ObjectiveInvestigate short‐term personality development during the post‐graduation transition.BackgroundPrior research indicates that long‐term personality development matters for employment outcomes. However, this evidence is primarily limited to multi‐year longitudinal studies. This research switches the focus to personality changes during a shorter, impactful life transition.MethodWe examined how short‐term personality development during the 14‐month post‐graduation transition relates to early career outcomes among two diverse samples of graduates from universities (N = 816) and community colleges (N = 567). We used latent growth curve models to examine associations between career outcomes measured 14 months after graduation with initial personality levels and personality changes.ResultsResults revealed that mean‐level changes in personality were small and mostly negative. Moreover, individual differences in personality changes were not associated with career outcomes. However, initial levels of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and extraversion positively related to both subjective and objective career success. Initial levels of agreeableness were also positively related to subjective (but not objective) success.ConclusionsFindings indicate that individual differences in personality trait levels at graduation are stronger predictors of early career success compared to short‐term personality changes during the post‐graduation transition. Taken together, these results help define the time sequence through which personality changes relate to career outcomes.

中文翻译：

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短期人格发展和早期职业成功：毕业后过渡期间的两项纵向研究

目的调查毕业后过渡期间的短期人格发展。背景先前的研究表明长期人格发展对就业结果很重要。然而，这一证据主要限于多年纵向研究。这项研究将焦点转向较短、有影响力的人生转变期间的人格变化。方法我们研究了两个不同的大学毕业生样本（氮= 816）和社区学院（氮= 567）。我们使用潜在成长曲线模型来检验毕业后 14 个月测量的职业结果与初始人格水平和人格变化之间的关联。结果结果显示，人格的平均水平变化很小，而且大多是负面的。此外，性格变化的个体差异与职业结果无关。然而，责任心、情绪稳定性和外向性的初始水平与主观和客观的职业成功呈正相关。初始的宜人性水平也与主观（但非客观）的成功呈正相关。结论研究结果表明，人格特质的个体差异级别与短期性格相比，毕业时的性格更能预测早期职业成功变化在毕业后过渡期间。总而言之，这些结果有助于确定性格变化与职业成果相关的时间顺序。