Ability-based emotional intelligence and career adaptability: role in job-search success of university students

Purpose This study aims to investigate the specific role of the components of ability-based emotional intelligence (their relative importance) in building different aspects of career adaptabilities and job-search success of university students. Design/methodology/approach This study employed survey data from 729 full-time students enrolled in an Indian university. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses, and the size of indirect effect was tested using SPSS PROCESS macro. Findings The ability-based emotional intelligence, along with the use and regulation of emotion in job-search success, plays a significant role in shaping career adaptabilities and job-search success. The ability to use and regulate emotions does have its impact on job-search success through a self-regulatory psychological resource of control and confidence over one's career. Self-emotional appraisal is necessary for an individual to be concerned for a career which forms the initiation of any job-search. Research limitations/implications Ability-based approach of enhancing emotional intelligence allows the university students to take a developmental approach in employment. This approach benefits the more “targeted approach to training interventions” provided by various stakeholders in the university, associated with career and employment. Originality/value Further, the study focuses on the psychological difficulties (over operational) faced by students in their employment endeavour. Both emotions and psychological resources are believed to play an important role in the career intervention. For instance, past researches have studied trait-based emotional intelligence as a personality construct. However, this study considers emotional intelligence as an ability-based aspect of intelligence, which “readily lends itself to interventions that can be enhanced through targeted training, coaching or counselling”.