The journey to leave: Understanding the roles of perceived ease of movement, proactive personality, and person–organization fit in overqualified employees' job searching process

• Published date: 01 November 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/job.2470
• Author: Nai‐Wen Chi,I‐Heng (Ray) Wu
• Date: 01 November 2020

RESEARCH ARTICLE

The journey to leave: Understanding the roles of perceived

ease of movement, proactive personality, and person–

organization fit in overqualified employees' job searching

process

I-Heng (Ray) Wu

1

| Nai-Wen Chi

2

1

Department of Management and

Entrepreneurship, University of Iowa, W321

Pappajohn Business Building, Iowa City, Iowa,

52242-1994, U.S.A.

2

Institute of Human Resource Management,

National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung

City, Taiwan

Correspondence

Nai-Wen Chi, Institute of Human Resource

Management, National SunYat-sen University,

70, Lienhai Road, Kaohsiung City 80424,

Taiwan.

Email: iversonchi@gmail.com; nwchi@mail.

nsysu.edu.tw

Summary

Despite intensive research on perceived overqualification, empirical evidence on

overqualified employees' job search behavior remains relatively insufficient. Nota-

bly, no studies have explored the possible link between perceived over-

qualification and internal job searching behaviors. In the present study, we

consider whether—and more importantly when—employees with high perception

of overqualification search for internal and external job opportunities. Applying

the ability–motivation–opportunity (AMO) framework, we propose and test a

model that specifies how motivation and opportunity to move or stay activate dif-

ferential effects in overqualifiers' job searching process. Results from two studies

surveying employees in Taiwan (Study 1: N= 268; Study 2: N= 210) show that

overqualifiers displayed greater intentions to leave the current job and, in turn,

engaged in more external job search behaviors; this relation was strongest for

those whose perceived ease of movement and proactive personality increased or

person–organization (PO) fit decreased. Furthermore, overqualifiers displayed

greater intentions to leave the current job and also increased their internal job

search behaviors; this relation was strongest for those whose perceived ease of

movement and PO fit increased. A series of supplemental analyses also lends sup-

port to our theorizing.

KEYWORDS

job search behavior, perceived overqualification, person–organization fit, proactive

personality, turnover

1|INTRODUCTION

A recent Gallup (2017) poll revealed that 68% of college graduates in

various professions perceive themselves as having more education

than is needed for their job. To understand this phenomenon, a

growing body of organizational scholars has sought to study perceived

overqualification (POQ) or the perceptions that a person's skills, abili-

ties, education, and experience are not fully utilized on the job

(Erdogan, Bauer, Peiró, & Truxillo, 2011; Maynard, Joseph, &

Maynard, 2006). Prior studies have shown that individual POQ is asso-

ciated with a variety of individual and organizational outcomes, such

as reduced positive job attitudes (Maynard et al., 2006) and job perfor-

mance (Bolino & Feldman, 2000) and increased counterproductive

An earlier version of this manuscript was presented at the 34th Annual Conference of the

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Received: 23 January 2019 Revised: 6 June 2020 Accepted: 30 June 2020

DOI: 10.1002/job.2470

J Organ Behav. 2020;41:851–870. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/job © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 851

work behaviors (Liu, Luksyte, Wang, Zhou, & Shi, 2015). We direct

readers to Harari, Manapragada, and Viswesvaran (2017) for a recent,

comprehensive meta-analytic review of POQ.

Similar to other types of person–environment misfit, POQ as a

form of person–job misfit is associated with greater intention to leave

(ITL) an organization (Harari et al., 2017; Johnson, Morrow, &

Johnson, 2002; Maynard et al., 2006). Nevertheless, definitive conclu-

sions regarding overqualified employees' (overqualifiers') turnover

seem premature (Erdogan et al., 2011; Follmer, Talbot, Kristof-Brown,

Astrove, & Billsberry, 2018; Liu & Wang, 2012). In particular, two

relevant topics remain largely unexamined in the overqualification–

turnover literature. First, as noted by turnover researchers

(e.g., Steel & Lounsbury, 2009), engaging in job searching behaviors is

a core action in the turnover process, and searching for means of both

external movement (e.g., leaving the current organization) and internal

movement (e.g., transferring to another division within the same orga-

nization) is a critical response to an undesirable work situation

(Follmer et al., 2018; Jackofsky, 1984; Steel & Lounsbury, 2009). Sur-

prisingly, however, only six independent empirical studies correlating

job searching behaviors to POQ were identified in the Harari

et al. (2017) meta-analysis. Furthermore, these studies focused sol-

ely on the POQ–external job searching behaviors relationship

(Harari et al., 2017), neglecting the possibility that overqualified

employees might also seek opportunities for internal transfer (Follmer

et al., 2018). In our view, internal job searching behavior is neither the

opposite end of external job searching behavior nor the equivalent of

commitment and engagement to the organization. Instead, it uniquely

captures individuals' intention to stay with the organization and

their active endeavors to seek other internal positions (Steel &

Lounsbury, 2009). As noted by Jackofsky (1984), taking into account

both internal and external movements in the turnover process pro-

vides better understanding of the turnover phenomenon. As such, this

topic needs further investigation to clarify whether and when POQ

leads to external and internal job searching.

Second, building upon our first point, the Harari et al. (2017)

meta-analysis found that artifacts accounted for only 29.37% of the

variance for the POQ–external job searching association, suggesting

that moderators may well exist for this relationship (Hunter &

Schmidt, 2004). Previous studies have mainly focused on how individ-

ual needs and values (e.g., financial need; Guerrero & Hatala, 2015;

competence and growth work values; Maynard & Parfyonova, 2013)

moderate the POQ–job searching behavior relationship, neglecting

the roles of abilities, motivations, and opportunities to move or stay

relevant for the overqualified individuals. This limited set of moderat-

ing variables is insufficient to fully explain the POQ–external/internal

job searching association and invites continuous effort to explore

other variables influencing these relationships. Indeed, the literature

features several calls to identify when overqualifiers actually leave

their organization (Erdogan et al., 2011; Harari et al., 2017; Liu &

Wang, 2012).

To advance theory, research, and practice on POQ, we join this

dialog by providing a nomological network explaining whether and

when employees with high POQ search for external and internal job

opportunities. Our proposed framework is presented in Figure 1. Sev-

eral related theories enlighten our study and guide our choice of con-

structs. For example, the Follmer et al. (2018) qualitative study informs

us that individuals who perceive a misfit between themselves and their

organization restore their sense of fit by seeking an internal transfer or

completely leaving the organization (i.e., leaving strategies of resolu-

tion approach). That is, some individuals who have heightened

thoughts of leaving due to POQ respond by finding a more suitable

position but not leaving the organization (i.e., internal job search),

whereas others completely leave their job and organization

(i.e., external job search or actual turnover). Because these two leaving

strategies have different individual and organizational implications, it is

essential to explicitly discuss how POQ might predict such behaviors.

By applying the ability–motivation–opportunity (AMO) frame-

work (Bailey, 1993) to the turnover process model (e.g.,

Jackofsky, 1984; Steel & Lounsbury, 2009), we further explain when

overqualified employees are more likely to engage in exte-

rnal/internal job searching. The core tenets of the AMO framework

emphasize individuals' adequate motivation and capabilities and the

environment surrounding them that provides opportunities—which,

as a whole, drives such individuals' participation in certain behaviors.

FIGURE 1 Research framework. Dual-stage

moderated mediations are not shown in the model

(i.e., Hypotheses 5a and 5b and Hypotheses 6a

and 6b)

852 WU AND CHI