In any description of the Rat-personality, the key-word is "charm". Indeed, anyone who begrudges being thought of as a Rat can take heart from the fact that, in Chinese, the word for rat is also used for mouse, mole, hamster, and several other small furry creatures.
The Rat is adaptable and creative, not lacking in flair or inventiveness. But, quick-witted, bright and sociable, the Rat also tends towards ostentatiousness and name-dropping in pursuit of what is today often euphemistically called "upward mobility".
The Rat's outward personality is certainly appealing: but below the surface there often abides a crafty and opportunist character, who tends to 'use' friends before eventually losing or dropping them, for one reason or another.
In financial matters, Rat-personalities are erratic; scrimping, cutting corners and budgeting carefully when money is scarce, but spending lavishly instead of saving in times of plenty.
Bright and gregarious, with a well-developed taste for gossip, the Rat's intellectual versatility is not always immediately apparent. In particular, Rat's have a remarkable commend of abstract notions, such as numbers, and in a business situation they make great planners, especially when detailed and complex calculations are involved.