A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Employability and Job Search Behaviors on Job Search Outcomes of College Graduates

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on a three-wave survey of Chinese college graduates, the relationships among employability, job search behaviors and job search outcomes are explored by multiple regression analysis using the two matched data (n_T1-T2=553, n_TI-T3=241). The major findings include that: (1) Employability has significant effects on job search outcomes (employment status, expected starting salary and employment satisfaction) after the autumn campus recruitment peak and employment satisfaction before graduation, and has significant effects on job search behaviors (preparatory job search behaviors, active job search behaviors, and general job search efforts) during the autumn recruitment. (2) Job search behaviors during the autumn recruitment have significant effects on employment status after the autumn recruitment peak. Additionally, general job search efforts during the autumn recruitment have marginal significant effects on employment satisfaction after the autumn recruitment peak. (3) In the whole job searching period, job search behaviors have significant or marginal significant effects on employment status and expected starting salary before graduation. (4) Job search behaviors during the autumn recruitment partially mediated the effects of employability on employment status after the autumn recruitment peak. What's more, general job search efforts during the autumn recruitment partially mediate the effects of employability on employment satisfaction after the autumn recruitment peak.

Key words: college graduates, employability, job search behaviors, job search outcomes

Xie Yizhong, Lu Hailing. A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Employability and Job Search Behaviors on Job Search Outcomes of College Graduates[J]. , 2016, 28(1): 109-120.

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