A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS ON EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS.

Abstract

Employer attractiveness is the envisioned benefits that a potential employee sees in working for a specific organisation and is closely related to employer branding. The more attractive an employer is perceived to be by potential employees, the stronger that particular organisation's employer brand equity. The various dimensions of employer attractiveness influence job choice decisions of final year students when applying for a job or choosing an organisation to work for. As jobs seekers' preferences are related to their personality as well, this research attempts to study the relationship between the various dimensions of employer attractiveness and the big five personality dimensions of the job seekers. Employer attractiveness was measured in terms of interest value, social value, economic value, development value and application value, through a pre-validated instrument. This empirical study ascertains the major factors influencing the attractiveness of the employer; and studies the impact of various student demographic segments on employer attractiveness. Understanding the relationship and strength of association between the student personality factors and the different dimensions of employer attractiveness help in focusing on achieving a more accurate person- organization fit right from their first employment. Person-organisation fit lead to less attrition and enhanced job performance of the students, as employees, in the long run.