PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the indirect impact of job demands on recovery self-efficacy via the mediation of job burnout. The study also investigates the moderating effects of school-to-work facilitation and psychological detachment in the indirect relationship between job demands and recovery self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachThe study recruited and surveyed 263 employed graduate students in the executive master of business administration program in Taiwan. Regression analysis was used to examine the proposed relationships.FindingsThe results showed that job burnout mediated the relationship between job demands and recovery self-efficacy. The relationship was weaker when school-to-work facilitation and psychological detachment were high.Originality/valueThis study confirms the indirect effects of job demands on recover self-efficacy through job burnout and provides new insights into the role of school-to-work facilitation and psychological detachment to enhance the recovery in the JD-R model.