Career Calling and job search behaviors: The moderating effect of optimism, self-esteem, and perseverance

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of calling on job search behaviors and the conditions that moderate them. Design/Methodology/Approach/Intervention: A sample of 315 unemployed job seekers filled out a paper survey. Results: Calling increases job search clarity and fosters the intensity of job seeking activity. The positive effect of calling on job search behaviors is stronger when job seekers have low-to-average levels of self-esteem, optimism and perseverance. Limitations: We did not assess the effect of financial hardship on calling and job search behaviors. Future studies should adopt a longitudinal design to understand the role of calling over the full job search process. Research/Practical Implications: These findings provide useful information for counsellor and career guidance practices with unemployed adults. Calling is an important personal resource for people looking for a job that can help them acting effectively when low levels of optimism, self-esteem and perseverance would hinder their job seeking efforts. Originality/Value: One previous study found that individuals who are motivated to pursue their calling are more likely to proactively search for a new job (Duffy, Bott, Allan, & Autin, 2015). The current study adds new evidence by demonstrating that calling fosters individuals’ clarity about the type of career they want to pursue and that the effect of calling is stronger when the other individuals’ resources, such as optimism, perseverance, and self-esteem, are low.