The purpose of this study is to explore the preconditions of trust. Using a sample of more than 13,000 university graduates in Europe, the impact of competence mismatch on trust-related behavior is investigated. The existing literature estimates the overall impact of skills matches on job outcomes, while this study explores the links between nineteen skills/competencies and trust. Theoretical analyses are grounded in one of the mainstays of management studies: a "fit theory" that conjectures that the performance of an individual is driven by the extent to which the environment is congruent...