The relationship between personality preference and career anchors amongst police officers within the western cape

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the personality preference and career anchors of police officers. The idea that personality relates meaningfully to the kinds of careers people choose and how they perform in these careers, has a long history in career psychology. A large body of empirical evidence suggests that the career choice behaviour of individuals can be predicted through personality assessment (Tokar, Fischer & Subich, 1998). Increasing research is being done on the role of personality in adapting effectively to new career demands. The operating environment of the South African Police Service is both challenging and demanding; often putting the life of the active police officer in great danger (Marks, 2003). This begets the question why any person would choose the career of being a police officer, what type of personality preference would the person choosing such a career have and what career anchors would have an influence in this choice of career. It is anticipated that the results of this study can provide more clarity and assist police officers in planning their career.