Het anticipatorisch psychologisch contract van laatstejaarsstudenten op de Vlaamse arbeidsmarkt

This article addresses the antecedents of the anticipatory psychological contract of graduates on the Flemish labour market. The anticipatory psychological contract refers to individuals’ perceptions regarding the conditions of their future employment relationship. Departing from earlier research about the importance of the anticipatory psychological contract as antecedent of the post-entry evaluations employees make of their employment relationship, we examine the impact of individual career-related antecedents (attitude towards chances on the labour market, career strategy, proactive behaviour and work importance). The results of a survey among 1409 students graduating from Flemish universities and institutions for higher education largely confirm our hypotheses. Graduates who score high on careerism, who engage in proactive career behaviours and who have management ambitions, expect more promises from their future employer about their job content and career perspective. These antecedents also affect their willingness to make promises tot their future employer about their flexibility and employability.