Social Support and Job Search Intensity Among Older Unemployed Workers: Implications for Employment Counselors

Abstract

A total of 54 unemployed workers over the age of 50 were interviewed in order to examine the relationship between the quality of social support provided by family and friends for their job search efforts and their job search intensity. The findings indicate that receiving positive social support for job search activities was significantly related to job search intensity. In addition, older workers perceived the supportive messages provided by unemployed friends as more positive than the support messages provided by employed and retired family or friends. Implications of these findings for assessing the presence of positive social supports and for developing successful job search assistance programs for older unemployed workers are discussed.