| Individuals who become college or university presidents make a series of career decisions over many years. Candidates seek positions that exemplify a good "fit"--a suitable match between self, job and institution. This study examines how candidates for college presidencies define and explore the different elements of individual-institutional fit.;Data collection comprised a survey of 199 new college presidents and interviews with 18 presidents in office less than one year. The findings suggest that the perception of a good fit influences a candidate's decision to accept a presidency, and that fit involves a complex matching of personal and institutional factors.;Candidates determined fit through three phases of personal and institutional assessment: Early Considerations, Looking, and the Search Process. Within these phases, candidates considered seven major elements of fit: self appraisal; fit with the president's job; timing and readiness; fit with institutional characteristics; fit with institutional needs and expectations; cultural compatibility; and interpersonal chemistry with institutional members. Persuasion and encouragement from others also influenced a candidate's assessment of fit.;Different candidates were attracted to very different institutional characteristics, including size, type, location, mission, and culture. Some candidates assessed fit in a rational way; others judged fit more intuitively. Certain aspects of the search process impeded the effective exploration of fit. When candidates recognized a sufficient level of individual-institutional fit in relation to their personal circumstances, they decided that they would accept the position if it was offered. Some made this decision early in the search, others decided much later.;Some candidates were particularly susceptible to the temptation of the president's job and, therefore, considered fit with a particular institution less important. These included candidates who were persuaded by others, "desperate" candidates, "generic" candidates, those who perceived the position as a stepping-stone, those who were lured by feeling "wanted," and those who rationalized that they would adjust to institutional conditions once in office.;Most new presidents who predicted a good fit before entering the job reported that they experienced a high level of satisfaction in office and they expected to remain at that institution for a long tenure. |
