Great expectations : the role of the self in the evaluation of vacancies by long term unemployed men in a buoyant labour market

Abstract

This thesis evaluates the relevance of different theories in accounting for continuing long term unemployment, through two pieces of linked imperial research. The first piece identifies a buoyant labour market in Southern England which is populated with vacancies the demands of which could be met by a substantial proportion of the registered long term unemployed in the area. The second piece of empirical work is a small scale qualitative study which seeks to understand why jobseekers may not make applications for jobs they are capable of performing.

Findings suggest that accounts of long term unemployment need to record social psychological factors, in addition to the economic and human capital explanations that tend to inform policy and programmes. In contrast with the common portrayal of the long term unemployed as lazy, victimised, unskilled, ill educated, and de-motivated by financial disincentives, the study identifies resistance to a variety of vacancies and a determination on the part of the long term unemployed to ‘hold out’ for work that is challenging, matches their self perception and at which they can shine, at least as much as for their reservation wages. Despite reporting demoralising and distressing experiences they maintain the capacity to act in what they eloquently identify as their self interest, which they define very broadly. The psychology of work literature and the concepts of self esteem, identity and status should be accorded a more sustainable role in understanding jobseekers’ self interest. The study argues that concerns of this type are likely to be more important in the evaluation of vacancies as a result of increasing supplies of human capital amongst the working age population.

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