Purpose: There is consistent evidence that a positive mindset could foster the job search process. Psychological capital, defined as a tendency to hold cognitions and positive appraisals of one's ability, could highlight the importance of individual cognitive appraisal in the job search process. Nevertheless, psychological capital's impact on job…

We measured 16 career-related metaphors' salience to university students and graduates (N = 577). The JOURNEY metaphor recorded the highest score (62%) with moderate levels for ENCOUNTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS, A STORY, and ROLES. Exploratory structural equation modelling revealed four factors labelled as Constraint (i.e. entrapped, struggling, or…

Channelized job search powered by perceived employability could help graduates to successfully launch a sustainable career and navigate the job market effectively. The paper develops novel ways to improve the job search process by detailing the interlinking mechanism between perceived employability and active job search. The authors also enquired…

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the goal orientation (GO) scale across job search contexts to facilitate its use in large and varied search settings. A sample of 720 job losers and new entrants' job seekers in Ghana completed the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-factor theoretical…

Purpose: Perceived employability (PE) is considered as a significant psychological resource that aids individuals in tackling the complex career snags he/she faces. The purpose of this study is to develop and empirically test a theoretical model that explains how PE affects two types of job search behaviour (JSB) by bringing in job search learning…

Limited research exists around how to effectively enhance the job search behaviors and self-efficacy of job seekers during the job search process. In the current study, we investigated whether mentoring functions (i.e., career and psychosocial functions) are related to job search behaviors through job search self-efficacy. Moreover, we tested the…

Causal inference regarding a hypothesized mediation mechanism relies on the assumptions that there are no omitted pretreatment confounders (i.e., confounders preceding the treatment) of the treatment-mediator, treatment-outcome, and mediator-outcome relationships, and there are no posttreatment confounders (i.e., confounders affected by the…

U.S. policy interventions encourage earlier provision of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services to support students and youth with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the transition from school to work. We analyzed Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA-911) data using multivariable logistic regression to determine the…

Formerly incarcerated individuals face a number of obstacles transitioning home, among which job search is one of the critical issues. While searching for a job can be difficult for most people, returning citizens face additional obstacles due to their criminal records, gaps in employment, and reduced professional networks. Furthermore, returning…

Education is key to development strategies in Africa. We use overeducation and undereducation to analyse the effectiveness of education in preparing individuals for employment in Kenya and Ghana, using the Skills Towards Employment and Productivity Survey. Systematic differences in wages between matched, overeducated and undereducated workers hold…

Most stay-at-home mothers wish to return to the workplace; yet, the majority are not successful. There is a looming labor shortage and increasing organizational initiatives to increase female participation at most levels, providing opportunity for this talent pool. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the reentry strategies of…

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between the self-regulatory variable of goal orientation and the extent to which job seekers reach out to and use weak ties in their job search. Weak ties, as defined by Granovettor, are connections to densely knit networks outside the individual's direct contacts who could…

We recruited 20 community members in Ido Local Government Area, Oyo state and Yewa Local Government Area, Ogun state in Nigeria to explore experiences and perceptions of Internet access and computer use. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using open-ended questions to collect qualitative data regarding accessibility of information and…

Purpose: Drawing on the overarching framework of social capital theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically examine networking behaviour and employability within the higher education context. Design/methodology/approach: In a sample of 376 full-time business students the authors measured perceived employability, networking…

Unemployment is, and will likely continue to be, a problem in industrialized nations. Numerous studies have concluded unemployment negatively impacts self-esteem and self-efficacy. Additional studies have shown that unemployed individuals with lower self-esteem and self-efficacy tend to remain unemployed longer than individuals with higher…