Job Search Behavior of Employed Managers

Job search typically has been thought of as an antecedent to voluntary turnover or job choice. This study extends existing literature by proposing a model of the job search process and examining the search behavior of 1,388 employed managers. Managers were surveyed about their job search and voluntary turnover activities. Survey data were matched with job, organizational, and personal information contained in the data base of a large executive search firm. Results suggest that job satisfaction, compensation, and perceptions of organizational success were negatively related to job search, while desire for more work‐family balance and ambition exhibited positive relations with search. Perceptions of greener pastures did not have much effect on job search among this group. Results also indicated that although some job search activity does facilitate turnover, a considerable amount of search does not lead to turnover. Thus, it appears that search serves many purposes.