以自我調節理論 分析中年就業者的有效求職自我調節策略

Application of Self-Regulation Theory to Understand Effective Job Searching Self-Regulatory Strategies: Mid-Aged Job Seekers in Taiwan

科技發展快速使產業變遷加速，產業變遷導致某些工作消失，同時創造新型態的工作。就業環境更迭 間，個人為求適才適任致使轉換工作的頻率增加。但就業市場存在的年齡門檻，是中年就業者求職時的 潛在障礙，中年就業者需要有效的求職自我調節策略，以降低轉職時的門檻限制。本研究分析中年就業 者的求職行為、探討轉職時可應用的有效策略，以半結構的訪談大綱為研究工具，一對一的深度訪談收 集資料，採紮根理論研究方法，訪談8位研究參與者。研究共發現兩組求職歷程，依研究參與者的年齡 區分為年長中年就業組與年輕中年就業組，後者的求職歷程中展現出較高的求職強度、求職努力度，促 使有較佳的求職清晰度，使其求職行為較為主動，其求職歷程中表現出三種自我調節策略，包括： （1）環境探索，主要的求職行為有職缺查詢與公司概況查詢；（2）修正釐清，主要的求職行為有履歷 或自傳修改、釐清求職目標、建立目標公司；（3）檢核反思，主要的求職行為有檢核履歷點閱率或面 試邀約率、省思記錄面試表現，並歸因就業競爭力或就業表現等。這是一個動態歷程，反覆來回的求職 行為產生循環，調節年齡增長帶來的進用門檻的策略。利用這三項自我調節策略可增加求職行為的主動 性、調節年齡增長造成的進用門檻。本研究從求職者的角度出發，以期研究結果能提供中年就業者求職 應用，縮短求職時間以降低因求職衍生的種種壓力。相關研究結果並提供人力資源或職涯諮詢的相關人 士進行實務與後續研究工作的參考。

 

All industries are going through dramatic change with the current rapid technological developments. Some job positions disappeared while newer positions are created to respond to the new changes of that specific industry. Employees are much more likely to seek new positions to fit with their own abilities in this rapid changing labor market instead of staying in the same positions. As a result, turnover rates also increase to respond to the everchanging work settings. Meanwhile, the increasing aging population and decreasing birthrate also adds to the complexity of the career markets and the demands on the society as a whole. In this respect, the cost of social security benefits and medical care will increase significantly, while the supporters of the social security system will decrease noticeably. As a result, current midlife employees are responsible for supporting the nation’s economy. In comparison to their parents’ generation, the midlife population needs to work longer in order to compensate for the labor force shortages. In the meantime, there is an unspoken age limitation in the labor market in Taiwan which is one of the obstacles in the job search process for mid-aged employees. Mid-aged employees need effective job search strategies to compensate the age limitation.
The purpose of this study was to explore mid-aged employees’ effective job search strategies. Job search includes exploring potential job opportunities, preparing resumes, sending resumes, participating in interviews, evaluating job alternatives, and choosing a job from the alternatives. This dynamic process requires the job seekers to be adjustable in their job searching strategies (e.g. the quality of resumes and presentations in interviews) in order to optimize the job search outcomes (e.g. the second interview, or job offers), or to enhance employment outcomes (e.g. higher salary or better person-organization fit (Saks, 2005)). Therefore, this study defined the job search as a self-regulation process (Kanfer, Wanberg, & Kantrowitz, 2001). That is, the job seekers have to regulate between job search behaviors and feedbacks from the labor market.
Guided by the Grounded Theory, this qualitative research study applied in-depth interviews to collect data from 8 participants. Participants are chosen through purposive sampling and snowball sampling processes. The research findings showed two models of job search process that corresponded to the participants’ age. The participants were grouped in two age categories. One group was above 44 years old (senior group) while the other group was below 44 years old (junior group). The strategies that the junior group utilized to seek employment opportunities are much more active and intense, which resulted in more frequent responses from the employers and a better fit for both parties. These proactive job searching behaviors in the junior group includes three selfregulatory strategies: (1) exploring the environment, such as gathering information of job vacancy, companies, and the specific industries; (2) clarifying and revising, such as revising the curriculum vitae according to the reaction from the job market which would increase the job search intensity, job search clarity, job search self-efficacy and establishing a list of their goal-companies; and (3) reviewing and reflecting on the self and the environmental factors, such as setting up evaluation criteria to evaluate the personal performance in the job search process, attributes that cause failures to be selected as the finalist, and rectify their weaknesses. The junior group used these three strategies interchangeably to overcome the age barrier.
This research study seeks to understand the effective job search strategies from the job seekers’ successful experiences. The present study has considerable implications for both employees and employers. Through this research finding, we know that employment conditions are almost transparent on the internet and are easy to access by the job seekers. Human Resource divisions should treat the content of relevant information with caution. In addition, it is necessary for both midlife employees and employers to regularly updated the employment exceptions of the industry. Employers can retain the current employees in order to cut-down on new employee orientation and adjustment expenditures. These strategies would ensure employees to obtain the best employment conditions in the industry. Implications for career counselors, adult learning educators, and Human Resource divisions are discussed.