Expectations of the perceived control of unemployed people in their search for employment

Abstract

People are influenced by transitional situations that influence the attitude with which they face changes. The objective of this study is to evaluate and analyze the control expectations of the unemployed people based on their job search.

To this end, a questionnaire was designed to address the phenomenon of unemployment from this perspective. This questionnaire is composed of sociodemographic variables and the Job Search Perceived Control Expectations Scale (JSPCE). In this quantitative research the sample is composed of 424 unemployed people from the province of Pontevedra (Spain), with an age range between 16 and 64 years. A Cronbach's alpha of .82 was obtained for the instrument. Age, sex, education, tenure of sufficient economic resources to subsist or not, origin, having a disability or not, and the people in whom they place their trust to find employment, influence the job search process.

The results obtained reveal the importance of encouraging and promoting constructs such as internal locus of control, self-efficacy and success in public employment programs and policies. Understanding and addressing perceived expectations of control is essential for people facing unemployment and has a major impact on their outcomes and well-being.