Choosing Jobs in the Public, Non-Profit, and For-Profit Sectors: Personal Career Anchors Moderating the Impact of Sector Image and Reputation

Abstract

We expand on Cable and Turban’s employer knowledge model to investigate how sector attractiveness, that is, image and reputation, predicts management graduates’ sector-specific pursuit intentions, moderated by career anchors. The non-profit sector has the warmest image, followed by the public sector, while the latter is perceived as the least competent and shows the weakest reputation. Each sector’s competence image (but not its warmth image) and reputation significantly predict sector-specific pursuit intentions. The security, service, and challenge anchors confirmed their unique positive moderating impact, respectively for the public, non-profit, and for-profit sectors, although the challenge anchor reduced the public sector’s attractiveness. This study accentuates the importance of matching sector features with personal characteristics for understanding sector attractiveness to job seekers. Consequently, we offer new insights concerning sector-related recruitment practices and sector branding.