Article Version of Record

Using a computer simulation to improve psychological readiness for job interviewing in unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Aysina, Rimma M.
Efremova, Galina I.
Maksimenko, Zhanna A.
Nikiforov, Mikhail V.

Abstract / Description

Unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age face significant challenges in finding a new job. This may be partly due to their lack of psychological readiness to go through a job interview. We view psychological readiness as one of the psychological attitude components. It is an active conscious readiness to interact with a certain aspect of reality, based on previously acquired experience. It includes a persons’ special competence to manage their activities and cope with anxiety. We created Job Interview Simulation Training (JIST) – a computer-based simulator, which allowed unemployed job seekers to practice interviewing repeatedly in a stress-free environment. We hypothesized that completion of JIST would be related to increase in pre-retirement job seekers’ psychological readiness for job interviewing in real life. Participants were randomized into control (n = 18) and experimental (n = 21) conditions. Both groups completed pre- and post-intervention job interview role-plays and self-reporting forms of psychological readiness for job interviewing. JIST consisted of 5 sessions of a simulated job interview, and the experimental group found it easy to use and navigate as well as helpful to prepare for interviewing. After finishing JIST-sessions the experimental group had significant decrease in heart rate during the post-intervention role-play and demonstrated significant increase in their self-rated psychological readiness, whereas the control group did not have changes in these variables. Future research may help clarify whether JIST is related to an increase in re-employment of pre-retirement job seekers.

Keyword(s)

unemployed job seekers pre-retirement age psychological readiness for job interviewing computer-based simulation simulated job interview

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-05-31

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

13

Issue

2

Page numbers

251–268

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Aysina, R. M., Efremova, G. I., Maksimenko, Z. A., & Nikiforov, M. V. (2017). Using a computer simulation to improve psychological readiness for job interviewing in unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(2), 251–268. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i2.1250
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Aysina, Rimma M.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Efremova, Galina I.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Maksimenko, Zhanna A.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Nikiforov, Mikhail V.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T09:59:59Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T09:59:59Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-05-31
  • Abstract / Description
    Unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age face significant challenges in finding a new job. This may be partly due to their lack of psychological readiness to go through a job interview. We view psychological readiness as one of the psychological attitude components. It is an active conscious readiness to interact with a certain aspect of reality, based on previously acquired experience. It includes a persons’ special competence to manage their activities and cope with anxiety. We created Job Interview Simulation Training (JIST) – a computer-based simulator, which allowed unemployed job seekers to practice interviewing repeatedly in a stress-free environment. We hypothesized that completion of JIST would be related to increase in pre-retirement job seekers’ psychological readiness for job interviewing in real life. Participants were randomized into control (n = 18) and experimental (n = 21) conditions. Both groups completed pre- and post-intervention job interview role-plays and self-reporting forms of psychological readiness for job interviewing. JIST consisted of 5 sessions of a simulated job interview, and the experimental group found it easy to use and navigate as well as helpful to prepare for interviewing. After finishing JIST-sessions the experimental group had significant decrease in heart rate during the post-intervention role-play and demonstrated significant increase in their self-rated psychological readiness, whereas the control group did not have changes in these variables. Future research may help clarify whether JIST is related to an increase in re-employment of pre-retirement job seekers.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Aysina, R. M., Efremova, G. I., Maksimenko, Z. A., & Nikiforov, M. V. (2017). Using a computer simulation to improve psychological readiness for job interviewing in unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13(2), 251–268. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i2.1250
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1050
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1242
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i2.1250
  • Keyword(s)
    unemployed job seekers
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    pre-retirement age
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    psychological readiness for job interviewing
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    computer-based simulation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    simulated job interview
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Using a computer simulation to improve psychological readiness for job interviewing in unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    251–268
  • Volume
    13
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record