Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the relative importance of personal-demographic and positional factors in predicting emotional intelligence (EI) among service workers in the Greek context. Design/methodology/approach: The study involved administering Schutte et al.'s SREIT test to employees engaged in retailing, insurance, banking, tourism, entertainment, professional and public services. Altogether data were collected from a total of 330 survey responses. Findings: The overall results of the data analysis suggest that twenty two percent of the variance in EI may be explained by the combined effect of personal (occupational choice) and positional factors (managerial level). Contrary to expectations, female gender and boundary-spanning role responsibilities were not statistically significant in the sample studied. Practical implications: These findings endorse the validity of incorporating EI interventions alongside the recruitment, selection, and training and development process both of supervisory and non-supervisory employees who choose to pursue a career in services. Originality/value: This paper establishes a link between EI, personal-demographic and positional factors. (Contains 4 tables.)