All industries are going through dramatic change with the current rapid technological developments. Some job positions disappeared while newer positions are created to respond to the new changes of that specific industry. Employees are much more likely to seek new positions to fit with their own abilities in this rapid changing labor market instead of staying in the same positions. As a result, turnover rates also increase to respond to the ever-changing work settings. Meanwhile, the increasing aging population and decreasing birthrate also adds to the complexity of the career markets and the demands on the society as a whole. In this respect, the cost of social security benefits and medical care will increase significantly, while the supporters of the social security system will decrease noticeably. As a result, current midlife employees are responsible for supporting the nation's economy. In comparison to their parents' generation, the midlife population needs to work longer in order to compensate for the labor force shortages. In the meantime, there is an unspoken age limitation in the labor market in Taiwan which is one of the obstacles in the job search process for mid-aged employees. Mid-aged employees need effective job search strategies to compensate the age limitation.
    The purpose of this study was to explore mid-aged employees' effective job search strategies. Job search includes exploring potential job opportunities, preparing resumes, sending resumes, participating in interviews, evaluating job alternatives, and choosing a job from the alternatives. This dynamic process requires the job seekers to be adjustable in their job searching strategies (e.g. the quality of resumes and presentations in interviews) in order to optimize the job search outcomes (e.g. the second interview, or job offers), or to enhance employment outcomes (e.g. higher salary or better person-organization fit (Saks, 2005)). Therefore, this study defined the job search as a self-regulation process (Kanfer, Wanberg, & Kantrowitz, 2001). That is, the job seekers have to regulate between job search behaviors and feedbacks from the labor market.
    Guided by the Grounded Theory, this qualitative research study applied in-depth interviews to collect data from 8 participants. Participants are chosen through purposive sampling and snowball sampling processes. The research findings showed two models of job search process that corresponded to the participants' age. The participants were grouped in two age categories. One group was above 44 years old (senior group) while the other group was below 44 years old (junior group). The strategies that the junior group utilized to seek employment opportunities are much more active and intense, which resulted in more frequent responses from the employers and a better fit for both parties. These proactive job searching behaviors in the junior group includes three self-regulatory strategies: (1) exploring the environment, such as gathering information of job vacancy, companies, and the specific industries; (2) clarifying and revising, such as revising the curriculum vitae according to the reaction from the job market which would increase the job search intensity, job search clarity, job search self-efficacy and establishing a list of their goal-companies; and (3) reviewing and reflecting on the self and the environmental factors, such as setting up evaluation criteria to evaluate the personal performance in the job search process, attributes that cause failures to be selected as the finalist, and rectify their weaknesses. The junior group used these three strategies interchangeably to overcome the age barrier.
    This research study seeks to understand the effective job search strategies from the job seekers' successful experiences. The present study has considerable implications for both employees and employers. Through this research finding, we know that employment conditions are almost transparent on the internet and are easy to access by the job seekers. Human Resource divisions should treat the content of relevant information with caution. In addition, it is necessary for both midlife employees and employers to regularly updated the employment exceptions of the industry. Employers can retain the current employees in order to cut-down on new employee orientation and adjustment expenditures. These strategies would ensure employees to obtain the best employment conditions in the industry. Implications for career counselors, adult learning educators, and Human Resource divisions are discussed.