Effects of Job-Search Goals on Job-Search Strategies: Focusing on an Exploratory Strategy

Abstract

Job search goal (JSG) is proximal and involve setting goals for specific job search behaviors. From the viewpoint of self-regulation theory, the purpose of this study was to develop the JSG scale and to examine the relationship among the JSG, job-search clarity, and job-search strategies. Two hundred and eighty university students participated in this study; 133 students were in their 3rd-year, and 147 students were in their 4th-year. Similar to past studies, job-search clarity correlated to 3 distinct job-search strategies; haphazard, exploratory, and focused. Moreover, JSG correlated to the exploratory and focused strategy.

These results suggested that student’s JSG varied in accordance with the job-search process. The students’ job-search strategies were affected by the differences of their main purpose in job search. Finally, the effectiveness of interventions aimed at appropriate goals and job-search strategies were discussed.