Personality as Predictor of Occupational Choice: Empirical Evidence from Germany

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of personality traits on occupational choice using data of the German Socio‐Economic Panel. We conduct multinomial logit analyses to differentiate male managers, professionals, technicians, clerks, service workers, and manual workers with respect to their personality as measured by the Big Five. The data provide extensive information on the socioeconomic background of individuals as well as characteristics of the workplace which are included as controls. The findings indicate that manual workers are less extroverted, more conscientious as well as less agreeable and open than employees from most other occupational groups. Practical implications of the results are discussed.