Proposal for a Web-based Career Intervention

Proposed model

Our proposed model of job search and employment behavior integrates elements from the social cognitive career theory – in particular, Taylor and Betz’s (1983) application of the theory leading to the development of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) scale – with Zikic and Sacks’ social cognitive model of job search behavior.

Drawing on the Zikic and Sacks’ model, we postulate that the extent to which job seekers’ engage in job search activities – their job search intensity – is influenced by individuals’ job search clarity as well as their intention to engage in job search, and that job search intention is influenced by cognitive and personal factors, such as job search self-efficacy and job search attitudes, as well as environmental factors, such as subjective norms or support from others to engage in job search.

We also postulate that the construct of career decision-making self-efficacy is foundational for both job search clarity and job search self-efficacy. Two reasons motivate this decision. First, the construct of career decision-making self-efficacy – and its associated CDMSE scale – is one of the most widely used and most reliable instruments of assessing individuals’ abilities and competencies in making well-informed career decisions. There exists considerable evidence to support the notion that individuals with high career decision-making self-efficacy will be more certain about the type of career, work and job they want and know better how to search for and obtain that job. The second reason is that the construct of career decision-making self-efficacy provides for the identification of specific career-relevant type of activities that are thought to enhance self-efficacy in job search. Since the CDMSE scale builds upon Crites’ work, it can be hypothesized that career-relevant activities that are thought to improve individuals’ competencies in key areas will improve job seekers’ self-efficacy in career decision-making and job search.

In addition, our model extends the social cognitive job search behavior model by adding elements from Moynihan et al. (2003) that emphasize the mediating role of job search self-efficacy in the relationship between job search behavior and employment outcomes. The key employment outcome of interest is job offers. We postulate that, all else being equal, job seekers with greater job search self-efficacy will be more likely to be offered a job. Furthermore we hypothesize that job seekers with greater job search self-efficacy will be more likely to prescreen job opportunities for better matches and this will in turn lead to more job offers from preferred employers. Given the added efficiency in converting interviews to offers from preferred employers, those with greater self-efficacy may require fewer interviews to obtain a successful job offer.

Based on our proposed model, the following specific research hypotheses may be made, which are shown graphically in Figure 3.

H1. A Web-based career guidance intervention designed to improve key career competencies will increase participants’ career decision making self-efficacy.

H2. Career decision making self-efficacy is positively related to job search clarity.

H3. Career decision making self-efficacy is positively related to job search self-efficacy.

H4. Job search attitude is positively related to job search intention.

H5. Subjective norms towards job-search behavior are positively related to job search intention.

H6. Job search self-efficacy is positively related to job search intention.

H7. Job search clarity is positively related to job search intensity.

H8. Job search intention is positively related to job search intensity. 

H9. Job search intensity is positively related to improved employment outcomes.

H10. Job search self-efficacy mediates the relationship between job search intensity and employment outcomes.

Figure 3: Proposed model of job search and employment behavior

Key components of a web-based career intervention

In designing the intervention itself, our review of the literature points to a number of key elements that should be included in a web-based career intervention:

Career choice competencies. There exists considerable evidence that individuals with high career decision-making self-efficacy will be more certain about the type of career, work and job they want and know better how to search for and obtain that job. Therefore, our proposed web-based career intervention would be designed to improve individuals’ competencies in five key areas thought to improve career-decision making self-efficacy: (a) accurate self-appraisal; (b) gathering occupational information; (c) goal selection; (d) making plans for the future; and (e) problem solving.

Key components for effective career interventions. One important lesson from the literature is that the format of a career intervention may be less important than what is done within the intervention itself. There are a number of key of critical treatment ingredients that are important to include in any intervention in order to improve its effectiveness. Therefore, our proposed web-based career intervention would be designed to provide opportunities for: (a) personal experiences of successfully performing a career decision; (b) vicarious learning or modeling; (c) building support from others; (d) lowering levels of apprehension and anxiety in connection with making a career decision; (e) workbooks or written exercises; (f) individualized interpretations and feedback; (g) gathering and processing of occupational information and promote the search for, and use of, occupational information; (h) having follow-up through counselor contact following the exposure the web-based intervention where the counselor help users engage in future planning.

Need-based website design. Our proposed web-based career intervention would be designed to promote effective uses of the information and resources provided and enhance learning as opposed to delivering a comprehensive access to all possible sources of information and resources.

Evaluation design

The relationships described in Figure 3 will be empirically tested using the experimental design proposed for this study. Participants randomly assigned to the treatment group will be provided with access to a website designed to improve key career competencies while the control group will serve as a counterfactual. On each of the outcomes of interest, treatment and control groups will be compared thereby determining the effect of the intervention.  Each of the outcomes of interest will be measured using existing validated psychometric scales rather than author-composed scales. The scales will be administered using online surveys completed by participants before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 4 weeks following the intervention. All of the surveys will be completed over a Web-based application. The second follow-up survey will be self-completed by participants off-site. A second phase of the research could attempt to track longer-term outcomes, using a third follow-up survey.

Target population

Potentially eligible participants from the designated population of interest will be recruited through broad outreach.The designated target group of participants for the project is recent post-secondary education (PSE) graduates who believe they are overqualified for their most recent or current job. Eligible participants would be: aged between 25 and 39; holding a degree, diploma, or certificate from a Canadian PSE institution (either at the college or university level), obtained more than 12 months ago but less than 5 years ago; currently in the labour force, either working or unemployed and looking for work (not full-time students); and under-employed, in that their current or most recent occupation is in work for which they believe they are over-qualified.