This research examines proactive motivation profiles among young graduates in their job search process during the school-to-work transition, and their relation to the job search quality process (JSQP). Additionally, we investigate the effect of proactive personality on the movement between different profiles over two time points.
We collected data from 814 young Vietnamese graduates at two time points, and used a person-centered approach and random intercept latent transition analysis in analyzing the data.
Four distinct profiles combined different levels of job-search self-efficacy, job-search outcome expectations and perceived financial need at both time points. The most beneficial profile in terms of JSQP, “optimism pioneers”, was the least common profile. The “balanced pursuers” profile was the largest and the most stable group over time. A proactive personality positively influenced the within-person movement between profiles over time.
Our findings support the effectiveness of a person-centered approach in analyzing the motivational attitudes of young graduates during the complex and time-consuming job-search process after graduation.
