Integrating interests, personality, character strengths, and person-job fit in relation to work outcomes

Objective: Vocational interests, personality traits, and character strengths overlap conceptually and empirically, but their shared versus domain-specific associations with work outcomes – and the role of person-job fit across these domains – are not well described. We examined these domains jointly to capture the interplay among individual differences, perceived job demands, and person–job fit with work outcomes.Method: We analyzed data from N = 259 working adults (79% women, aged 20-73, Md = 38). Participants self-rated vocational interests (RIASEC), Five-Factor personality dimensions, and VIA character strengths, and, for each domain, rated the importance of these attributes as perceived job demands. Perceived person–job fit was operationalized as correspondence between self-ratings and job-demand ratings within domains. Outcomes were work satisfaction, engagement, and self-rated performance. Results: All three domains showed meaningful associations with all outcomes. Effects reflected substantial overlap among domains, alongside smaller domain-specific contributions that differed by outcome. Person-job fit showed small links with satisfaction and engagement—most consistently for vocational interests—whereas associations with self-rated performance were weaker and less consistent across domains.Conclusion: Interests, personality, and character strengths capture overlapping yet nonidentical aspects of work-related functioning. Integrating strengths with vocational and personality frameworks may inform development-oriented vocational assessment and counseling.