Explaining Career Satisfaction on the Basis of Alumni Satisfaction, Gap Period and Gender: Evidence from Turkish Higher Education

Abstract

Despite all the ink split and words spoken, career satisfaction concept has not been evaluated sufficiently in some research areas, notably education and alumni literature. We aim to explain career satisfaction extending for individuals’ university education satisfaction, alumni satisfaction, unlike the previous studies. This paper also aims to shed light on differences in alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction in terms of employees’ demographic characteristics. Furthermore, we design a model in order to explain individuals’ career satisfaction associating with their alumni satisfaction, gap period and gender. In order to test the hypotheses, we draw a sample of 963 respondents graduated from a public university in Turkey. Linear regression analysis results indicate that alumni satisfaction explains significant level of career satisfaction. The explaining value is remarkable to turn researchers’ attention to investigate this field. In addition, alumni satisfaction scores show that there are significant differences in alumni satisfaction based upon age and gap period. Career satisfaction scores also indicate that there are significant difference in career satisfaction in terms of gender, occupation and gap period, as seen in t-test and ANOVA results. Finally, according to ordinal logistic regression analysis results, individuals having higher degree of alumni satisfaction are 4.56 times likely to get upper level career satisfaction than individuals having relatively low degree of alumni satisfaction. Moreover, individuals getting a job in two years after graduated from university are 3.97 times likely to get satisfaction from their career than those getting a job two years later after graduated from university. In addition, males are 1.74 times more likely to get higher satisfaction from their career than females. So the present research contributes a literature gap about satisfaction of alumni and career fields.

Full text

Asian Social Science; Vol. 11, No. 24; 2015
ISSN 1911-2017 E-ISSN 1911-2025
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
229
Explaining Career Satisfaction on the Basis of Alumni Satisfaction,
Gap Period and Gender: Evidence from Turkish Higher Education
Aygül Turan1, Ayşegül Özbebek Tunç2 & Esra Aydın Göktepe3
1 Economic and Administrative Programs, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
2 Department of Business Administration, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
3 Department of Business Administration, Istanbul Arel University, Istanbul, Turkey
Correspondence: Aygül Turan, Economic and Administrative Programs, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul,
Turkey. E-mail: ayturan@yildiz.edu.tr
Received: May 29, 2015 Accepted: July 17, 2015 Online Published: August 18, 2015
doi:10.5539/ass.v11n24p229 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n24p229
Abstract
Despite all the ink split and words spoken, career satisfaction concept has not been evaluated sufficiently in
some research areas, notably education and alumni literature. We aim to explain career satisfaction extending for
individuals’ university education satisfaction, alumni satisfaction, unlike the previous studies. This paper also
aims to shed light on differences in alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction in terms of employees’
demographic characteristics. Furthermore, we design a model in order to explain individuals’ career satisfaction
associating with their alumni satisfaction, gap period and gender. In order to test the hypotheses, we draw a
sample of 963 respondents graduated from a public university in Turkey. Linear regression analysis results
indicate that alumni satisfaction explains significant level of career satisfaction. The explaining value is
remarkable to turn researchers’ attention to investigate this field. In addition, alumni satisfaction scores show that
there are significant differences in alumni satisfaction based upon age and gap period. Career satisfaction scores
also indicate that there are significant difference in career satisfaction in terms of gender, occupation and gap
period, as seen in t-test and ANOVA results. Finally, according to ordinal logistic regression analysis results,
individuals having higher degree of alumni satisfaction are 4.56 times likely to get upper level career satisfaction
than individuals having relatively low degree of alumni satisfaction. Moreover, individuals getting a job in two
years after graduated from university are 3.97 times likely to get satisfaction from their career than those getting
a job two years later after graduated from university. In addition, males are 1.74 times more likely to get higher
satisfaction from their career than females. So the present research contributes a literature gap about satisfaction
of alumni and career fields.
Keywords: satisfaction, career, alumni, ordinal logistic regression
1. Introduction
Satisfaction is one of the important issues in almost every field in both theoretically and practically.
Organizations consider their customers, states care about their citizens, and similarly universities have time for
their students. Many scholars are interested in this issue by studying on its antecedents, measurement,
dimensions and implications. In general, satisfaction means that what people expect from something/somewhere
(Abbasi et al., 2011). In other words, if someone feels pleasure about that stem from comparing a thing's
performance to its expectation, we can say that this person can be satisfied (Parasuraman et al., 1988). Job
satisfaction is particularly known and interested side of this field. Mostly scholars argue that an employee may
satisfy about monetary and non-monetary returns from his/her job (Cabrera et al., 2008).
However, in this study, we focus on the satisfaction concept in the context of higher education because of that
our objective is to create some assumptions about alumni satisfaction. When a student graduates from a
university, s/he would like to have some skills that require for job search and placement (Shirai et al., 2013).
Some of these skills are knowledge, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, etc. So these
skills will probably contribute his/her career development and satisfaction with career in the future. On that
framework, it could be easily seen that career satisfaction is explained employees’ academic competence and
early career success (Dierendonck & Van der Gaast, 2013) as well as higher education satisfaction in other words

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alumni satisfaction.
2. Conceptual Framework and Hypotheses Development
2.1 Alumni Satisfaction
Understanding the dimensions of alumni satisfaction is a vital for developing educational outcomes and success
criteria and evaluating academic programs (Pike, 1994; Hartman & Schmidt, 1995; Pascarella & Terenzini,
2005). And also it is pivotal to find an answer to the question of “why is important to understand alumni
satisfaction?” Some scholars have tried to explain some reasons such as helping educational institutions
financially; being involved to them, providing positive word of mouth communication and supplying jobs (Enis,
1977; Hampton, 1983). Moreover, information from alumni surveys is used to inform fundraising, college
marketing, employment preparation, return on public investment, and institutional accountability such as
accreditation, program review, and performance funding (Erwin, 2012).
Alumni surveys have been spreading rapidly in academic field since 1979. Pace (1979) compiled studies from
1937 to 1976 and concluded that most studies focus on competencies acquired in college than alumni outcomes.
Pace (1979) reported that most of alumni believed that their college educations were relevant to their jobs. After
1980s, it was observed the contrast of this aspect (Cabrera et al., 2003). Researchers at Ohio University have
used an alumni survey in 1980s. The survey includes employment status, job satisfaction, the relevance of
college experiences, etc. The result from this research was that most alumni were satisfied with their college and
jobs. Also Pike (1993) found that alumni job satisfaction was positively correlated with satisfaction with the
college. Feldman and Newcomb (1973), Lenning (1977), and Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) studied on
relationship between student learning experiences and their development and satisfaction (Abbasi et al., 2011).
Results from these studies are positive relations between these concepts (Pike, 1993). In addition to them, Gaier
(2005) investigated the relationship between alumni satisfaction and alumni involvement (giving). According to
his research, more satisfied alumni with academic experiences results in more likely to be involved with the
college.
Scholars have tried to measure alumni satisfaction in terms of several determinants. Some of them have
suggested that alumni satisfaction is a beneficial tool to have an idea about the effect of the universities on
students (Pike, 1994; Pace, 1979). According to these studies, intellectual and personal developments were
among key satisfaction outcomes (Umbach & Porter, 2002). In another study, alumni satisfaction with higher
education was explained by a theoretical model includes performance-related outcomes-satisfaction relationships.
Intellectual environment and career preparation were handled as antecedents of alumni satisfaction in Hartman
and Schmidt’s study (1995). Pascarella and Terenzini (1978) indicated that there are two particular outcomes of
college -intellectual development and personal development-. According to previous studies, both individual and
environmental factors affect student and alumni satisfaction.
2.2 Career Satisfaction
Careers have been defined as a window through which we can see how individuals’ choices are interacted with
developments in society, organizations, and personal lives (Moen & Han, 2001). In terms of role theory, career is
defined as a set of occupational experiences and roles that make up one’s working life (Schein, 1975). Another
definition of career is the combination and sequence of roles (pupil or student, leisure, citizen, worker, spouse,
parent, and other work or social roles) played by a person during the course of a lifetime (Super, 1980).
Companies to keep employees in organization use the concept of career. Returning the literature, the construct
was put forth by Roe (1956) and contributed by Super (1957) and Tiedeman and O'Hara (1963). In recently
career literature, the keywords of career are career flexibility (Donnelly, 2015), life-long term learning (O'Neill
et al, 2015; Fletcher et. al, 2010), skills (Itani et al., 2015), affairs are referred to as network and matrix
organization structures or projects. (Sullivian et al. 2006) Therefore, activities after graduation by universities are
important and required on individuals’ life-long term learning and establishing network. Before describing career
satisfaction, the difference between career and job satisfaction has to be mentioned, because there is some
researches indicated the relationship between alumni satisfaction and job satisfaction (Pike, 1993); Feldman and
Newcomb (1973), Lenning (1977), Pascarella and Terenzini (1991). Career satisfaction is defined as the level of
overall happiness experienced through one's choice of occupations. On the other hand, job satisfaction depends
on work conditions, job location, market and on relates to one’s current work situation. On that framework, it
could be seen that career satisfaction -like job satisfaction- can be explained by alumni satisfaction.
Career satisfaction has been defined in many different ways. Generally, career satisfaction is the satisfaction that
individuals derive from the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of their careers, including pay, advancement, and
developmental opportunities (Greenhaus et al., 1990). Career satisfaction is also based on Holland (1959) and

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Super’s (1984) career choice theory, and Herzberg’s (1964) dual factor theory. According to Holland (1959),
career satisfaction of an employee depends on his/her experience, ability, value and achievements. Super (1984)
pointed out that changes in duties, a new implementation in the organization or changes in employee’s job
responsibilities affect career satisfaction. Furthermore, working conditions, allocation of financial rewards
workload, stress and conflicts between employees’ work and family life also affect career satisfaction (Dobson et
al., 2007; Mc Ginley, 2009; 14). Satisfaction is based on these factors and how employees perceive them. This
view stems from Herzberg’s theory that is pointed working conditions; salary and promotion are concerning
organizational factors. In addition, individual factors like achievement, nature of work, recognition and
development are motivator factors (Dinham & Scott, 1997).
Career satisfaction is important for both personal and organizational performance. Also it decreases turnover rate
and absence. One of the most important outputs for an organization is the workforce and organizations make
highest investments to it (August & Waltman, 2004). Using this source efficiently and effectively, it depends on
the employee’s desire and enthusiasm to work. Thus, organizations have to interest and give importance to their
career satisfaction, if they want their employees to be efficient. (Kumudha & Abraham, 2008). As a result, we
can say that career satisfaction is an important result of career planning and career management processes. The
objective of another career satisfaction study was to measure proactive personality and career success.
Participants of this study were alumni of a large private Midwestern university. Result of this study showed that
innovation, political knowledge, and career initiative had positive relationships with career progression (Seibert
et al., 1999).
Previous studies indicate the relationship between career satisfaction and other organizational outcomes.
However, the most important gap in related literature is about the relationship between alumni satisfaction and
career satisfaction. Career success of individuals in relation with the organization was handled in the previous
studies; nevertheless, university education and extracurricular activities’ effects on alumni career has not
examined, considering that occupational choice is one of the dimensions of Gutteridge’s (1983) career planning
model. Now that these are personal and organizational career development and this dimension is mostly affected
by educational choice. As people make choices and graduate from universities, they search a job related to their
educational background and they make their occupational choice. Therefore, unlike the previous research, career
and education relationship has to be research in detailed. To know which criteria will influence students' choices
is necessary for suppliers of educational services. Career satisfaction studies provide considerable knowledge
about which services will help students achieve their goals, and which factors determine overall student
satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Hartman & Schmidt, 1995). On the basis of the researches on satisfaction of
alumni and career, as mentioned before, we propose the following hypothesis:
Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction. (1H1: β ≠ 0)
Alumni satisfaction is differentiated according to demographic characteristics of alumnus. For instance, Pace
(1979) found that women tended to be more satisfied than men (Pike, 1994). Similar to Pace (1979), Phillippi
(1990) indicated that women tended to be more satisfied with college than men. Considering alumni satisfaction
should investigate in terms of some demographic characteristics, we propose the following hypothesis:
Hypothesis 2: There is a significant difference in alumni satisfaction in terms of (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital
status, (d) occupation and (e) gap period. (2H1: µa ≠ µb ≠ µc ≠ µd ≠ µe)
In August and Waltman’s study (2004), work and non-work influences were examined on career satisfaction
among a sample of dual-earner couples. As a result of this study, only spouse support was significantly correlated
with career satisfaction for husbands and work-related influences were significantly correlated with career
satisfaction for both husbands and wives. Another research investigating male and female physician career
satisfaction difference indicates more females than male physicians perceive that gender influences on career
advancement. In addition, female physician relatively low career satisfaction than male counterparts (Gerson et
al., 2007). Different from the results of researches, Yutzie et al. (2005) examined the surgeon carrer satisfaction
and found both genders satisfied with their surgical careers. So the concept of career satisfaction could be
investigated according to alumni’s demographic structure.
Hypothesis 3: There is a significant difference in career satisfaction in terms of (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital
status, (d) occupation and (e) gap period. (3H1: µa ≠ µb ≠ µc ≠ µd ≠ µe)
Considering researches indicating significant relationship between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction as
well as researches showing some demographic variables explain career satisfaction, which was attained from
previous research, we suggest the following hypothesis:

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Hypothesis 4: Individuals’ (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital status, (d) occupation and (e) gap period and (f)
alumni satisfaction level related with career satisfaction. (4H1: eβa, eβb ,eβc ,eβd ,eβe ,eβf ≠ 0)
3. Method
3.1 Participants
In order to determine the relationship between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction, we have collected data
from alumni graduated from a public university in Turkey. The university has an Alumni Information System
(AIS) archiving the alumni’s information, offering a network for alumni as well as serving job and internship
advertisements for its members. After the graduation, students have to register for AIS so that they can use it.
AIS has 111 139 members, however; only 17 366 members share their contact information. Considering that
population of this research is 111 139, sample size must be minimum 384 (Krejcie & Morgan, 1970). In order to
reach 384 alumni, 1000 alumni was selected randomly and sent the questionnaire to them. 971 alumni responded
the questionnaire with a %73 response rate, but 963 of them are available for statistical analysis.
As seen characteristics of the alumni sample in Table 1, among 963 respondents 66% are male, 49% are between
the ages of 22 and 26; 68% are single; 71% are engineers and 74% have got a job in 6 months since graduated
from the university (gap period).
3.2 Measurement Instruments
The questionnaire has comprised 8 items to measure alumni satisfaction, 5 items to measure career satisfaction, 7
open ended questions to determine demographic characteristics of alumni and 1 multiple choice question to ask
“what kind of things do you express your satisfaction with your university?”.
As an independent variable alumni satisfaction was measured by means of different general satisfaction and
alumni satisfaction scales adopted by Hartman and Schmidt (1995) who have developed the scale which inspired
by Hunt (1977), Oliver (1980) and Pike’s (1994) studies. Career satisfaction was measured by using Greenhaus,
Parasuraman and Wormley’s (1990) career satisfaction scale. We ask for respondents to grade items according to
five-point scale ranges from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.
Table 1. Characteristics of the alumni sample
Variable Number (%) Variable Number (%)
Gender Occupation
Male 624 66 % Faculty of Science 117 12 %
Female 319 34 % Architecture/ Engineering 667 71 %
Age Education 14 2 %
22-26 457 49 % Business Economics 65 7 %
26 -31 228 24 % School of Vocational Studies 22 2 %
32-39 126 13 % Art and Design 20 2 %
40-47 63 7 % Graduate School of Natural Sciences 17 2 %
48-56 43 4 % Graduate School of Social Sciences 22 2 %
57-66 15 2 % Gap Periods
Up to 66 9 1 % 0-6 month 635 74 %
Marital Status 7-12 month 111 13 %
Single 636 68 % 13-18 month 47 5 %
Married 304 32 % 19-24 month 22 3 %
Up to 24 month 39 5 %
3.3. Data Analysis
The correlation among variables in the scale is an essential prerequisite for the factor analysis. Therefore, KMO
and Barlett’s Test of Sphericity results were taken into account, before alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction
scales were factor analyzed. KMO value of alumni and career satisfaction scales was 0,945 and Bartlett's Test of
Sphericity is significant (p<0.05), so, variables in the scales was significantly correlated to factor analyzed.
Conducting a single exploratory factor analysis of alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction scales, results

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indicated that there are two separate factors that were extracted with eigenvalues of one or greater. In addition,
both two factors have explained 75.9 percent of the total variance. By using the Varimax rotation method, it was
obvious that alumni satisfaction scale’s 8 items were settled in a factor as well as career satisfaction scales 5
items were settled in the other. So, no items were dropped from subsequent analyses, as seen in Table 2.
Following the factor analysis, reliability analyses have conducted to measure internal consistency of the alumni
and career satisfaction scales. Crombach Alpha values for Alumni Satisfaction Scale was found 0.95 and for
Career Satisfaction Scale 0.93. These results indicated that the scales are found to be reliable to measure the
concepts.
Table 2. Factor loadings
FAC TORS Factor
Loadings Mean Variance exp.
(%)
Cronbach
Alpha (α)
Factor 1:Alumni Satisfaction (8 Items) 3.59 29. 629 0.95
AS1. I am satisfied with my decision to choose [university name]
for my university education. .875
AS4. I think that I did the right thing when I decided to chose
[university name]. .867
AS3. My choice to be educated at [university name] was a wise
one. .866
AS2. If I had got a univerisity education, I would have chosen the
[university name] again. .851
AS8. I would recommend [university name] to students interested
in a business career. .803
AS5. My educational background gave me an advantage over
students from other schools on my first job. .771
AS6. My educational background prepared me well for my
current position. .759
AS7. My educational background adequately developed my
technical skills. .708
Factor 2: Career Satisfaction (5 Items) 3.54 31.621 0.93
CS12. I am satisfied with the progress I have made toward
meeting my goals for advancement .873
CS10. I am satisfied with the progress I have made toward
meeting my overall career goals. .860
CS11. I am satisfied with the progress I have made toward
meeting my goals for income .848
CS9. I am satisfied with the progress I have achieved in my
career. .825
CS13. I am satisfied with the progress I have made toward
meeting my goals for the development of new skills. .737
KMO=0.945
Chi-Square Bartlett's Test (p=0.000)
75.975
After controlling the scale reliability and consistency, we conducted correlation and linear regression analyses to
attain the association between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction. After that we investigated the
differences alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction in terms of demographic characteristics of individuals with
analysis of variance. In order to explain career satisfaction in detail, we transformed career satisfaction data into
ordinal nature (low-medium-high) first and then we conducted logistic regression analysis between career
satisfaction (ordinal) and alumni satisfaction (interval), gap period (ordinal), marital status (categorical), gender
(categorical), college major (categorical) in single model. We applied Drory and Glukinos (1980) method for
career satisfaction as low, middle and high level of career satisfaction of individuals. Total scores of career

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satisfaction were allocated below %25, from %25 to % 75 and above %75, and entitled low, medium and high
level of career satisfaction, respectively. Career satisfaction was measured 5 items and total scores changed
between 5 and 25. For, career satisfaction was measures 5 items, 0 to 10 scores entitled low level career
satisfaction, 11 to 19 scores as medium level career satisfaction and 20 to 25 as high level career satisfaction.
3.4 Results
Correlation and regression analyses are conducted to test the first hypothesis. As seen Pearson Correlation
Coefficient value (0.627), there is a moderate positive relationship between alumni satisfaction and career
satisfaction. In addition, the result of the regression analysis pointed out that alumni satisfaction explains 39% of
variance of career satisfaction. So, the first hypothesis is supported.
Investigating whether or not there is a difference in alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction in terms of
alumni’s demographic characteristics, we have done variance analyses to test hypotheses 2 and hypotheses 3.
One-way between subjects ANOVA has been conducted in order to research the differentiation of alumni’s
satisfaction and their career satisfaction in terms of demographic characteristics (gender, age, gap period, marital
status and occupation) as well as Tukey HSD Test has been done to see Post Hoc comparison between groups.
Table 3 summarizes that there are significant differences in alumni’s satisfaction based upon age and gap period.
Given Tukey test results, we identify the differences between groups and which groups mean scores higher.
Tukey HSD test indicates that the mean score for satisfaction of alumni between the ages of 48 and 56 is higher
than satisfaction of alumni between the ages of 32 and 39 (4.011 > 3.364). The test also clarifies that the mean
score for alumni satisfaction in terms of gap periods. That is, alumni whose gap period between 7 and 12 months
have higher alumni satisfaction than alumni whose gap period 2 years and over (3.50 > 2.95). In addition, the
test indicates that the mean score for satisfaction of alumni whose gap period in the 0-6 months is higher than
satisfaction of alumni whose gap period in the range 2 years and over (3.68 > 2.95). Consequently, hypothesis 2
is partially supported in the research model.
Table 3. ANOVA test results summary
Gender Age Gap Period Marital Status Occupation
Difference YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO
Alumni Satisfaction X X X X X
Career Satisfaction X X X X X
As seen in Table 3, there are significant differences in career satisfaction in terms of genders, occupations and
gap periods. Tukey HSD test shows that the mean score for male’s career satisfaction is higher than women’s
career satisfaction (3.59 > 3.46). Another differentiation has been found in occupations, in that career satisfaction
of alumni having graduate degree in faculty of education is higher than alumni having graduate degree in faculty
of science (4.0143 > 3.3724). Tukey test indicates the mean scores for career satisfaction in terms of gap periods.
In other words, alumni whose gap period between 0 and 6 months have higher career satisfaction than between
13 and 18 months (3.67 > 3.08). In addition, alumni whose gap period 2 years and over have lower career
satisfaction than between 7 and 12 months, 19 and 24 months as well as 0 and 6 months (2.95 > 3.46 >
3.63 >3.67). As a consequence, hypothesis 3 is partially supported in the research model.
Finally, we analyzed which demographic characteristics could explain individuals’ career satisfaction, as
indicated in hypothesis 4. Achieving these issues, we conducted ordinal logistic regression analyses career
satisfaction with alumni satisfaction and demographic variables. As mentioned before career satisfaction was
evaluated ordinal nature (low-medium-high) and demographic variables are categorical and ordinal as well.
Research models are structured one dependent variable (career satisfaction) and all independent variable (age,
gap period, marital status, gender, occupation and college major) are evaluated one single equation. Results
indicated in Table 4.
Table 4 represent good fit model (X2 (5, N= 963) = 295.365; p=0.000) and Pseudo R2 values are about 0.304 and
0.373. Results indicate that alumni satisfaction, gap period and gender are significantly relation with career
satisfaction. Overall model is significant and alumni satisfaction, gap period and gender explain approximately
37 % variance of career satisfaction. Parallel lines test indicates non-significant results, so we can say one
equation was valid for proportional odds tests (p=0.241). We can interpret that for one unit decrease in alumni

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satisfaction the odds representing high level career satisfaction versus the combined middle and low level career
satisfaction categories are 4.56 times greater, given that all of other variables in the model are held constant.
Similarly, the odds of combined representing high and middle level career satisfaction categories versus low 4.56
times greater (test of parallel lines support this result). So, it can be said individuals having higher degree of
alumni satisfaction are more likely to get upper level satisfaction from their career than individuals having
relatively low degree of alumni satisfaction.
Table 4. Results of ordinal logistic regression between demographic characteristics, alumni satisfaction and
career satisfaction (used logit link function)
Variable Estimate Odds =
EXP(Est) Sig. Wa ld
Statis.
Test of Parallel
Line (Ch.Sq/ Sig)
MODEL Threshol
d
Career Satisfaction 6.734/ p= 0.241
Alumni (Low-Medium) 2.619 0.000 56.695
Satisfac. (Medium-High) 7.372 0.000 248.006
+ Location Alumni Satisfaction 1.519 4.56 0.000 206.763
Demog- Gap Period (Below 24 months) 1.379 3.97 0.001 10.838
raphics Gap Period (Above 24 months) 0a
 Gender (Man) 0.558 1.74 0.001 10.513
Career Gender (Woman) 0a
Satisfac. Result Cox&Snell R2/Nagelkerke R2 0.304 / 0.373
X
2 (Model Fit) 295.365; p=0.000
a This parameter is set zero because it is redundant. Dependent variable: Career Satisfaction (Model),
Independent Variables: Alumni Satisfaction, Demographics (Gap Period, Marital Status, Gender, College Major)
EXP: Exponent, Est: Estimate. (Only significant results were indicated in Table. Age, marital status, occupation
and college major are non-significant relationship between career satisfaction.)
In addition, the results in model in Table 4 shows males respondents 1.74 times more likely to represent high
level career satisfaction with regard to middle and low level career satisfaction than female counterparts.
Likewise, males are 1.74 times more likely to represent high and medium level career satisfaction with regard to
low level career satisfaction than females (test of parallel lines support this result). On the other hand, marital
status does not significantly explain career satisfaction (p=0.401>0.05) in the model.
Table 4 also indicate that one unit decrease in gap period (from above 24 months to below 24 months) the odds
representing high level career satisfaction versus the combined middle and low level career satisfaction
categories are 3.97 times greater, given that all of other variables in the model are held constant. Also the odds of
combined high representing high and middle level career satisfaction categories versus low 3.97 times greater
(test of parallel lines support this result). The results could be interpreted that individuals finding a job in 2 years
after graduated from university have upper level satisfaction from their career than those finding a job following
2 years after graduated from university. Considering the impact of alumni satisfaction, gap period, marital status,
gender and college major on career satisfaction as seen in Table 4, we could say hypothesis 4 is partially
supported.
4. Conclusion and Discussion
Previous studies have examined separately some outcomes stem from alumni satisfaction (Pace, 1979; Pike,
1993; Hartman & Schmidt, 1995; Gaier, 2005) and career satisfaction (Seibert et al., 1999; Kumudra & Abraham,
2008). We want to handle these concepts together. For this reason, it is a pioneering research to explore
relationships between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction. The current study tested this relation for 963
alumni in the same university. As seen in results, three critical findings of this study support our hypotheses. First,
we found that there is a moderate positive relationship between alumni satisfaction and career satisfaction. This
result means that these two concepts are so related and need to be examined together. We try to meet this need in
the related literature.
Second, there is a significant difference in alumni satisfaction in terms of age and gap period. We can comment
on results regarding age in a different way. We can say that young people have more expectations from

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something such as universities, companies, lifestyles, etc. On the other hand, old people behave generally
contented to something happened. So, we can think that this result can be considered as an output of this
situation. As we look the gap period results, we see that newly alumni have higher satisfaction than the others.
Alumni got a job in a few months have higher alumni satisfaction and also career satisfaction (it will be
mentioned at below). Because job placement can positively support the perception about the university graduated.
People can assume that they had good education if they get a job easily and quickly. So, they feel satisfied from
the universities.
Third, there is a significant difference in career satisfaction in terms of gender, occupation and gap period.
Results regarding gender, unlike previous studies, show that men have higher career satisfaction than women.
There can be two reasons for this result. Firstly, YTU is a popular university especially in engineering fields and
men prefer engineering faculties/departments than women in Turkey. This trend may explain why these results
occur. Secondly, the men percentage of our sample is 66%. When we assess career satisfaction results in terms of
occupation, we see that alumni from faculty of education have higher career satisfaction than alumni from
faculty of science. Lack of laboratory facilities & equipment can be one reason of this data because it may cause
the inconsistency between education and real business conditions and then affect people’s career satisfaction.
Besides for gap period results, we can say that there is a negative relationship between gap period and career
satisfaction. When the gap period increases, career satisfaction decreases. To not get a job after graduation can
make people hopeless and unsatisfied from many things including career.
Fourth, career satisfaction could be explained combined alumni satisfaction, gap period and gender. Individuals
having higher degree of alumni satisfaction are more likely to get upper level career satisfaction than individuals
having relatively low degree of alumni satisfaction. Moreover, individuals getting a job in two years after
graduated from university are more likely to get satisfaction from their career than those getting a job two years
later after graduated from university. In addition, males are more likely to get higher satisfaction from their
career than females. Significant results of this overall model illustrates that satisfaction from university that
individuals graduated from, whether could get a job rapidly after graduation and genders are predictors for career
satisfaction. Considering that prestigious universities have made effort to integrate some companies and
institutes, alumnus graduated from those could be higher satisfaction from their career.
The results and conclusions from this study need to be considered in some limitations. The major limitation of
the present study is about sample. The career satisfaction data of this paper presents an overall assessment to be
generalized because of career diversity among the participants of this study. However, alumni satisfaction results
cannot be generalized like career satisfaction because we collected alumni data from only one university. On the
other hand, career diversity could be a limitation because opportunities differentiate from one area to another.
Taking the majority of sample (71%-engineers) and scope of the sample university (technical education) are into
consideration, we partially eliminate the career diversity issues. The other limitation is regarding with our model
with just two variables. The model can be modified with some other variables such as alumni involvement
(giving). Every limitation can be considered as a future research direction.
The results of present research contribute to universities in a different way by proposing practical implications.
Universities need to develop themselves. In addition to educational improvement, this requires receiving
feedback from students and alumni. Many universities conduct a survey to their students. But then alumni has
disregarded by universities. This study emphasizes the importance of alumni satisfaction assessment and its
relation with career satisfaction. This evaluation can contribute the prestige, popularity and preferability of
universities when sharing with the public and potential students. On the other hand, the matching alumni and
career satisfaction gives universities a chance to change or update the educational schedule in their faculties. So
that, they can compare realized and expected education in terms of career options.
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