The relationships between personality traits and job fit perception of new graduates mediating role of core self evaluations

This study examined the relationships between the personality traits and job outcomes and career attitudes of new graduates and the mediating role of core self evaluations on the relationships between extraversion and job outcomes. The long term relationships between personality traits and job attitudes were revealed. A two-wave longitudinal design that followed individuals seven years, was used in the study to examine new graduates' personality traits and their job outcomes and career attitudes. In the first wave, new graduates' career adapt abilities, core self evaluations, five factor personality traits, proactive personality, future time perspective, general self efficacy, self esteem and internal locus of control were measured one month before their graduation. In the second wave, the individuals' job search time, job search strategies, subjective job and organization fit, emotional commitment, job satisfaction, turnover intention, financial strain perceptions and life satisfaction were measured. The results were as predicted. Each personality trait was related to a job outcome or career attitude. And also it was found that core self evaluations, defined as fundamental premises that individuals hold about themselves and their functioning in the world, was related highest to subjective person-job-organisation fit, emotional commitment, job satisfaction, turnover intention, financial strain perception and life satisfaction. In addition, it was found that core self evaluations mediated the relationships between extroversion and subjective job fit, emotional commitment, job and life satisfaction. Keywords: Personality, Career adapt-abilities, Core self-evaluations, Person organization fit, Job satisfaction, Life satisfaction, Labour turnover, Affective commitment