The potential application of the appraisal theory of emotions developed by I. Roseman and others (1990) to transactional models of stress-produced emotions in the work place was tested. Data were gathered from 231 graduate students in counseling who were asked to rate their appraisals of taking a new job and subsequent emotional reactions, as well as perceived coping resources. Structural equation modeling was used to test the theoretical predictions among study variables. The results of a LISREL model suggest that perceived levels of specific coping resources have impact on the appraised desirability of jobs and subsequent experience of positive and negative affect. Support was found for the appraisal theory in that appraisals of consistency of a new job with one's motives were related to positive emotion and inconsistency with motives to negative affect. Implications of these findings for vocational adjustment and stress-produced emotions in the work place are discussed. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 64 references.) (SLD)