Jesús Yeves Visiting Phd Student from University of Valencia.

The effect of dispositional employability on graduates’ job quality: The mediating role of perceived employability.

Abstract:
The psycho-social employability model proposed by Fugate et al (2004) identifies important personal factors that could help graduates to get high quality jobs after graduation. This fact is explained because this kind of employability, composed of diverse dimensions, promotes graduates’ perceived employability and this has been related to obtaining high quality jobs in terms of job-person fit. In addition, research shows that job-person fit have positive consequences for professional career outcomes. Taking this into account, the aim of this study was twofold.

First of all, to test the mediating role of perceived employability in the relationship between personal employability dimensions (human capital, social capital, career identity, and personal
adaptability) and job-person fit. Secondly, to test the mediating role of job-person fit in the relationship between perceived employability and job quality indicators (salary and job satisfaction).
The study was based on a sample of 236 Mexican university graduates. The hypotheses were tested by means path analysis.

In general, results showed that perceived employability fully mediates the relationship between some employability dimensions (career identity and adaptability) and job-person fit. In addition, perceived employability partially mediates the relationship between human capital and job-person fit. Furthermore, results showed that job-person fit fully mediates the relationship between perceived employability and salary.
These results present some theoretical implications to assignment theory (Sattinger, 1993), highlighting the role of job-person fit on salary.

Moreover, the validity of psycho-social employability model is reflected in terms of obtain higher quality jobs.
Regarding to practical implications, the results highlight the importance for universities of develop graduates’ employability (increasing human capital, career identity, and personal adaptability of universities students). In this sense, the development of human capital is crucial helping students to improve their perceived employability and facilitating the acquisition of jobs fitted with their academic investment. In addition, for employees this kind of fit helps them to obtain other kind of benefits as higher salaries.