Job-seeking self-efficacy: an Irish scale for assessing the guidance and coaching needs of job seekers

This field research was designed to establish what components contribute to the construct of job-seeking self-efficacy (JSSE). 430 active job seekers (219 males, 204 females, 7 non-disclosed) in Ireland volunteered to participate in a survey compiled from previously published sources. A 15-item scale for JSSE was reduced to 8 items (2 factors) after principle components analysis (PCA). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) found the scales hold respectable levels of reliability (alpha = .841, variance 65%). The Irish JSSE Scale presented good concurrent validity with other research studies and the primary component related to the cognisant and mindful awareness of JSSE. A second factor consisted of an affective/emotive component which was more impacted by the length of unemployment (a = .71). The Irish JSSE Scale should assist guidance counsellors and job coaches by enhancing the efficiency of the job-seeking process by facilitating more client-focused needs analysis.