In Simple Words
Think of a student who believes exam grades depend entirely on luck and stops studying as a result. Teaching the student a concrete goal-setting method breaks the daunting subject into daily practice targets, rebuilding confidence that hard work directly produces passing grades.
Unemployed job seekers in Germany
- Study comparison group
- Group used for comparison
- Training in goal-setting strategies
- More job applications
The German evaluation reports increased job applications after teaching behavioral strategies for achieving goals. The source’s locus-of-control discussion is background from other studies, not evidence that this intervention changed perceived control.
See source →Research question
Job seekers who believe external factors dictate their employment prospects often reduce search effort and succumb to discouragement. Overcoming this external locus of control requires structured psychological strategies to restore search motivation.
Participants
Unemployed job seekers participating in public employment assistance programs in Germany and international field sites.
Study Design
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) evaluating psychological goal-setting frameworks (such as WOOP - Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) aimed at altering perceived control and search persistence.
Results
Teaching structured behavioral goal-setting strategies to unemployed workers significantly increased total job application submissions and restored job search activity by shifting perceived control over labor market outcomes.
Takeaway
Embed psychological goal-setting exercises into job counseling sessions to help unemployed individuals build structured search routines and counteract discouragement.
Source and citation
See source →Evidence in Labor Market Policies and Implications for Brazil: Job Search Assistance
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