Individuals’ Resources and Employability: Roles of Human and Social Capital and the Labor Market Competitiveness

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide some insights related to the role of individual and work related factors for enhancing employability and offers some propositions for empirical testing. Design and Methodology: The current study used literature search method by first searching available literature and then extracting information related to study variables. Further, past literature reviewed and synthesized for building a conceptual framework. Findings: An overarching theoretical framework developed which draws on conservation of resources theory, human capital and social capital theory. Based on these, it is focused on how individuals’ resources can be best utilized for gaining employability. Resources, such as networking and mastery orientation may help to build employability within and outside the organization. Labor market competitiveness may also play a role and can strengthen the relationship between individual factors and employability. Implications: Present study extends the employability literature by explaining the mechanism and interaction of individual, social factors and labor market competitiveness for employability enhancement. The current work holds significant contribution for the practitioners to guide them about how to increase the human potential to full extent. So, that organizational competitiveness can be improved. Also this study provides managers with valuable insights about factors responsible for enhancing the employee’s employability Keywords: Employability, Resources, Networking, Mastery orientation, Labor market, Human capital, Social capital.