Freelance job search during times of uncertainty: protean career orientation, career competencies and job search

Abstract

PurposeFreelancers are a growing population of working adults with limited to no organizational support. Yet, their strategies to navigate job search, especially in turbulent times, are unknown. To address this gap, the author hypothesized and examined a sequential mediation model whereby freelancer protean career orientation (PCO) influences job search strategies through career competencies (i.e. knowing why, how and with whom to work) and job search self-efficacy (JSSE).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a sample of 87 Canadian freelancers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe results supported the sequential mediation from PCO to job search strategies through two of the career competencies (knowing why and how) and JSSE. The mediating role of knowing whom was not supported.Practical implicationsPolicy makers and learning institutions can provide freelancers with opportunities to develop transferable skills through massive open online courses (MOOCs). Employers of freelancers can design motivating jobs that provide freelancers with on-the-job learning and development opportunities.Social implicationsThe insignificant mediating role of knowing whom (i.e. professional networks) implies that large networks might not be necessarily beneficial in times of crisis. Thus, the role of networks might be more complex than the literature has proposed.Originality/valueThis study brings into focus an overlooked population of workers: freelancers. It investigates a sequential mediation through which freelancer PCO impacts job search strategies. In addition, it compares the effectiveness of career competencies in unfolding the proposed sequential mediation.

Freelance job search during times of turbulence: protean career orientation, job search strategies, career competencies and job search self-efficacy

“…the individuals belief in their ability to perform job search tasks successfully. Drawing on this Ayoobzadeh (2022) proposes a sequential mediation model where the relationship between PCO and job search strategies is mediated by career competencies and JSSE. Career competencies are composed of three components – motivation (knowing why), career-related skills (knowing how) and professional networks (knowing whom).…”

“…The review is based on “Freelance job search during times of uncertainty: protean career orientation, career competencies and job search,” by Ayoobzadeh (2022), published in Personnel Review .…”

“…A research paper by Ayoobzadeh (2022) examines the antecedents of freelance job search strategies in turbulent times. Data is gathered from the responses of 87 freelance workers from Canada to a questionnaire survey during the COVID pandemic in spring 2020.…”

Influences of creativity and resource availability in the intelligent career framework: empirical investigation of Nigerian entrepreneurs

“…According to Stringfellow and Shaw (2009), some conceptual articulations of several entrepreneurs’ competencies exist but not essentially vis-à-vis their careers. Hitherto, careers-related studies encapsulate the concept of CC more generally by investigating jointly the “three ways of knowing”, precisely “career motivation and purpose” (knowing-why), “skills and experience” (knowing-how) and “networks and relationships” (knowing-whom) (Ayoobzadeh, 2021; DeFillippi and Arthur, 1994). Whilst competencies have been examined in several contexts, such as expatriate (Dickmann et al , 2018), young professionals (Blokker et al , 2019), employees (Haenggli and Hirschi, 2020; Sultana and Malik, 2019), women managers (Chen et al , 2012) and academics (Beigi et al , 2018; Sherif et al , 2020), not much is understood about their starring function in entrepreneurial careers (Zikic and Ezzedeen, 2015).…”

“…Furthermore, whilst intelligent career theory has been used in other fields such as academia (Beigi et al , 2018; El-Baroudi and Khapova, 2021), executives (Guptill et al , 2018; Lee, 2018), expatriates Cappellen and Janssens (2008) and other professionals (Beigi et al , 2020; Blokker et al , 2019; Haenggli and Hirschi, 2020; Schlosser et al , 2021) and mostly found empirical backing for numerous CC and relevant resources in influencing CS in all its forms, there is a vacuum in the context of entrepreneurs. This especially refers to knowing whom, why and how, which are prominent in the new career literature but are glaringly ignored by most research in the entrepreneurship area (Ayoobzadeh, 2021; Crowley-Henry et al , 2021; Schlosser et al , 2021). Further, despite the intelligent career framework’s (ICF) theoretical appeal and practical applicability, much empirical work continues to focus on CS as measured from an organisational viewpoint.…”