Using Career-Related Aspects to Assess Person-Environment Fit

The relation between person and environment (P-E) fit, defined on the basis of career-related aspects and occupational satisfaction, was examined. The characteristics of 12 occupations along 36 career-related aspects were elicited from 12 career counselors. Thirty professionals in each of the 12 occupations reported their preferences in the same set of aspects, and their occupational satisfaction. Two measures of P-E fit were defined as the mean absolute gap between the professionals' preferences and the respective characteristics of their occupation (a) in all 36 aspects and (b) in the core aspects of each occupation only. The median within-occupation correlation between P-E fit and occupational satisfaction was .27 when all aspects were considered, and .85 when only the core aspects were taken into account. The implications for counseling research and practice are discussed.