JOB SEARCH ACTIVITIES: AN EXAMINATION OF CHANGES OVER TIME

Existing job search research has been criticized for ignoring the dynamic nature of search. This study examined three models of changes in search behavior over time: sequential, learned change, and emotional response. Data on search behaviors were collected from a sample of 186 college and vocationa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Personnel psychology 1994-12, Vol.47 (4), p.739-766
Main Authors: BARBER, ALISON E., DALY, CHRISTINA L., GIANNANTONIO, CRISTINA M., PHILLIPS, JEAN M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Changes
Emotional Response
Employment
Employment Opportunities
Graduation
Hypotheses
Information Seeking
Job Applicants
Job hunting
Job Search Methods
Psychological Patterns
Screening Tests
Search strategies
Student Placement
Studies
Variance analysis
Vocational Schools
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Summary:Existing job search research has been criticized for ignoring the dynamic nature of search. This study examined three models of changes in search behavior over time: sequential, learned change, and emotional response. Data on search behaviors were collected from a sample of 186 college and vocational‐technical school graduates early in their search, at graduation, and again 3 months following graduation for individuals who remained unemployed. Job searchers decreased the intensity of their search, increased their use of informal sources, and reduced their emphasis on information related to the availability of jobs between early search and graduation. These changes were reversed following graduation. This pattern is most consistent with the sequential model, which suggests that individuals first search broadly to develop a pool of potential jobs, then examine jobs within that pool in detail, reopening the search only if the initial pool does not lead to an acceptable job offer.
ISSN:0031-5826
1744-6570
DOI:10.1111/j.1744-6570.1994.tb01574.x