Influence of extraversion and neuroticism on the weekly dynamics of jobseekers' self-regulation

Abstract

The present study examined extraversion and neuroticism as moderators of weekly relationships between job-search efforts, proximity to the goal of obtaining employment, emotional wellbeing, and job-search self-efficacy. To this end, a short-term longitudinal study, consisting of weekly assessments over a 4-week period, was conducted among 80 French jobseekers. The main results suggested that the more extraverted or neurotic jobseekers are, the more motivated they are to make job-search efforts after positive experiences (i.e., high emotional wellbeing and/or high job-search self-efficacy), and the more demotivated they are to make efforts after negative experiences. Conversely, the more introverted and emotionally stable jobseekers are, the more motivated they are to make efforts after negative rather than positive experiences. In short, extraverted and/or neurotic individuals exhibited the self-regulation dynamics predicted by social cognitive theories, while introverted and/or emotionally-stable individuals exhibited the self-regulation dynamics predicted by control/cybernetic theories. Results are discussed in the light of current knowledge about self-regulation and job-search dynamics.