Contextual and personal resources in unemployed job search

An intra‐individual perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID6415413
AuthorsSerge P Da Motta Veiga (0000-0002-5550-6346, NEOMA Business School Reims France, corresponding author), Maike E Debus (0000-0003-1040-540X, University of Neuchâtel), Maike Debus (University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland), Annika Schmitz‐wilhelmy (University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland), Mirjam Ambühl (Skillsgarden AG Winterthur Switzerland), Katrin Hasler (Skillsgarden AG Winterthur Switzerland), Martin Kleinmann (0000-0002-0939-1349, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland)
Year2024
Volume74
Issue1
Publication date2024-04-15
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueApplied Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0269-994X • E-ISSN: 1464-0597
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/apps.12540
OpenAlexW4394818969
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited68

Drawing from conservation of resources (COR) theory and the equifinality principle, we challenge the prominent “the‐more‐resources‐the‐better” understanding by examining both the additive and interactive effects of contextual (i.e., networking behaviors and social support) and personal (i.e., job search self‐efficacy) resources on job seeking. Specifically, based on COR theory's resource gain corollary, we propose that higher levels of each resource are positively related to job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained (an additive effect). However, based on the equifinality principle that various resources can contribute to the same goal, we propose that each type of resource can compensate for low levels of the other (an interactive effect). In a four‐wave study following 89 unemployed job seekers over 6 months, we find positive intra‐individual relationships between networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy with job search intensity. We find that networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy are also positively related to the number of job interviews obtained and indirectly related through job search intensity for networking behaviors. In line with our predictions, high levels of either networking behaviors or job search self‐efficacy compensate for low levels of the other resource when predicting job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained

Conservation of resources theory · Economics · Equifinality · Job analysis · Job attitude · Job design · Job performance · Job satisfaction · Microeconomics · Perspective (graphical · Resource (disambiguation · Search theory · Seekers · Computer Science · Employment and Welfare Studies · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Psychology · Social Psychology · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics · Artificial Intelligence

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