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Coping with Job Transitions over the Work Life

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Handbook of Stressful Transitions Across the Lifespan

Abstract

A job transition is a process involving a number of steps, including thinking about goals and skills, evaluating the potential job market, conducting the job search, managing personal reactions, and negotiating entry into the new organization. As both a common and impactful transition of modern life, it is important to examine the factors associated with coping with job transitions. Specifically, we would like to consider the societal changes in the current work context, and the research evidence indicating job transitions can be significant life stressors. We then examine the role that coping plays in the transition process, and outline our mediation model of antecedents, coping and outcomes. Case studies of job transitions at four points in the work-life are presented to illustrate the model. We search for common themes and issues in the process of job transitions across the work-life, and raise questions regarding how these may be uniquely played out at different points in an individual’s life. The implications for the professional’s role in helping individuals and organizations facilitate transitions are discussed. Finally, we present directions for future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA

    John R. Rudisill

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  1. John R. Rudisill
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  2. Jean M. Edwards
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  3. Paul J. Hershberger
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  4. Joyce E. Jadwin
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  5. John M. McKee
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Correspondence to John R. Rudisill .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Saxon Drive 3237, Lexington, 40503-3428, U.S.A.

    Thomas W. Miller

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Rudisill, J.R., Edwards, J.M., Hershberger, P.J., Jadwin, J.E., McKee, J.M. (2010). Coping with Job Transitions over the Work Life. In: Miller, T. (eds) Handbook of Stressful Transitions Across the Lifespan. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0748-6_6

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