Personality characteristics of stockbrokers: Implications for job success, stress, and burnout

Research has illuminated high levels of burnout among stockbrokers and has identified significant correlations between elevated burnout levels and decreased work productivity, mental health, and quality of life (Cass, 2000; Millward, 2001). Though correlations between personality and job-related outcomes have been demonstrated with various professions, research on stockbrokers is noticeably lacking. One of the aims of the present study was to gain a better understanding of the individuals in this profession. Additionally, the study examined the income, job burnout, and job satisfaction levels of South Florida stockbrokers and the relationships between these job-related outcomes and personality characteristics.;Forty male stockbrokers between the ages of 22 and 34 participated in the study and completed the California Psychological Inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Abridged Job Descriptive Index, and a demographic questionnaire. Hypothesis testing utilized seven personality subscales: Dominance, Capacity for Status, Social Presence, Sociability, Self-control, Responsibility and Femininity/Masculinity. Results revealed partial support for study hypotheses: stockbrokers differed significantly from business executives on Responsibility and Self-control. Income was significantly correlated with Dominance, Social Presence, Sociability, Self-control, and Femininity/Masculinity and modestly correlated with Responsibility. Job satisfaction was modestly correlated with Dominance and Social Presence. However, burnout was not significantly correlated with any of the personality subscales.;Stepwise multiple regression analysis utilizing the seven personality subscales to predict income revealed the best-fitting model to include Self-control and Dominance. The model containing Dominance, Capacity for Status, and Sociability was significantly predictive of satisfaction. However, no significant model emerged to predict burnout. When examining the interrelationships between job-related outcomes, satisfaction was positively correlated with income and negatively correlated with burnout; however, income and burnout were not significantly correlated.;This study offers partial support for Cass (2000) and Millward (2001): high levels of burnout were found among the stockbrokers, though no significant relationship was found between Depersonalization and income. Additionally, the current study found Personal Accomplishment to be positively correlated with income. Like previous research that has identified self-esteem as important to job performance and offsetting negative work environments, this study found that more confident stockbrokers earned higher incomes and endorsed higher satisfaction levels.