Graduates' career aspirations and individual characteristics

Abstract

Using the basic distinction between organisational and post‐organisational career orientation, this article examines preferences of business school graduates for different types of career fields and systematic differences between people with different career orientations in terms of behavioural characteristics as well as personality traits. The results show that business school graduates clearly distinguish between organisational and post‐organisational career fields. Graduates with post‐organisational career aspirations display attributes of high flexibility, leadership motivation, selfpromotion/self‐assertion, self‐monitoring, networking and less self‐consciousness. For individuals preferring an organisational career pattern, inverse relationships apply. Some implications of the findings for HR practice are discussed.