From expectation to experience: Graduates entering a large corporation

Abstract The paper reports a longitudinal study of new and recently recruited graduates to an oil company, to evaluate how initial expectations compared with experience, and how needs, interests and work activities changed over time post‐entry. Results showed that new entrants had unrealistic expectations, especially of having more managerial job content than they were assigned initially, but this increased with subsequent experience to reach expected levels. Socialization effects were evident, especially by job function, but not by gender. The work orientations and job experiences of commercial and technical graduates developed on divergent paths over time, suggesting more positive personal growth over their early careers for the commercial graduates.