Calling Theory and that incorporating the construct of calling into career counselors’ practices may increase the efficacy of job-search activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 11998
Author(s):  
Md Sohel Chowdhury ◽  
Jeonghun Yun ◽  
Dae-seok Kang

With the burgeoning “war for talent”, attracting the right workforce has become a major key checkpoint for a firm’s sustainability. The main purpose of this study was to predict prospective employees’ organizational attraction by integrating person–organization (P–O) fit perceptions and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) into a single framework. Although many studies have reported inconsistent results for the impact of subjective norms and self-efficacy on intention in the TPB framework, adequate empirical research on applicant attraction for this theoretical phenomenon is still unavailable. This may be the first study that examined the mechanism of how and when the TPB model becomes more instrumental with subjective P–O fit perceptions. With a sample of 335 young job seekers in Bangladesh, the study examined the research hypotheses related to the TPB and P–O fit using path analysis with AMOS, a structural equation modeling (SEM) program. The results showed that P–O fit partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and job search intentions. Observably, P–O fit significantly moderated the relationship between subjective norms and job search intentions in such a way that the impact of subjective norms was stronger for individuals with a lower level of P–O fit but slightly weaker for those with a higher level of P–O fit. In line with the research findings, some notable theoretical contributions and practical implications for HR professionals have been discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Stich

PurposeThe ability to work anytime from anywhere is attractive to job seekers, who respond by developing needs regarding flexible working. Flexibility needs are compared to the flexibility perceived in job advertisements to form an overall perception of flexibility fit. The purpose of this paper is to examine both the impact of flexibility fit (on applicant attraction) and its antecedents.Design/methodology/approachThe impact of flexibility fit on applicant attraction and its antecedents are examined using person–job (PJ) fit theory. 92 job seekers analyzed a total of 391 job advertisements. The hypotheses are tested using multilevel structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results show that perceived flexibility fit is positively related to job pursuit and job acceptance intentions. They further show that perceived flexibility fit is driven by perceived job advertisements' flexibility exceeding applicants' needed flexibility, which in turn is driven by the flexibility actually present in job advertisements exceeding applicants' flexibility needs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to literature on new ways of working by highlighting the desirable nature of flexibility and its impact on fit perceptions. It further contributes to literature on job search and PJ fit by investigating a full model of fit, examining both outcomes and antecedents of perceived fit. For practitioners, this study highlights the importance of advertising flexibility to attract applicants.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zia Ul Islam ◽  
Qingxiong (Derek) Weng ◽  
Zulqurnain Ali ◽  
Usman Ghani ◽  
Ataullah Kiani ◽  
...  

PurposeThis study examines the associations among specific personality traits, job search strategies (JSSs) and job search outcomes.Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged data (three-waves) were collected from 528 Chinese graduating students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe results revealed a positive association between conscientiousness and both a focused job search strategy (FJSS) and an exploratory job search strategy (EJSS). Neuroticism was positively related to a haphazard job search strategy (HJSS), but negatively associated with both a FJSS and an EJSS. Moreover, FJSS and EJSS were positively related to both the number of job offers (NJOs) and the number of satisfied job offers (NSJOs). However, compared with FJSS, EJSS explained more variance in NJOs but less in NSJOs. Additional analysis showed a significant positive association between conscientiousness and job search intensity (JSI), but no significant relationship between neuroticism and JSI. JSI had significant associations with both NJOs and NSJOs. Further, FJSS and EJSS mediated the association between focal personality traits and both NJOs and NSJOs. Additionally, JSI also mediated the association between conscientiousness and both NJOs and NSJOs.Originality/valuePrevious research has confirmed that JSSs (Stevens and Turban, 2001) are consequential for important job search outcomes. However, whether fresh job seekers are predisposed to the use of JSSs is yet to be explored. This study adds to the job search literature by filling this void.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo Petruzziello ◽  
Marco Giovanni Mariani ◽  
Rita Chiesa ◽  
Dina Guglielmi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between general self-efficacy (GSE), job search self-efficacy (JSSE), extraversion and job search success within a sample of new entrants in the labour market. It is hypothesised that JSSE acts as a mediator between GSE and job search success. Evaluation of the hireability – made by expert interviewers – of new entrants involved in a job interview simulation is proposed as a job search success criterion. Moreover, the moderating role of extraversion on the relationship between JSSE and job search success is explored.Design/methodology/approachData were collected on 177 graduates from an Italian university. Participants were involved in a simulation of an interview conducted by experts of the personnel selection process, who gave an evaluation. Macro PROCESS for SPSS was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsGSE has an indirect effect on job search success via JSSE. Moreover, extraversion has a moderating effect on the JSSE–job search success relationship for more extraverted job seekers.Practical implicationsJob search and counselling practitioners should consider extraversion and personal differences to improve the effectiveness of interventions aimed at fostering new entrants' self-regulatory resources and behaviours during the job search.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing research about the job search process by testing a new and important job search success criterion, showing that GSE could help new graduates in establishing a specific self-efficacy, such as JSSE, and demonstrating that extraversion interacts with JSSE.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adie Irwan Kusumah ◽  
Haryadi ◽  
Adi Indrayanto ◽  
Iwan Setiawan

Purpose This study aims to determine the relationship between transformational leadership, self-efficacy, gender, intrinsic motivation and employee performance in mediating and moderating roles. Design/methodology/approach Respondents in this study were 531 hotel employees (human resources development staff, financial, relationship) in Yogyakarta who were led by women. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses using AMOS 22.0. Findings The results show that transformational leadership has a positive and significant effect on employee performance, self-efficacy acts as a mediating variable on the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance. The results also indicate that gender acts as a moderating variable by strengthening the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance and intrinsic motivation acts as a moderating variable by strengthening the relationship between self-efficacy and employee performance. Research limitations/implications This study has two limitations. First, the research results cannot conclude the company in general because the sampling of this study is limited to the hotel business which is led by women only. Future research is needed to explore more deeply to compare the performance of employees in companies led by women and those led by men. Second, this study uses only one independent variable. Future research needs to be done to explore the effect of other variables on company performance, such as work culture, work environment and job satisfaction. Practical implications The main managerial contribution of this study is directed to companies that are interested in developing employee performance. First, self-efficacy is able to mediate transformational leadership in achieving employee performance. Besides this research offers a clear strategy for companies to stimulate their employees to strengthen leadership individually so as to improve the quality of their work. Thus, companies can carry out leadership training that is focused on being able to recognize employees who have low self-efficacy. If this is done, the company can reduce expenses that are not small but can make a significant contribution. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the mediating and moderating role of transformational leadership, employee performance, self-efficacy, gender and intrinsic motivation, especially in a hotel business led by women in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miyea Kim ◽  
Mina Jun ◽  
Jeongsoo Han

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the information sharing behavior of individuals on social media. Furthermore, the study analyzes the effect that individuals’ self-connection to social media has on information sharing through self-efficacy and the effect of social-connection on information sharing through empathy.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to social media users from general participants in the Republic of Korea. A total of 824 valid responses were obtained. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and applying SmartPLS 3.0.FindingsThe result indicated that individuals are motivated to share information through self-connection and social connection. Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that the effect of self-connection on information sharing in social media is mediated by self-efficacy. Also, social connection will increase information sharing not only directly but also indirectly through its positive effect on empathy.Originality/valueThe authors focused on the basic needs of humans and tried to reveal the relationship between human needs and motivational beliefs, which are self-efficacy and empathy, and information sharing behavior on social media. Through the individual's fundamental needs that social media can satisfy, individuals will gain positive psychological benefits through using social media. This study considered what psychological benefits social media can provide.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Guerrero ◽  
John-Paul Hatala

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of job search on perceived overqualification by applying the theory of planned behavior and including financial need and openness to experience as moderators. Design/methodology/approach – Three questionnaires were given at weeks 1, 8 and 12 to 436 practice firm participants. A total of 119 completed all three questionnaires. The authors used partial least squares to analyze the data. Findings – Job search self-efficacy was positively related to job search intentions and to outcome expectations. Job search intentions were positively related to job search intensity. Financial need acted as a moderator of the relationship between job search intensity and perceived overqualification such that for those with high-financial need higher levels of job search intensity resulted in higher perceived overqualification. Research limitations/implications – The authors found little support for the theory of planned behavior in the model. The authors found strong support for the role of job search self-efficacy and job search intentions. The use of a three-wave design resulted in a relatively low sample size and the use of the practice firm reduces the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications – The results suggest that increasing job search self-efficacy and job search intentions while managing the anticipations of job seekers is likely to yield better job search outcomes. Originality/value – This study investigates the role of job search on perceived overqualification. Findings suggest that malleable attitudes during job search such as job search self-efficacy, job search intentions, and anticipations are likely to impact perceived overqualification.


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