Meta-analysis of Vocational Interests and Job Satisfaction: Challenging a Common Belief

Abstract

The popular media often promotes the idea that interest fit is one of the most important predictors of job satisfaction. Previously published meta-analyses, however, have not found evidence of a statistically significant relationship between vocational interests and job satisfaction. In the current article, we examine differing perspectives on the importance of vocational interests for work outcomes and perform a comprehensive meta-analysis on the interest-satisfaction relationship. Our meta-analytic dataset includes 107 primary studies spanning 94 years of research, containing 945 bivariate correlations and a combined sample size of 38,695. Results indicate a weak, but statistically significant relationship between vocational interests and job satisfaction (ρ = .11, [.09, .13]). Moderator analyses revealed that this relationship is more nuanced than previously thought, as interests are stronger predictors of intrinsic satisfaction compared to extrinsic satisfaction. Overall, results reveal that the interest-satisfaction relationship is robust enough to transcend different contexts and measures, but the relationship is very small. Advocates of a causal link between interest fit and satisfaction should seek other potential mechanisms of explaining job satisfaction. In addition, practitioners should be aware that the interest-satisfaction link is overemphasized, and job satisfaction is best predicted with interests in combination with work values.