Emotional Intelligence and the Role of Motivation Within the Context of Career Guidance Counselling for Those Experiencing Unemployment

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on motivation, and consequently to address the question of how to help motivate those experiencing unemployment to engage in the job search process by improving their EI. Presently, there is little existing research on the examination of EI and motivation, not to mention a more specific exploration on how EI impacts an individual’s capacity to engage in a sustained job search. In order to examine the motivation component for this paper the BIS/BAS scale developed by Carver and White (1994) was adopted. The BIS (behavioural inhibition system) function causes the individual to have feelings of fear, anxiety, and agitation in the face of possible negative outcomes. Conversely, the BAS (behavioural approach system) function creates feelings of joy, excitement, and elation at the prospect of potential outcomes. Questionnaires were supplied to clients of a government funded organisation (Northside Partnership) which provides support to unemployed clients of the service in north county Dublin, Ireland. The findings demonstrated that the more clients are aware of their own emotions, or the better able they are at managing others emotions, the more likely they are to be motivated by the Behavioural Activation System (BAS). The findings also indicated that the greater awareness clients have of other people’s emotions, the more they are motivated by the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS).