Second-career teacher selection in Austria: the online assessment TESAT-SC predicts self-assessed job success

Abstract In response to the Austrian government’s initiative to allow professionals from diverse fields to transition into teaching in secondary education, this longitudinal study examines the experiences of second-career teachers during their first year in the profession. The study pursued two objectives: (1) exploring the job situation and experience of candidates who have successfully completed the admission process, and (2) assessing the prognostic validity of the online assessment Teacher Student Assessment Austria-Second Career (TESAT-SC). Follow-up surveys conducted after the first six weeks and the first school year reveal high job satisfaction, low intention to quit and dropout rates, but a high workload of those who entered the teaching profession. The study found that several characteristics measured by the TESAT-SC, particularly health and recreation behavior, extraversion, agreeableness and openness to diversity, significantly predicted outcomes such as job satisfaction, classroom management, and lower burnout, albeit with small effect sizes. The findings suggest that second-career teachers are generally well-matched to the demands of teaching, even though they are experiencing a high workload. The study reinforces the value of the personality-based assessment TESAT-SC in selecting candidates well-suited for teaching success, while highlighting areas for future enhancements of its predictive robustness.