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Attracting Applicants in the War for Talent: Differences in Work Preferences Among High Achievers

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Abstract

This study examines how several indicators of ability and achievement are associated with individual differences in preferences for job and organizational attributes. Results from a sample of 378 business and liberal arts students suggest that students with high cognitive ability and all types of high achievement place greater importance on interesting and challenging work than do other students. However, on other work attributes (e.g., job flexibility, pay practices, fast-track promotion systems), students with high cognitive ability and high academic achievement (i.e., grade point average) appear to have different preference patterns from those with high social achievement (e.g., extracurricular and leadership activities). Results are discussed in terms of implications for employers and future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Organizations, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242

    Christine Quinn Trank

  2. The University of Iowa, USA

    Sara L. Rynes

  3. University of Notre Dame, USA

    Robert D. Bretz Jr

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  1. Christine Quinn Trank
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  2. Sara L. Rynes
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  3. Robert D. Bretz Jr
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Trank, C.Q., Rynes, S.L. & Bretz, R.D. Attracting Applicants in the War for Talent: Differences in Work Preferences Among High Achievers. Journal of Business and Psychology 16, 331–345 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012887605708

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