Emotional Anticipation at the Prospect of Finding a Job A Person-Centered Approach

Although job seekers experience strong emotions during job search, little is known about how they emotionally anticipate the prospect of finding a job. This study explored how men and women job seekers emotionally anticipate finding a new job by investigating profiles of anticipatory and anticipated emotions. We identified four distinct profiles: (1) a positive anticipatory-high anticipated, (2) a positive anticipatory-positive anticipated, (3) a mixed anticipatory-low anticipated, and (4) a negative anticipatory-high anticipated profile. Regarding the similarity between groups, we found both qualitative and quantitative differences between men and women. The present study contributes to the literature in stressing the importance of considering both emotional and future-oriented perspectives on job search.