scholarly journals A typology of job search sources: Exploring the changing nature of job search networks

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1173-1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron W Piercy ◽  
Sun Kyong Lee
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Job Seekers ◽  
Source Type ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties ◽  
Search Networks ◽  
Online Sources

This study explored American job seekers’ network of information sources using a random sample. Results revealed a pattern that job seekers segmented information sources by social (i.e. personal and professional acquaintances, family, and friends), formal (i.e. employment agencies, printed advertisements, and career events), and online (i.e. online pages and social network sites) types. Although online sources were particularly central in the network, job seekers who used one source type did so at the expense of other types of sources. Older and poorer job seekers were more likely to use formal sources, while online sources were used more by job seekers with higher education and Internet efficacy. The discussion offers advice for job seekers and those who coach job search. This study extends strength of weak ties theory by demonstrating the importance of online sources in job search.

What’sAlterGot to Do with It? A Consideration of Network Content and the Social Ties That Provide It

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Nascent Entrepreneurship ◽  
Resource Provider ◽  
The Social ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties ◽  
Startup Process ◽  
Do So

The strength of weak ties is among the most important theories in the social sciences. One paradoxical element of the theory has been widely understood and valued—that weak ties connect disparate regions of social structure. Less appreciated, however, is the arguably more paradoxical implication that someone only weakly connected to another would provide value beyond that which is provided by the recipient’s (ego’s) strong ties. Once this paradoxical feature of the theory and associated empirical literatures is acknowledged, the interests of the resource provider (alter) demand consideration. To do so faithfully requires first, the concession that different types of content can be transmitted across ties (e.g., financial, informational, physical, social) and content varies in important ways that relate to alter’s interests and concerns. This article considers social network content and the strength of ties that provide different forms of it. The case of startups is used as a fruitful strategic research site because of the varied resources required at various stages of the startup process. Novel insights are proposed concerning what content flows across different types of social relationships in the context of “nascent” entrepreneurship. Examples from other contexts such as job search are also discussed to exemplify scope. Importantly, this article takes the perspective of the resource provider, alter, and considers her concerns about trust, misuse, and unauthorized transfer in dyadic exchange. In the process, a second paradoxical feature of the theory is identified and theorized, which usefully reveals the boundaries of exchange.

scholarly journals The Strength of Weak Ties Revisited: Further Evidence of the Role of Strong Ties in the Provision of Online Social Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205630512110249
Author(s):  
Nicole C. Krämer ◽  
Vera Sauer ◽  
Nicole Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Informational Support ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Online Social Support ◽  
Received Social Support ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties

In this work, we challenge the assumption that weak ties play uniquely important social support roles on social network sites, particularly regarding informational support. To overcome methodological limitations of earlier research, we present a mixed-methods study. Forty-one participants were interviewed and asked to identify five weak, medium, and strong ties each and to report on perceived and actually received social support (emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal) associated with each. Complicating traditional understandings of “the strength of weak ties,” the qualitative analyses of actual support events show that both emotional and informational support is provided by strong ties. In an additional quantitative between-subjects study design, 352 participants were asked about various aspects of a weak, medium, or strong tie. These results indicate that participants valued their strong ties more regarding every form of support. Although there were only weak correlations between perceived and recalled actually received support, people also report actual support events with strong ties to be more helpful—overall suggesting the strength of strong ties.

scholarly journals The Strength of Weak Ties in MBA Job Search: A Within--Person Test

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 296-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Greenberg ◽  
Roberto Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Job Search ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties

scholarly journals Job Seekers’ Self-Directed Learning Activities Explained Through the Lens of Regulatory Focus

2021 ◽  
pp. 089484532199164
Author(s):  
Adam M. Kanar ◽  
Dave Bouckenooghe
Keyword(s):  
Job Search ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Job Seekers ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Job Searching

This study aimed to understand the role of regulatory focus for influencing self-directed learning activities during a job search. The authors surveyed 185 job-searching university students at two time points to explore the conditions under which regulatory focus (promotion and prevention foci) impacts self-directed learning activities and the number of employment interviews secured. Both promotion and prevention foci showed significant relationships with self-directed learning activities and number of interviews, and positive and negative affect partially mediated these relationships. The relationships between both regulatory focus strategies and self-directed learning were also contingent on self-efficacy. More specifically, prevention focus and self-directed learning showed a positive relationship for job seekers with high levels of self-efficacy but a negative one for job seekers with low levels of self-efficacy. This research extends the understanding of the role of regulatory focus in the context of self-directed learning during a job search. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Race and Networks in the Job Search Process

2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 983-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Pedulla ◽  
Devah Pager
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Search Process ◽  
Job Seekers ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Job Offers

Racial disparities persist throughout the employment process, with African Americans experiencing significant barriers compared to whites. This article advances the understanding of racial labor market stratification by bringing new theoretical insights and original data to bear on the ways social networks shape racial disparities in employment opportunities. We develop and articulate two pathways through which networks may perpetuate racial inequality in the labor market: network access and network returns. In the first case, African American job seekers may receive fewer job leads through their social networks than white job seekers, limiting their access to employment opportunities. In the second case, black and white job seekers may utilize their social networks at similar rates, but their networks may differ in effectiveness. Our data, with detailed information about both job applications and job offers, provide the unique ability to adjudicate between these processes. We find evidence that black and white job seekers utilize their networks at similar rates, but network-based methods are less likely to lead to job offers for African Americans. We then theoretically develop and empirically test two mechanisms that may explain these differential returns: network placement and network mobilization. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for scholarship on racial stratification and social networks in the job search process.

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