The effect of training in verbal self-guidance on the self-efficacy and performance of Native North Americans in the selection interview

The Impact of a Training Intervention Developing Psychological Capital on Job Search Success

The purpose of this study is to explore whether training job seekers in the positive psychological resource of psychological capital (PsyCap) facilitates their job search activities and outcomes. Adopting a quasi-experimental design, we examined the impact of the PsyCap training on job seekers success. Our findings demonstrated that those who received the PsyCap training (treatment group) demonstrated higher levels of job search behavior and obtained employment at a higher rate, 3 months following the intervention, compared to the control group. The important role of PsyCap in pursuing employment as well as the practical implications of developing the positive psychological resource of PsyCap are discussed.

Using a Computer Simulation to Improve Psychological Readiness for Job Interviewing in Unemployed Individuals of Pre-Retirement Age

Unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age face significant challenges in finding a new job. This may be partly due to their lack of psychological readiness to go through a job interview. We view psychological readiness as one of the psychological attitude components. It is an active conscious readiness to interact with a certain aspect of reality, based on previously acquired experience. It includes a persons' special competence to manage their activities and cope with anxiety. We created Job Interview Simulation Training (JIST) - a computer-based simulator, which allowed unemployed job seekers to practice interviewing repeatedly in a stress-free environment. We hypothesized that completion of JIST would be related to increase in pre-retirement job seekers' psychological readiness for job interviewing in real life. Participants were randomized into control (n = 18) and experimental (n = 21) conditions. Both groups completed pre- and post-intervention job interview role-plays and self-reporting forms of psychological readiness for job interviewing. JIST consisted of 5 sessions of a simulated job interview, and the experimental group found it easy to use and navigate as well as helpful to prepare for interviewing. After finishing JIST-sessions the experimental group had significant decrease in heart rate during the post-intervention role-play and demonstrated significant increase in their self-rated psychological readiness, whereas the control group did not have changes in these variables. Future research may help clarify whether JIST is related to an increase in re-employment of pre-retirement job seekers.

Distinguished Scholar Invited Essay

This article reviews goal-setting theory in terms of the causal relationships it specifies, the boundary conditions within which the causal relationships occur, and the mediators that explain the causal relationships. Three types of goals are described: performance, behavioral, and learning. Emphasis in the article is placed on findings regarding the beneficial effect of setting a specific, difficult learning goal.

Self-efficacy after life skills training: a case-control study

Background:

Nursing students’ self-efficacy is a predictor for their educational progress. Students, who believe that they can be successful in their studies, are more confident. Therefore, many universities have focused on life skills training programs to improve the mental health of their students.

Objectives:

This study was conducted to evaluate and compare self-efficacy in two groups of nursing students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). One group of students was trained on life skill programs, and the second group was not trained on the issue.

Materials and Methods:

A case-control study was conducted on two groups of nursing students in TUMS in the late 2012. The case group (n = 112) had passed life skills training course, and the control group (n = 139) was not trained on the issue. Data was collected using a questionnaire containing 12 questions about demographic features, and the Sherer’s general self-efficacy questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using independent sample t-test, Chi-square, odds ratio, and Fisher’s exact test.

Results:

In the untrained and trained groups, 23% and 8% of the students had very high self-efficacy, respectively. The overall mean scores of self-efficacy were 41.99 ± 9.31 and 38.99 ± 10.48 in the trained and untrained groups, respectively (P = 0.015), and the higher mean score indicates lower level of self-efficacy. A significant difference was also found between the self-efficacy and family income (P = 0.029).

Conclusions:

The present study showed that life skills training program did not affect self-efficacy of nursing students. Perhaps, the methods used in education were influencing and then, more effective techniques such as role-play and group discussion should be substituted in life skills training.

Moving beyond job search quantity

Job seeking is an important aspect throughout people’s careers. Extant theory and research has focused on one particular dimension of job search, that is, intensity/effort (i.e., job search quantity), posing that intensity/effort importantly affects employment success. The present conceptual paper extends job search theory by arguing for the importance of job search quality in explaining job search and employment success. We conceptualize job search quality as consisting of process quality and product/behavior quality, and propose that high-quality job search products/behaviors are more likely with a high-quality job search process. A four-phased cyclical self-regulatory model is presented, specifying the components of job search process quality. We build theory regarding the interrelations between quality components, the antecedents and outcomes of job search quality, and the moderators of these relations. This theory offers new and more detailed explanations for previous findings, directions for future research, and practical guidelines regarding (re)employment success and services.

The individual experience of unemployment

This review describes advances over the past decade in what is known about the individual experience of unemployment, predictors of reemployment, and interventions to speed employment. Research on the impact of unemployment has increased in sophistication, strengthening the causal conclusion that unemployment leads to declines in psychological and physical health and an increased incidence of suicide. This work has elucidated the risk factors and mechanisms associated with experiencing poor psychological health during unemployment; less so for physical health and suicide. Psychologists have begun to contribute to the study of factors associated with reemployment speed and quality. The past decade has especially illuminated the role of social networks and job search intensity in facilitating reemployment. Evidence suggests some individuals, especially members of minority groups, may face discrimination during their job search. Although more work in this arena is needed, several intervention-based programs have been shown to help individuals get back to work sooner.

Successful Reemployment Through Resiliency Development

The proposed model in this article seeks to extend the job search literature by considering resiliency as a predictor of job search behavior and reemployment outcomes. In addition, because past research in this area has not expressly considered job search skills, they are included in this model as an additional predictor along with their interaction with resiliency. The importance of resiliency for job seekers is discussed with particular emphasis on young adults, minorities, and relocating spouses/partners. Because resiliency is a state-like variable, suggestions are offered to promote the development of resiliency in job seekers. It is hoped that the theoretical framework proposed in this article and the specific recommendations for resiliency development can positively affect job seekers pursuing reemployment.

An Examination of Strategies for Encouraging Feedback Interest After Career Assessment

This study examines how feedback interest after career assessment can be influenced by changing individuals’ beliefs about the importance and modifiability of the various performance dimensions. In an experiment, 82 master students completed a computerized assessment tool developed for assessing managerial potential. Results showed that participants in the experimental condition were more interested in feedback about important dimensions as opposed to unimportant dimensions and were more interested in feedback about nonmodifiable dimensions as opposed to modifiable dimensions. These findings might assist career counselors and organizations in designing strategies that direct feedback interest toward performance dimensions that are most important for their clients’ career or that are most valued in their organization.