Exploring Job Mismatch Experiences Among Licensed English Teachers: A Phenomenological Inquiry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31949/ijeir.v4i2.14619Abstract
Job mismatch occurs when individuals are employed in roles unrelated to their field of study, often resulting in underutilization of acquired skills. This phenomenological study, guided by Human Capital Theory and Protean Career Theory, explored the lived experiences of licensed English teachers who pursued careers outside their specialization. Ten participants were purposively selected from a local college and interviewed using a semi-structured format. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’ (1994) thematic approach. Findings revealed varied perceptions of job preparedness, with some participants feeling adequately prepared while others felt unready for the job market. Key factors influencing job mismatch included family and peer influence, as well as the personal fulfillment found in alternative career paths. Challenges encountered involved adapting to unfamiliar work environments and lacking sufficient knowledge and skills for new roles. To address these, participants demonstrated adaptability through continuous learning and a proactive, growth-oriented mindset. The findings support the principles of Protean Career Theory, highlighting autonomy and self-direction, but challenge the assumptions of Human Capital Theory, as educational investment did not always lead to aligned employment. The study underscores the need for structured career guidance and recommends institutional interventions, such as early orientation and stronger job placement efforts for teacher education graduates.
Keywords:
Human Capital Theory , Job Mismatch , Licensed English Teachers , Phenomenology , Protean Career TheoryDownloads
References
Abulon, E. L., & Rungduin, T. T. (2015). A narrative analysis of conversations with graduates who did not pursue teaching: Inputs to teacher education policies in the Philippines. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 4(2), 13-27.
Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L., & Wei, Y. (2022). Stress, burnout, anxiety and depression among teachers: A scoping review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(17), 10706. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706
Akhtar, M., Javed, M., & Noreen, S. (2018). Analysis of education occupation mismatch at Pakistani educational institutions. Journal of Educational Research, 21(2), 175-189. https://shorturl.at/5uqo3
Albina, A. C., Sumagaysay, L. P., & Pentang, J. T. (2024, February 22). Challenges in teaching due to cultural differences: Extending educators’ understanding of business education. Social Sciences Birmingham [Blog post]. University of Birmingham. Retrieved from https://blog.bham.ac.uk/socialsciencesbirmingham/2024/02/22/challenges-in teaching due to cultural differences extending educators understanding of business education/
Al Shanfari, S. (2024). Factors Affecting Job Placement on the Job Mismatch among Omanis in the Sultanate of Oman: Analytical Perspective. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v14-i1/20469.
Amitai, A., & Van Houtte, M. (2022). Being pushed out of the career: Former teachers' reasons for leaving the profession. Teaching and teacher education, 110, 103540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103540
Autentico, J. M. & Alerta, G. (2020). Incidence of Job Mismatch among TVL Graduates in Butuan City, Philippines. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 6(2), 164-176. https://rb.gy/nbw7iw
Autor, D. H., Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (2020). Extending the Race between Education and Technology. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3525946
Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: a theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education (Vol. 3). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Bhat, A. (2023). Commitment to work: Definition, importance and tips to improve work commitment. QuestionPro. https://www.questionpro.com/blog/commitment-to-work/
Brooks, A.W. (2024). How to ask great questions. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-surprising-power-of-questions
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2007). Business research methods (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Bucal, C. C. EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE METRICS ON EMPLOYEES IN ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF ABC CALL CENTER. https://rb.gy/yqtlpn
Caingcoy, M. (2021). Scoping Review on Employability Skills of Teacher Education Graduates in the Philippines A Framework for Curriculum Enhancement. https://philpapers.org/archive/CAISRO-5.pdf
Candelario, C. M. C., Fullante, M. K. A., Pan, W. K. M., & Gregorio Jr, E. R. (2024). Integrative review of workplace health promotion in the business process outsourcing industry: Focus on the Philippines. Public Health in Practice, 7, 100476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2024.100476
Çelik, H., & Topkaya, E. Z. (2023). Pre-service English language teachers’ state of preparedness to teach and its sources in field experience. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 12(2), 372-389. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1059588
Chavadi, C. A., Sirothiya, M., & MR, V. (2022). Mediating role of job satisfaction on turnover intentions and job mismatch among millennial employees in Bengaluru. Business Perspectives and Research, 10(1), 79-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/2278533721994712
Condes, K. A., & Lachica, T. A. B. (2022). Job mismatch: The case of registered nurses in the Philippines. International Research Journal of Science, Technology, Education, and Management, 2(2), 165-175. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodp.6956133
Cornillez E.E., Caminoc S.R., Basas B., Militante B., & Paler R. (2023). Why being a teacher is stressful? Humantold-. https://humantold.com/blog/why-being-a-teacher-is-stressful/
Creswell J., Creswell J.D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, anf Mixed Method Approaches. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nha3.20258
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Curtis, R. G., Bartel, B., Ferguson, T., Blake, H. T., Northcott, C., Virgara, R., & Maher, C. A. (2021). Improving user experience of virtual health assistants: scoping review. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(12), e31737. https://doi.org/10.2196/31737
Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Assessing teacher education: The usefulness of multiple measures for assessing program outcomes. Journal of teacher education, 57(2), 120-138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487105283796
Education Review Office. (2019). Newly Graduated Teachers: Preparation and Confidence to Teach. Education Review Office. https://ero.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2021-05/ERO-Newly-Graduated-Teachers-December-2017.pdf
Education Salary in Philippines | PayScale. (2025). Payscale.com. https://www.payscale.com/research/PH/Industry=Education/Salary
Ege, A. A. (2020). Analyzing the incidence and causes offield of study mismatch in Turkey: evidence from TURKSTAT labor force surveys (Doctoral dissertation, Middle East Technical University (Turkey)). https://etd.lib.metu.edu.triupload/12625195/index.pdf.
Fütterer, T., van Waveren, L., Hübner, N., Fischer, C., & Sälzer, C. (2023). I can't get no (job) satisfaction? Differences in teachers' job satisfaction from a career pathways perspective. Teaching and Teacher Education, 121, 103942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103942
Granero-Gallegos, A., Escaravajal, J. C., López-García, G. D., & Baños, R. (2022). Influence of teaching styles on the learning academic confidence of teachers in training. Journal of Intelligence, 10(3), 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence1003007
Gretz, W., & Jacobson, R. (2018). Boosting contact-center performance through employee engagement. McKinsey on customer care: Excellence in the digital age. https://short-link.me/15KnW
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Hall, D. T., & Moss, J. E. (1998). The new protean career contract: Helping organizations and employees adapt. Organizational dynamics, 26(3), 22-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0090-2616(98)90012-2
Heinz, M. (2015). Why choose teaching? An international review of empirical studies exploring student teachers’ career motivations and levels of commitment to teaching. Educational research and evaluation, 21(3), 258-297. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2015.1018278
Koçak, O., Ak, N., Erdem, S. S., Sinan, M., Younis, M. Z., & Erdoğan, A. (2021). The role of family influence and academic satisfaction on career decision-making self-efficacy and happiness. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(11), 5919. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115919
Kolosova, A. I., Rudakov, V. N., & Roshchin, S. Y. (2020). The impact of job–education match on graduate salaries and job satisfaction. Voprosy ekonomiki, (11). https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2020-11-113-132
Kram, K. E. (2019). "Mentoring at Work: Developmental Relationships in Organizational Life." University Press of America. 83(1), 138-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2392687
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Latha, G., & Panchanatham, N. (2011). Call Center Employees: Is Work Life Stress a Challenge. Sabaragamuwa University Journal, 9, 1. https://doi.org/10.4038/SUSLJ.V9I1.3731
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Maclean, R., Jagannathan, S., & Sarvi, J. (Eds.). (2013). Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in developing Asia Pacific. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978 94 007 5937 4
Marla M., & Dimaculangan, A. M. (2024). EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE METRICS ON EMPLOYEES IN ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF ABC CALL CENTER. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12780243
Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., & Nolan, H. G. (2022). How different are they? Comparing teacher preparation offered by traditional, alternative, and residency pathways. Journal of Teacher Education, 73(3), 225-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224871211015976
Montt, G. (2017). Field-of-study mismatch and overqualification: labour market correlates and their wage penalty. IZA Journal of Labor Economics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40172-016-0052-x
More, S., & Rosenbloom, T. (2021). Job-Field Underemployment and Career Satisfaction: A Relationship of Cause and Effect. International Journal of Business and Management, 15(10), 1-82. https://doi.org/10.5539/IJBM.V15N10P82
Moustakas, C.E. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2003.tb00241.x
Murga, A. F. (2021, April 28). The everyday racism of offshore call centers. Rest of World. Retrieved from https://restofworld.org/2021/call centers racism/
Nandhini S. (2023). 11 Customer support challenges and solutions to overcome them. DevRev. https://devrev.ai/blog/common-customer-support-challenges
Nguyen, Q. T., Nguyen, T. A., Vu, P. L., Lu, T. M. O., & Tran, L. A. (2025). Social Insurance, Labor Contracts, and Education-Job Mismatch among Graduates in Teacher Education and Educational Science in Vietnam. VNU Journal of Science: Education Research, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1159/vnuer.5215
Offando, O., & Sukma, D. (2024). Contribution of Parental Support and Peer Influence to Student Career Decision Making. Bisma The Journal of Counseling, 8(2), 162-168. https://doi.org/10.23887/bisma.v8i2.86215
Owusu, M. K., Owusu, A., Fiorgbor, E. T., & Atakora, J. (2021). Career aspiration of students: The influence of peers, teachers and parents. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 34(2), 67-79. https://doi.org/10.9734/jesbs/2021/v34i230306
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y
Panlaqui, C. C., & Bardemorilla, N. G. (2023). Pondering the phenomenon of choosing non teaching jobs among teacher education graduates. International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 5(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.54476/ioer imrj/037932
Park, Y., Lee, J. G., Jeong, H. J., Lim, M. S., & Oh, M. R. (2022). How does the protean career attitude influence external employability? The roles of career resilience and proactive career behavior. Industrial and Commercial Training, 54(2), 317-332. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-06-2021-0045
Pentang, J. T., Perez, D. R., Cuanan, K. H., Recla, M. B., Dacanay, R. T., Bober, R. M., E, D. C. C., Egger, S. P., Herrera, R. L., Illescas, C. M., Salmo, J. M., Bucad, M. L., Jr, Agasa, J., V., & Abaca, N. A. (2022). Tracer Study of Teacher Education Graduates of Western Philippines University -- Puerto Princesa Campus. https://tinyurl.com/2s3razne
Pop, M. M., & Turner, J. E. (2009). To be or not to be … a teacher? Exploring levels of commitment related to perceptions of teaching among students enrolled in a teacher education program. Teachers and Teaching, 15(6), 683–700. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540600903357017
Rinke, C. R. (2011). Career Trajectories of Urban Teachers. Urban Education, 46(4), 639–662. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085911399790
Saladaga, M. (2022). Customer service challenges that customer service agents face and their solutions. LinkedIn. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/customer-service-challenges-agents-face-solutions-swiftchat-ai
Salas-Velasco, M. (2021). Mapping the (mis) match of university degrees in the graduate labor market. Journal for Labour Market Research, 55(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12651-021-00297-x
Sam, V. (2020). Impacts of educational mismatches on job satisfaction: The case of university graduates in Cambodia. International Journal of Manpower, 41(1), 84-99. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijm-07-2018-0229
Santos-Manangan, A. (2021). Factors associated with depressive symptoms among night-shift employees in selected call centers. Health Sciences Journal, 10(2). https://www.herdin.ph/index.php/herdin-home?view=research&cid=77019#:~:text=Conclusion%20Almost%2078.3%25%20of%20graveyard,%2C%20income%2C%20and%20perceived%20stress. .
Senkrua, A. (2022). The extent of field of study mismatch in Thailand and its impact on earnings. Review of Economics and Finance, 20, 816–825. https://doi.org/10.55365/1923.x2022.20.92
Shah, S. M., Noranee, S., Munir, Z. A., Noranee, S., Shahruddin, S., & Mujanah, S. (2024). The Influence of Work-Life Balance, Workload and Work Environment on Burnout among Teachers in Melaka Tengah District, Malaysia. Information Management and Business Review, 16(1), 137-152. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v16i1(I)S.3736
Siddiky, M. R., & Akter, S. (2021). The Students' Career Choice and Job Preparedness Strategies: A Social Environmental Perspective. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 10(2), 421-431. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1299280
Sudakova, A., Antonova, N., & Melnik, A. (2024). Choosing a starting professional trajectory: job-education mismatch effect. The Education and science journal. https://doi.org/10.17853/1994-5639-2024-8-174-205.
Trent, J. (2018). Why some graduating teachers choose not to teach: teacher attrition and the discourse-practice gap in becoming a teacher. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 47, 554 - 570. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2018.1555791
van Manen, M. (2016). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Watt, H. M., & Richardson, P. W. (2020). Motivational factors influencing teaching as a career choice: Development and validation of the FIT-Choice scale. The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(3), 167-202. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20157455
Wiernik, B. M., & Kostal, J. W. (2019). Protean and boundaryless career orientations: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 66(3), 280. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000324
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Joseph Seclot, Mary Rose P. Gooc, Joseph S. Seclot
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
