Organizational entry and exit: An exploratory longitudinal examination of early careers

Abstract

New college graduates' perceptions of organizational entry constructs were measured at the end of the first year of employment and related to subsequent turnover as well as work attitudes 3 years later in a longitudinal design. The research design examined the simultaneous effects of entry constructs for the first time in an exploratory model. The combined effects of individual readiness, organizational tactics, individual tactics, entry process perceptions, perceived job characteristics, learning, expectations, and coping responses on subsequent turnover and job attitudes of newly employed college graduates were investigated using hierarchical logistic regression. Aspects of preemployment anticipation, organization receptivity, adaptation difficulty, meeting with person previously in the position, feedback seeking, and organization attachment correctly predicted 73.3% voluntary turnover after Year 1. Organization entry constructs and first year attitudes explained 45% of the variance in organizational commitment and 48.9% of organizational attachment 3 years later. Preliminary evidence suggests mediated causal paths link other aspects of newcomer perceptions, work attitudes, and turnover.