Personality characteristics and profiles of employed and outplaced executives using the 16PF

This article examines the psychological profiles of recently terminated executives. The 16PF was used to explore the personality characteristics of outplaced executives. It hypothesizes that recently terminated executives have fundamentally different personality profiles than those of employed executives. The personality profiles of recently terminated executives were compared to personality profiles of a normative group of employed business executives and the personality profiles of a group of executives terminated in 1982. Results indicated that recently terminated executives are identifiable as statistically different from employed executives on 4 of the 16 personality factors. There was no statistical difference between recently terminated executives and the 1982 sample, however, recently terminated executives demonstrated fewer discrepancies from employed executives. Outplacement firms and psychologists working with recently terminated executives need to assist their clients in exploring and modifying these personality profile differences.