This study used a sample of 209 repeat-respondent medical technologists over a 4-year period to investigate correlates of intent to leave one’s job. Correlates measured included two job search behaviors (i.e., preparatory and active) and three job search motives (i.e., gain leverage, leave employer, and family related). Results showed that active job search and the leave employer job search motives were each positively related to final intent to leave one’s job. The gain leverage job search motive was negatively related to final intent to leave one’s job. In addition, job satisfaction was negatively related, while only initial job loss insecurity was positively related, to final intent to leave one’s job. J Allied Health 2006; 35:94-100.

JOB SEARCH remains an important applied topic and research area for study across different samples, for example, graduating students entering the job market,1,2 the unemployed,3-5 and the employed.6-8 Job search is also a topic of international interest.4,9-11 Recent research on further understanding job search has focused on personality-motivation and cognitive ability variables,7 including a meta-analysis by Kanfer et al.12 The dominant research samples captured in the meta-analysis by Kanfer et al. were individuals entering the job market following a period of full-time education or those who were unemployed. Boudreau et al.7 argued for focusing more job search research on those currently employed because they compose a larger domain. There is a current general shortage of health care employees in the United States, including nursing, radiologic technology, and medical technology employees.13-15 Any type of labor shortage in a particular occupation can make it easier for those currently employed to change jobs across organizations.16 The purpose of this study was to further investigate the impact of correlates on medical technologists’ intent to leave their jobs.
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Why Do the Employed Job Search? Different Motives

Using a sample of higher-level managers, Boswell et al.6 distinguished between specific leverage-seeking versus separation-seeking job search motives or objectives. They found that leverage-seeking but not separation-seeking search was positively associated with actual use of leverage one year later, while separation-seeking but not leverage-seeking search was positively associated with voluntary turnover one year later.

Bretz et al.17 observed that because job search activity may not always be associated with separation, there can be greater observed variance in search behavior than turnover. Using a sample of 1,388 employed managers, Bretz et al.17 found that a considerable amount of managers’ job search activity did not lead to subsequent voluntary turnover. Whether it leads to voluntary turnover or not, job search by itself can be a costly behavior because it can distract an employee from his or her current job duties18 or reduce the employee’s commitment to his or her current employer.19

Beyond its relevance to voluntary turnover, research has suggested that job search can serve several other distinct purposes for the employed.17 A second “motive” suggested for job search is to increase one’s leverage or advantage in a current job,20 such as gaining higher pay or other improved employment conditions. Clearly this motive is related to at least some degree of employee unhappiness with the current job situation. However, this motive suggests that employees do not necessarily want to leave their employer but to improve their situation (e.g., pay, promotion) while remaining with their current employer.21 Deshpande and Schoderbek22 found that getting a job offer elsewhere was used by subordinates to get a pay raise from their current boss. There can be “other” motives for job search, such as family related. For example, if one’s working spouse is transferred, the affected individual must now find a new job in the working spouse’s new location. Another family-related reason for job search is if an employee moves to be closer to an elderly parent to help care for that parent.16

Job Search Activity

For an individual who voluntarily changes jobs, most prior turnover research suggests that the closest proximal determinant to such change is the intent to leave that job.”16,23 Prior theory on job search activity suggests distinct preparatory and active search phases (Rees24 and Soelberg,25 as noted by Power and Aldag26). During the preparatory phase, individuals gather their resources (e.g., prepare/revise their resume, research getting/changing jobs) and collect potential job leads through various sources (e.g., Internet, newspaper, friends, previous employers); in the active phase, individuals apply to specific job positions/employers they have identified (e.g., sending a resume to or interviewing with an employer, filling out a job application). Generally, it is assumed that preparatory job search precedes active job search, because often individuals will want to first determine the perceived availability of “greener pastures” (preparatory job search) before determining their accessibility,27 which involves active job search.