The Effect of Personality on EPL Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations among Graduates in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

The study tests the big five personality traits on entrepreneurial, professional and leadership (EPL) self-efficacies, job and entrepreneurial outcome expectation. It also examined the influence of these efficacies on their corresponding outcome expectations. The study design was cross-sectional and used a sample of 363 new graduates from Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. We used a regression path analysis to determine the causal model tested in this study. Results showed that extraversion, openness and agreeableness significantly lead to concurrently high EPL self-efficacies, neuroticism inversely related to professional and leadership self-efficacies, but conscientiousness did not relate with any of the self-efficacies. Second, agreeableness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness led to job and entrepreneurial outcome expectations. Third, only leadership self-efficacy led to both job and entrepreneurial outcome expectations. These findings deepen our understanding of how entrepreneurial, professional and career mindset can be achieved in an individual.