A Temporal Perspective of Job Search: The Relation between Personality Attributes, Motivation, Job Search Behavior, and Outcomes

Abstract Job search is a lengthy process in which self-regulation is needed to obtain reemployment. Time and motivation play an important role in how job seekers regulate their search behavior. Building on temporal motivation theory and self-determination theory we examined the relationship of time-related personality attributes, job search motivation, and their interaction with self-regulatory job search behaviors and subsequent outcomes of the job search process. In a three-wave field study among 397 unemployed job seekers, results showed that trait procrastination explained unique variance in job search procrastination and haphazard job search above and beyond future focus and autonomous job search motivation. Trait procrastination was also negatively related to reemployment status via increased job search procrastination and haphazard job search, and a reduced number of job interviews. Finally, the negative indirect relation between trait procrastination and reemployment status through job search procrastination, haphazard job search and job interviews, was less negative for job seekers who were more autonomously motivated to engage in job search. Our findings point to the importance of a temporal perspective of job search and suggest that the role of time-related personality attributes and motivation in the job search process should be considered in future research and practice.