The Effect of Job Placement on the Performance of Educational Staff at Universitas Mulawarman: The Mediating Role of Career Development

This study investigates the impact of job placement on the performance of educational staff at Universitas Mulawarman, Indonesia, with career development as a mediating variable. This study is driven by the ongoing challenge of optimizing administrative efficiency and utilizing human capital within higher education institutions. Utilizing Person–Job Fit Theory and Human Capital Theory, this study posits that appropriate job placement enhances employee performance both directly and indirectly through career development opportunities. A quantitative explanatory approach was employed, and data were collected from 135 administrative employees across various faculties and units using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4. The results revealed that job placement had a significant positive effect on both career development (β = 0.748, p < 0.001) and employee performance (β = 0.644, p < 0.001). Furthermore, career development positively influenced performance (β = 0.268, p < 0.001) and mediated the relationship between job placement and performance (β = 0.201, p < 0.001). These findings empirically validate an integrated framework combining person-job fit and human capital theory. This study contributes to the human resource management literature by demonstrating that employee performance in higher education is contingent not only on correct job placement but also on continuous career growth. Practically, the results underscore the necessity of competency-based placement systems and structured development programs to enhance organizational effectiveness and sustainability within the public education sector.

job placement; career development; employee performance

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