Career Calling and Work Motivation in Traditional and Non-Traditional College Students
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to help define career-related calling through the perception of traditional (18 to 24 years of age) and non-traditional (25 and older) college students and identify what variables of motivation are related to calling. Three hundred and fifty-one participants completed an online survey that measured calling through The Career and Vocational Questionnaire (CVQ), and motivation through the Work Preference Inventory (WPI). Pearson Correlation and independent t-test were used in statistical analysis. Correlational analysis revealed that presence of calling and search for calling are significantly related to intrinsic motivation. Analysis also showed that level of presence of calling differed between traditional and non-traditional college students, with traditional students endorsing a slightly higher level of calling related to their career. Lastly, the analysis indicated that level of intrinsic motivation did not differ between the two groups.