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Older job seekers' job search intensity: the interplay of proactive personality, age and occupational future time perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 May 2012

HANNES ZACHER
HANNES ZACHER*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Hannes Zacher, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. E-mail: h.zacher@psy.uq.edu.au
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Abstract

Long-term unemployment of older people can have severe consequences for individuals, communities and ultimately economies, and is therefore a serious concern in countries with an ageing population. However, the interplay of chronological age and other individual difference characteristics in predicting older job seekers' job search is so far not well understood. This study investigated relationships among age, proactive personality, occupational future time perspective (FTP) and job search intensity of 182 job seekers between 43 and 77 years in Australia. Results were mostly consistent with expectations based on a combination of socio-emotional selectivity theory and the notion of compensatory psychological resources. Proactive personality was positively related to job search intensity and age was negatively related to job search intensity. Age moderated the relationship between proactive personality and job search intensity, such that the relationship was stronger at higher compared to lower ages. One dimension of occupational FTP (perceived remaining time left in the occupational context) mediated this moderating effect, but not the overall relationship between age and job search intensity. Implications for future research, including the interplay of occupational FTP and proactive personality, and some tentative practical implications are discussed.

Keywords

future time perspectiveproactive personalityjob searcholder job seekers
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 33 , Issue 7 , October 2013 , pp. 1139 - 1166
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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