Information seeking during organizational pre -entry: A tale of two studies

Holly Lam, Purdue University

Abstract

Recent work on organizational socialization has examined how individuals' information-seeking behaviors influence their adjustment. Extending this framework to organizational pre-entry activities, two studies were conducted to determine how information seeking during pre-entry influences the expectations that are developed, which in turn, are thought to be related to post-entry adjustment. It was predicted that the greater number of information attributes sought and the more information sources used, the fewer unmet expectations individuals would experience during post-entry. Moreover, the relationship between information sources, attributes, and unmet expectations would be mediated by the amount of knowledge acquired. It was also predicted that unmet expectations would be related to a variety of post-entry adjustment variables such as satisfaction, commitment, and perceptions of fit. Study 1 was conducted with students entering a graduate program. Surveys were distributed prior to organizational entry, and three months afterwards, with a total of 62 participants. The hypotheses received mixed support in Study 1. The more attributes individuals sought about the graduate program, the fewer violated expectations and more met expectations they reported. The number of sources used was negatively related to the number of exceeded expectations. However, the amount of information acquired did not mediate the relationship between information attributes, sources, and unmet expectations. Unmet expectations were negatively associated with satisfaction and self-efficacy, and positively associated with turnover intentions. Study 2 examined whether the realism of employees' expectations, as compared to their co-workers' perceptions, were affected by information-seeking behaviors. Participants were newly hired employees at a large university, and a total of 94 completed both surveys. In addition, 44 co-workers and 46 supervisors completed surveys as well regarding realism of expectations and employee job performance, respectively. The results for the effects of information realism received very little support. However, the number of attributes sought was positively related to the number of met expectations, which in turn, was positively associated with self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and job involvement. Overall, these studies provide preliminary support for the notion that employee socialization commences prior to organizational entry, and that the applicant actively seeks information during recruitment and selection to inform their expectations.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Jagacinski, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Occupational psychology

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