A research group led by Associate Professor Kai Hatano of Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School revealed through a follow-up study of Japanese university students that people with high extroversion, who are more likely to build relationships with others, are also able to work authentically in the workplace.
The first year after graduating from university is likely to see significant changes in one's lifestyle and environment due to employment and other factors. There have been very few studies that have investigated what types of people are more likely to feel they are working in a way that suits them, and what types of people are more likely to want to quit their jobs, from before graduation through the period after employment.
To investigate how personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and life satisfaction at the time of university graduation relate to ease of working and attitudes towards work after employment, the research group conducted a questionnaire survey of 397 Japanese university students at the time of receiving a job offer, six months after starting work, and one year after starting work, asking about personality traits and life satisfaction.
The results showed that people with high extroversion, who are able to actively interact with others, and those who are satisfied with their lives, were more likely to feel that they were "working in a way that is true to themselves." On the other hand, people with high neurotic tendencies, who are prone to worrying and feeling anxious, were more likely to feel like "wanting to quit their job" after joining a company. In other words, it was suggested that feelings after starting work may be related to differences in personality and life satisfaction at the time of university graduation.
These results offer important insights into what characteristics should be fostered in education and what kind of people companies should hire. While this study included a variety of industries, the researchers suggest that suitable personality traits may vary depending on the workplace and job type, and that further detailed research into suitable jobs based on personality traits is needed for each industry.
Paper information: [Journal of Adolescence] The Big Five, Life Satisfaction, and Job Identity Development: A Longitudinal Study on the School-to-Work Transition
