Meaning of Work and Job Searching for Young neets

Abstract

This research studied the relationship between the meaning of work and job search behaviors for young people who are not in education, employment, or training (neets). Its main objective was to understand whether these dimensions and the relationship between them explain the reasons why neets are in this condition. In total, 224 young people participated in the study and answered a personal and social questionnaire, an esat-br, job-search behaviors intensity scale and items about the centrality of work. Analysis of data from the scales was preceded by a confirmatory factorial analysis (cfa), which proposed adjustments in the original models. The results point out that young people have been in the neet condition for longer, tended to attribute a greater negative connotation to work, as well as have less involvement in job search strategies. At the same time, those who concentrated the highest levels of schooling and income, reported more involvement with these strategies. The association between personal and social variables and the researched constructs demonstrate the complexity of the phenomenon and the importance of understanding it from the perspective of the interaction between personal and contextual factors.