Drawing on Holland's vocational theory, Schneider's Attraction-Selection-Attrition model, and the Big Five/narrow traits model of personality, the present study identified key BigFive and narrow personality traits that both distinguish scientists from members of other occupations and related these to their career satisfaction. A sample of 2,015 scientists had significantly higher levels of openness, intrinsic motivation, and tough-mindedness, and significantly lower levels of assertiveness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, optimism, and visionary style than a sample of nonscientists (n = 78,753). Seven traits were significantly correlated with the career satisfaction of scientists: agreeableness/ teamwork, assertiveness, emotional stability, extraversion, openness, optimism, and work drive. Based on these results, a psychological profile of scientists was presented. Findings were discussed in terms of the functional value and person-occupation fit of these traits for the work of scientists. Implications were described for the recruitment, selection, management, and promotion of scientists, as well as their training, development, coaching, counseling, and mentoring.R&D Management 42, 1, 2012.

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Language style matching ( LSM; the extent to which individuals match others’ function or “filler” words in communication) has been investigated as a potential predictor of rapport and team processes (e.g., trust). We examined the potential of LSM as an unobtrusive bottom-up indicator of rapport, trust, cohesion, and performance using a distributed, team problem-solving task. We found a dynamic relationship between LSM and performance. The relationship changes over time as team interaction progresses, but LSM also interacts with trust and rapport to affect performance. We introduce a model to explain the relationship between LSM, rapport, trust, and performance in this context.

Purpose -The purpose of the present study is to identify key personality traits which distinguish customer service (CS) employees from other occupations and are related to their career satisfaction. As hypothesized, 2,610 CS employees were differentiated from other occupational groups by higher levels of conscientiousness, customer service orientation, and lower tough-mindedness. Conscientiousness, customer service orientation, emotional stability, extraversion, and tough-mindedness were significantly, positively related to customer service representatives' (CSRs') career satisfaction. Results are discussed in terms of the adaptive value of these traits for the recruitment, selection, and management of customer service employees. Design/methodology/approach -Data for this study were extracted from an archival database containing information on individuals' many different occupations and industries, including 2,641 CSRs and 76,788 individuals in other occupations. Measures included demographic items and the Big Five personality traits as well six other narrow personality traits. Findings -As hypothesized, CS employees differed from other occupational groups by having higher levels of conscientiousness, customer service orientation, and lower tough-mindedness. Also, conscientiousness, customer service orientation, emotional stability, extraversion, and tough-mindedness were significantly, positively related to career satisfaction. Using hierarchical multiple regression, the Big Five traits (Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Emotional Stability) accounted for 22 percent of the variance in CSR career satisfaction, while the narrow traits added an additional 6 percent. Originality/value -The findings of the present study are original in that the authors used a relatively large sample to identify key personality traits which distinguish CS employees from other occupations and are related to their career satisfaction. An empirically validated personality profile of CS workers was presented. The typical CS representative is more: conscientious, optimistic, intrinsically motivated, tender-minded, deferential, conventional, willing to serve other people, and reluctant to work long hours or become workaholics.