Examining the Role of Job Search Behaviors in Internal Talent Markets

Both employees and employers can enjoy several benefits when there are formal processes for matching current employees to job vacancies. Unlocking the benefits of these processes, called internal talent markets, depends on whether employees are matched to jobs that suit their capabilities. Yet, research to date has not examined the role of job search behaviors in internal talent markets despite evidence from general job search research showing that job seeker behaviors influence alignment of capabilities to the demands of the job. In this study, I first show how job applications are a visible indicator of job search objectives. I then show how job search objectives, as indicated by job applications, influence employees’ ability to obtain a new job in internal talent markets, as well as their performance and turnover following selection decisions. Finally, I show how organizational selection practices and employee demographic attributes influence the relationship between job applications and post-decision performance and post-decision turnover among rejected employee applicants. By introducing job search as a perspective for studying internal talent markets, I show how internal selection processes can be better managed by monitoring employee participation.