Personality traits, socio-economic status and educational background of career-stable and unstable travel agency personnel

The study describes and compares the socio-economic status, educational background, and selected personality traits of career stable and unstable male and female agency personnel in Taipei, Taiwan. In this study, 72 (27 males and 45 females) travel agency personnel were surveyed and classified as stable and unstable based on the minimum requirement of having stayed in at least one job for three years. Demographic data on socio-economic status, average monthly income, and highest educational attainment, and selected personality traits were measured through a survey questionnaire and the standardized Guilford Personality Test. Results indicated that no significant difference in the educational attainment of male and female, stable and unstable travel agency personnel. Stable females had higher socio-economic status compared to stable males. This finding, however, appeared to point to gender differences as affecting job assignment more directly than that of career stability or instability. A significant difference was found in the general activity and ascendancy levels of stable and unstable females. Female travel agency personnel with high energy and ascendance level tended to seek more job mobility. Hence, they exhibited lesser career stability. No significant differences were detected in other personality traits across the gender and stability/instability groupings. The personality profile of the total sample, however, showed support for Holland\u27s typology of the enterprising environment because the sample scores were generally high in sociability, aggressiveness, general activity, and ascendancy. The career stability among travel agency personnel could only be minimally attributed to differences in personality traits and socio-economic status, and not at all in terms of educational attainment. This research recommends a broader approach to the study of career stability as may be related to socio-economic factors, educational background, and personality traits