NEWCOMER INFORMATION-SEEKING - INDIVIDUAL AND CONTEXTUAL INFLUENCES

This study examined situational and individual influences on the proac tive information seeking of newcomers. Task interdependence was expect ed to be positively related to information seeking, given that it link s newcomers to organizational insiders. Newcomers' work related self-e fficacy and the physical accessibility of organizational insiders were both predicted to moderate the relationship between task interdepende nce and information seeking. Usable surveys were completed by 421 co-o p students (295 males and 126 females) who had been participating in c areer-relevant internships for approximately 4.5 weeks. All students w ere enrolled in an educational programme that rotates students between twelve weeks in class and twelve weeks on internship over a period of five years. Controlling for the number of previous internships and si ze of work group, results supported the joint moderating effect, with newcomers low on self-efficacy exhibiting greater information seeking when task interdependence and accessibility were high. Applied implica tions of the results and directions for future research on proactive i nformation seeking and socialization are discussed.