Vocational behavior from the dark side

The purpose of our review is to document existing studies on vocational behavior from the dark side of personality, with the aims of promoting and informing new research. Although relevant research was published as far back as the 1930s, this review contains evidence for an assertion that the dark side should be studied more regularly by scholars interested in vocational behavior. We focus primarily on what is known of relevance about more-established dark constructs: social dominance orientation and the Dark Triad of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Nevertheless, we also describe the promise of emerging constructs: psychological entitlement, dispositional greed, and traits of the Hogan Development Survey. To organize research published from 1938 to the beginning of 2018, outcomes are categorized as either vocational choice or adjustment. For each category, we document how many studies exist along with what the findings reveal. In offering theoretical insights to aid new research, we address supplementary and complementary (person–environment) fit pertaining to social, job, and organizational levels. The information encompassed by this review both substantiates the dark side of personality as relevant to research on vocational behavior and provides avenues for research scholars and vocational counselors to pursue. •This review documents existing studies on vocational behavior from the dark side of personality.•We focus primarily on social dominance orientation and the Dark Triad, while also reviewing a few emerging constructs.•Implications for individuals' vocational choice and adjustment are addressed, with person–environment fit also considered.•Research published from 1938 to the beginning of 2018 is included.•The content informs readers of existing research and outlines possibilities for new research.