Job search and the theory of planned behavior: Minority-majority group differences in The Netherlands

The labor market in many Western countries increasingly diversifies. However, little is known about job search behavior of "non-traditional" applicants such as ethnic minorities. This study investigated minority-majority group differences in the predictors of job search behavior, using the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985). Data were collected in a two-wave longitudinal design among 697 temporary employees in The Netherlands. Results showed that the ethnic minorities' perceptions of social pressure predicted intentions to search for a (new) job more strongly than their personal attitudes did. The opposite was found in the native-Dutch group. Self-efficacy did not contribute to the prediction of job search intention. Job search behavior related significantly to job search outcomes, such as job attainment. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.