Employability as mediator in the relationship between the meaning of working and job search behaviours during unemployment

Most of past research on job search has focused on the relationship between individual strategies and perceived quality of re-employment, focusing mostly on effort and intensity of job search behavior during unemployment. Few studies have investigated the role played by individual beliefs, values and representations of work in determining job search behavior during unemployment, while poor empirical evidences have been produced on the role of employability as a mediator in the relationship between the meaning of working and job search behavior. The aim of this paper was to explore if and to what extent employability activities could mediate the relation between the meaning attached to work, and job search behaviors in a group of unemployed. Data were gathered through public Employment Agencies. Participants (N = 385) were unemployed people living in the Southern Italy. Results showed that the relationship between the meaning of work and job search behavior was mediated by employability activities. Implications of the study are discussed in light with the development of social inclusion practices.