Investigating Teachers’ Occupational Evaluations: Evidence from High School Teachers in Turkey

This study investigates the relationship between teachers’ occupational prestige perception and occupational turnover intenti on based on teachers’ emotional attitudes to their occupation. The data used in this study were obtained from 146 teachers work ing in high schools located in the Izmit region of Turkey. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to estimate the relationship between teachers’ occupational prestige perceptions, commitment and turnover intention interaction. The results of regression analysis showed that there was a negative relationship between external occupational prestige perception and teachers’ occupational turnover intention (β=-. 23, p<0.001) with a full mediating role of affective occupational commitment. (β= -. 40, p<0.001) The findings of this research demonstrate that positive occupational prestige perceptions are an important variable when examining individuals’ career mobility especially for those who are not satisfied with their salary.