Vocational Potential:Evaluation Method,Validity Tests And Mechanism On Task Performance

Vocational potential is the ability of an individual to engage in a certain occupation and complete work tasks.The effective assessment of individual's vocational potential is conducive to making correct career decisions.The effective evaluation of vocational potential in the talent selection helps to estimate the abilities of job seekers to be competent for job demands and predict their future performance.However,previous vocational potential assessment tools are either too broad,or focusing on a specific job,difficult to be applied widely.Therefore,it is necessary to research deeply on development and application of the vocational potential assessment,especially the development of effective vocational potential assessment tools for individuals'career decision-making and enterprises' talent selection.Studies have shown that vocational potential has positive impact on task performance.How about the impact mechanism?What other important career variables does vocational potential affect?How does environmental factors influence the functioning of professional potential?These issues still need further exploration.This study developes a new vocational potential assessment tool of enterprising jobs based on the Holland occupational classification and situational judgment tests.Then we build mediation models between the vocational potential and task performance,exploring the mediated role of person-job fit and work engagement,as well as the moderated role of person-group fit.The results of empirical study with a sample of 471 graduates who are about to take up the enterprising jobs show that:(1)vocational potential has a significantly positive influence on task performance;(2)person-job fit and work engagement separately mediates the relationship between vocational potential and task performance;(3)person-job fit and work engagement have a chain mediated effect on the relationship between vocational potential and task performance;(4)person-group fit moderates the relationship between vocational potential and person-job fit,as well as vocational potential and work engagement,furthermore,person-group fit moderates the indirect effects of vocational potential on task performance through person-job fit and work engagement.The research results expand the theoretical system of personal-environment fit,provide an assessment tool supporting talent selection and individual career self-assessment for enterprise jobs,provide guidance and suggestions to help companys effectively select and utilize talents,and help individuals make correct career decisions.