Job Clubs for Graduates: Reducing Job Search Frustrations Through Skills, Support, and Resilience
Keywords:
Career adaptability, employability, graduate job search, job clubs, resilience, social supportAbstract
Graduates entering today’s competitive labor market often face frustrations such as limited experience, weak networks, and heightened anxiety about securing employment. Job clubs, structured group-based interventions, have emerged as effective strategies to address these challenges by combining skill development, social support, and motivational frameworks. This study examines the theoretical foundations and effectiveness of job clubs, drawing on self-regulation theory, social support theory, motivation theories, psychological resilience, and career adaptability. A synthesis of existing literature indicates that job clubs enhance employability by improving résumé writing, interview preparation, networking, and digital job search skills, while simultaneously fostering confidence, resilience, and adaptability. Peer support and accountability mechanisms reduce isolation and job search-related anxiety, strengthening participants’ persistence. Evidence also demonstrates the effectiveness of tailored job clubs for vulnerable populations, such as youth with disabilities, highlighting their adaptability across cultural and socioeconomic contexts. Beyond short-term job placements, job clubs contribute to long-term career satisfaction, professional networks, and sustained employability. The study recommends embedding job clubs within national employment policies and higher education career services, adopting hybrid models that integrate digital tools, and tailoring interventions to local labor market realities. Overall, job clubs represent a holistic, evidence-based approach to enhancing graduate employability and reducing job search frustrations.
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