Instrumental and Symbolic Attributes Influencing Academic Job Seekers: An Integrative Model

This study aims to fill the research gap in understanding the factors influencing job-pursuit intentions towards higher education institutions. Drawing on the instrumental-symbolic theory, it constructs an integrative model to explore how quality of work-life expectancy, career development opportunities, university reputation, and perceived person-organisation fit affect job seekers’ intentions. A quantitative research method was employed, targeting master’s and doctoral degree job seekers in China. Data were collected through non-random sampling, yielding 518 valid samples. The results support the theoretical model, with significant relationships found between the variables. Quality of work-life expectancy and career development opportunities, as instrumental attributes, along with university reputation as a symbolic attribute, influence perceived person-organisation fit and job pursuit intentions. The mediating role of perceived person-organisation fit is also confirmed. Theoretically, this study broadens the understanding of the instrumental-symbolic theory and person-organisation fit theory in the context of academic job pursuit. Practically, it provides strategies for organisations, especially universities, to enhance human resource management and talent acquisition.