Chapter 10: Managing Your Career

Multiple Choice
1. _____ is a process for enabling employees to better understand and
develop their career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests
most effectively within the company and afterwards.
a. Organizational development
b. Career management
c. Career development
d. Career planning
e. Training
b! easy! p. "#$%
&. Career management refers to the _____.
a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills'
interests' knowledge' motivations! ac(uires information about
opportunities! identifies career goals! and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person)s career
e*ploration' establishment' success' and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
c! moderate! p. "#$%
". The lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person)s career
e*ploration' establishment' success' and fulfillment is called _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
c! easy! p. "#$%
1+,
-. Career development refers to the _____.
a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills'
interests' knowledge' motivations! ac(uires information about
opportunities! identifies career goals! and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person)s career
e*ploration' establishment' success' and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
b! moderate! p. "#$%
#. Career planning refers to the _____.
a. process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills'
interests' knowledge' motivations! ac(uires information about
opportunities! identifies career goals! and establishes action plans to
attain those goals
b. the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person)s career
e*ploration' establishment' success' and fulfillment
c. process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their
career skills and interests and to use these skills and interests most
effectively within the company and afterwards
d. process of using activities like training and appraisal to provide a
career focus
e. occupational positions a person has over his or her lifetime
a! moderate! p. "#$%
.. The process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills'
interests' knowledge' motivations! ac(uires information about
opportunities! identifies career goals! and establishes action plans to attain
those goals is called _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
d! easy! p. "#$%
1,$
/. 0ackie is working with a coach to identify her personal skills and interests.
Then she plans to get information about opportunities that fit her skills and
interests and set career goals for what she seeks to accomplish. 0ackie is
the midst of _____.
a. organizational development
b. career management
c. career development
d. career planning
e. training
d! easy! p. "#$%
+. 1ow does human resource management with a career development focus
differ from human resource management with a traditional focus2
a. it includes 3ob analysis
b. it includes skill analysis
c. it pro3ects needs
d. it uses statistical data
e. it includes information about individual interests and preferences
e! difficult! p. "#$%
,. The human resource activity that involves analyzing 3obs' skills' and tasks
in the present and future and seeks to pro3ect organizational needs is
_____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
c! easy! p. "#1%
1$. The human resource activity that involves providing opportunities for
learning skills' information' and 3ob4related attitudes is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
e! easy! p. "#1%
1,1
11. The human resource activity that involves rating performance and rewards
is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
a! easy! p. "#1%
1&. The human resource activity that involves matching an organization)s
needs with the skills of (ualified individuals is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
d! easy! p. "#1%
1". The human resource activity that involves providing rewards for seniority'
productivity and talent is _____.
a. performance appraisal
b. compensation and benefits management
c. human resource planning
d. recruitment and placement
e. training and development
b! easy! p. "#1%
1-. 1ow do training and development with a career development focus differ
from training and development with a traditional focus2
a. it provides opportunities for learning skills
b. it provides opportunities for identifying 3ob4related attitudes
c. it provides career path information
d. it provides information about one)s 3ob
e. there is no difference
c! difficult! p. "#1%
1#. 1ow does performance appraisal with a career development focus differ
from performance appraisal with a traditional focus2
a. it focuses on ratings
b. it focuses on rewards
c. it includes an appraisal of 3ob performance
d. it includes individual development plans
e. there is no difference
d! difficult! p. "#1%
1,&
1.. 1ow do recruiting and placement with a career development focus differ
from recruiting and placement with a traditional focus2
a. it matches an organization)s needs with (ualified individuals
b. it attempts to gather a sufficient pool of applicants
c. it includes testing to determine the best fit
d. it matches individuals with 3obs based on an employee)s career
interests
e. there is no difference
d! difficult! p. "#1%
1/. 1ow do compensation and benefits with a career development focus differ
from compensation and benefits with a traditional focus2
a. productivity is rewarded
b. non43ob4related activities are included in those to be rewarded
c. talent is rewarded
d. time is rewarded
e. there is no difference
b! difficult! p. "#1%
1+. 5f an employer offers to add non43ob4related activities to the list of things
to be rewarded' it is encouraging a career development focus to the human
resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
e! moderate! p. "#1%
1,. 5f an employer offers to add individually4geared development plans and
individual goal setting' it is encouraging a career development focus to the
human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
c! moderate! p. "#1%
1,"
&$. 5f an employer offers to add career path information' it is encouraging a
career development focus to the human resource activity focused on
_____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
b! moderate! p. "#1%
&1. 5f an employer offers to add information about individual interests and
preferences to its employee database' it is encouraging a career
development focus to the human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
a! moderate! p. "#1%
&&. 5f an employer offers to match individuals and 3obs based on a number of
variables including employee career interests' it is encouraging a career
development focus to the human resource activity focused on _____.
a. human resource planning
b. training and development
c. performance appraisal
d. recruiting and placement
e. compensation and benefits
d! moderate! p. "#1%
&". 6ho is responsible for the planning' guiding' and developing an
employee)s career2
a. the immediate supervisor
b. the employee
c. the organization
d. human resources
e. the development officer
b! easy! p. "#1%
&-. 7achel is a nurse and she feels dissatisfied at work. 6hat could be wrong2
a. her 3ob may not be structured to suit her preferences
b. The employer may do things in a way that doesn)t fit 7achel)s style
c. nursing may not be the right occupation for her
d. her hours may be too long
e. all of the above
e! easy! p. "#"%
1,-
&#. 7esponsibility for career development should always be left to the _____.
a. employee
b. supervisor
c. manager
d. company
e. career success team
a! easy! p. "#"%
&.. 0ack is dissatisfied with work so he is considering a career change. 6hat
should 0ack do before he changes occupations2
a. consider what he wants from a 3ob
b. compare his ideal situation to his current one
c. discuss his career goals with a role model
d. conduct informational interviews with people whose 3obs interest him
e. all of the above
e! easy! p. "#"%
&/. 8ometimes an employee finds that he or she is happy with the occupation
and the employer' but the 3ob is not organized in an optimal way. 6hat
action might be recommended for this employer2
a. change employers
b. change occupations
c. consider alternative work arrangements like fle*time
d. enhance contacts with others outside the company
e. conduct informational interviews with people whose 3obs are
interesting
c! moderate! p. "#"%
&+. 9lternative work arrangements include all of the following e*cept
a. part4time work
b. fle*ible hours
c. on4site child care
d. telecommuting
e. 3ob sharing
c! moderate! p. "#-%
&,. 9 :stretch assignment; refers to a 3ob function that _____.
a. includes a physical e*ertion component
b. provides time for working out at the company gym
c. will let one work on something challenging
d. eliminates some 3ob functions
e. allows working in teams
c! moderate! p. "#-%
1,#
"$. 6hy do many successful people turn down the opportunity to mentor
another person2
a. it is time consuming
b. they may not feel they can be ob3ective when offering career advice
c. they may have direct supervisory responsibility over the person
d. they may feel too busy to commit
e. all of the above
e! easy! p. "#-%
"1. Michele has asked her current supervisor' 0ason' to serve as her mentor.
0ason seems like a good choice to Michele because he was promoted
(uickly in the company and is well respected by others. 1owever' she
feels uncomfortable discussing her weaknesses with him. This is a
problem for Michele because she would like advice on career growth.
6hat went wrong2
a. an appropriate mentor does not have direct supervisory responsibility
over the mentee
b. 0ason isn)t willing to commit the necessary time to Michele)s
professional development
c. Michele didn)t make it clear what she e*pected in terms of advice
d. Michele didn)t use an agenda to guide discussion topics
e. Michele isn)t respecting 0ason)s time
a! moderate! p. "#-%
"&. Michele is meeting with her mentor' 0ason' today. <ach month they meet
for lunch' but Michele is concerned that she isn)t really benefiting from
the relationship. 6hat might be the problem2
a. 0ason isn)t willing to commit the necessary time to Michele)s
professional development
b. Michele didn)t make it clear what she e*pected in terms of advice
c. Michele didn)t use an agenda to guide discussion topics
d. Michele isn)t respecting 0ason)s time
e. =oth b and c
e! moderate! p. "#-%
"". 9ssessing interests' seeking out career information' and utilizing
development opportunities are all part of the _____)s role in career
development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. supervisor
d. company
e. human resource specialist
a! moderate! p. "#"%
1,.
"-. >roviding timely performance feedback' development assignments' and
support are all part of the _____)s role in career development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. employee
d. company
e. human resource specialist
b! moderate! p. "#.%
"#. >roviding training and development opportunities' and career information
and programs are all part of the _____)s role in career development.
a. individual
b. manager
c. supervisor
d. company
e. human resource specialist
d! moderate! p. "#"%
".. 6hich of the following is part of the organization)s role in an employee)s
career development2
a. communicating the mission' policies' and procedures
b. providing timely performance feedback
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. seeking out career information
a! easy! p. "#"%
"/. 6hich of the following is part of a manager)s role in an employee)s career
development2
a. communicating the mission' policies' and procedures
b. utilizing career development opportunities
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. seeking out career information
c! easy! p. "#"%
"+. 6hich of the following is part of an employee)s role in his or her own
career development2
a. communicating the mission' policies' and procedures
b. providing timely performance feedback
c. participating in career development discussions
d. establishing goals and career plans
e. offering a variety of career options
d! moderate! p. "#"%
1,/
",. _____ occurs when a new employee)s high e*pectations and enthusiasm
confront the reality of a boring 3ob.
a. Culture shock
b. 7eality shock
c. 8ticker shock
d. 7egret
e. Cognitive dissonance
b! easy! p. "##%
-$. 7eality shock occurs when _____.
a. employers realize how e*pensive it is to train a new employee
b. employees learn how hard it is to get a raise
c. employees are placed in an overseas assignment
d. a new employee takes a 3ob with certain e*pectations and then finds
out the 3ob is not what he or she thought it would be
e. a new employee finds out how much is taken out of a paycheck in
ta*es
d! easy! p. "##%
-1. 6hen 9manda interviewed for a 3ob with the employment commission'
the interviewer warned her that the 3ob could be very stressful with long
hours and a lot of bureaucracy. The interviewer was trying to provide
_____.
a. reality shock
b. a realistic 3ob preview
c. a disincentive
d. a challenge
e. culture shock
b! moderate! p. "##%
-&. 1ow can companies provide career counseling' development advice' and
therapy for employees seeking to grow in their careers2
a. encourage role reversal
b. organize career success teams
c. establish a corporate campus
d. provide career coaches
e. offer online career centers
d! easy! p. "#.%
1,+
-". 8mall groups of employees from the same or different departments who
meet periodically to network and support one another in achieving career
goals are called _____.
a. corporate fraternities
b. career success teams
c. career coaches
d. therapists
e. networking clubs
b! moderate! p. "#.%
--. Tom meets with a group of employees from throughout the company each
week. They meet at breakfast time and discuss their career goals. The
company provides meeting space and sometimes provides financial
support for a speaker. Tom)s group is a _____.
a. corporate fraternity
b. career success team
c. career coach
d. breakfast club
e. networking club
b! moderate! p. "#.%
-#. 9 planned learning event in which participants are e*pected to be actively
involved' completing career planning e*ercises and inventories and
participating in career skills practice sessions is called a _____.
a. team building event
b. career building session
c. career planning workshop
d. retreat
e. onsite career center
c! easy! p. "#.%
-.. Career coaches help employees to create plans showing where their
careers should lead. The planning time period is usually _____.
a. less than one year
b. 14# years
c. #41$ years
d. 1$41# years
e. e(uivalent to the number of years the person plans to work
b! moderate! p."#.%
1,,
-/. The basis for promotion will typically be competence rather than seniority
when _____.
a. team cohesiveness is important
b. the company wishes to focus on competitiveness
c. when union agreements are involved
d. when civil service regulations apply
e. all of the above
b! difficult! p. "#+%
-+. 6hich of the following methods is used by most employers to predict the
future performance of a candidate for promotion2
a. prior performance
b. written knowledge tests
c. assessment centers
d. seniority
e. review of supervisory4related education
a! moderate! p. "#,%
-,. 9n% _____ is a move from one 3ob to another with no change in salary or
grade.
a. promotion
b. advancement
c. vertical move
d. transfer
e. leave
d! easy! p. "#+%
#$. ?or which of the following reasons might employees seek transfers2
a. personal enrichment
b. better hours
c. better advancement opportunities
d. better work location
e. all of the above
e! easy! p. "#+%
#1. 9 female employee accused a superior of se*ual harassment. @ater that
employee was turned down for a promotion because the superior she had
accused persuaded her current supervisor not to promote her. This is an
e*ample of _____.
a. demotion
b. retaliation
c. dissonance
d. defensive behavior
e. aggressiveness
b! easy! p. ".1%
&$$
#&. 9s long as the employee or former employee was acting in good faith
when he or she filed the <<OC claim against the employer' the person
may claim _____ is he or she subse(uently suffers an adverse employment
action.
a. adverse impact
b. discrimination
c. retaliation
d. fraud
e. bias
c! moderate! p. ".1%
#". 6hich of the following is the basis of a retaliation claim by an employee2
a. the employee must charge the company with something illegal
b. the employer must fire' demote' fail to promote' or cut the pay of that
employee
c. 17 action detrimental to the employee is caused by a legally protected
activity on the part of the employee
d. the employee acts in good faith to file a complaint
e. all of the above
c! difficult! p. ".1%
#-. 6hich demographic group e*periences the most difficulty with career
progress in organizations2
a. white men
b. women
c. old men
d. women of color
e. young men
d! easy! p. ".1%
##. Miranda wants to make partner at her law firm. 8he is worried' though'
because everyone understands that /$4hour work weeks are the norm for
someone striving to make partner. Miranda wants to be fair to her family
as well as e*cel at work. To address this problem' the law firm could help
by _____.
a. providing Miranda with a career coach
b. encouraging Miranda to 3oin a career success team
c. eliminating institutional barriers that disproportionately affect women
d. encouraging Miranda to temporarily work in a different 3ob
e. providing a career planning workshop to help Miranda determine a
better occupation
c! moderate! p. ".&%
&$1
#.. 6hich of the following contributes to the lack of women in top
management positions2
a. discrimination
b. :old4boy network;
c. lack of female mentors
d. family responsibilities
e. all of the above
e! easy! p. ".&%
#/. 6omen report e*periencing barriers to career advancement like all of
those listed below e*cept _____.
a. e*clusion from informal networks
b. difficulty getting developmental assignments
c. difficulty getting opportunities re(uiring geographic mobility
d. lack of educational opportunities
e. difficulty balancing work and family life
d! moderate! p.".&%
#+. 6hich of the following meeting times would definitely be classified as
gender neutral2
a. / am
b. , am
c. . pm
d. + pm
e. all of the above
b! moderate! p. "."%
#,. 9 company policy is gender neutral if it _____.
a. does not inadvertently discriminate against either gender
b. is voted on by both men and women
c. does not directly eliminate participation based on gender
d. is of no significance to either gender
e. none of the above
a! moderate! p. "."%
.$. 8mith 5ndustries wants to develop a career track designed to enable
women to advance in upper4level managerial positions. 6hich of the
following suggestions should 8mith 5ndustries consider2
a. fle*ible work schedules
b. telecommuting
c. seniority status
d. career success teams
e. both a and b
e! easy! p. "."%
&$&
.1. <mployee commitment has suffered in recent years because of _____.
a. workforce dislocations
b. downsizing
c. efficiency programs
d. career development programs
e. a' b' and c only
e! easy! p. ".-%
.&. 6hy is it important for companies to maintain and improve employee
commitment2
a. to minimize voluntary departures from the company
b. to ma*imize employee effort
c. to minimize costs of recruiting
d. to minimize costs of training
e. all of the above
e! moderate! p. ".-%
.". 6hich of the following is recommended as a way for firms to
communicate concern for its employees and earn employee commitment2
a. document the psychological contract
b. communicate the importance of efficiency programs for 3ob protection
c. provide a career planning and development process
d. promise lifetime employment
e. offer seniority bonuses
c! moderate! p. ".-%
.-. 6hich is the best time to discuss career4related issues with an employee2
a. at the weekly staff meeting
b. at a social lunch
c. during the employee)s annual appraisal
d. during a career success team meeting
e. never
c! moderate! p. ".#%
.#. _____ is aimed at helping employees ease the transition from working to
retirement.
a. >reretirement counseling
b. >erformance management
c. 7etirement planning
d. ?le*time
e. Aowntime
a! moderate! p. ".+%
&$"
... 6hich of the following is not a type of preretirement practice2
a. leisure time counseling
b. financial counseling
c. health counseling
d. second career counseling
e. all of the above
e! moderate! p. ".+%
./. 6hat type of preretirement education program is offered most often2
a. e*planation of social security benefits
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
a! moderate! p. ".+%
.+. =ecky plans to retire from her company because she will get a nice
package after "$ years of service. 1owever' she thinks she would miss
having a 3ob so she may consider other options. 6hat type of
preretirement education program should she investigate2
a. e*planation of social security benefits
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
d! moderate! p. ".+%
.,. ?rank has earned a full retirement. 1owever' his company will need some
time to train a replacement and ?rank really doesn)t want to stop working
completely. ?rank should pursue _____.
a. a part4time position within his company
b. leisure time counseling
c. health counseling
d. counseling for second careers outside the company
e. psychological counseling
a! easy! p. ".+%
/$. The goal of preretirement educational programs is to _____.
a. improve 3ob satisfaction
b. increase employee commitment
c. ease the transition from working life to retirement
d. minimize company e*penses
e. minimize medical claims from retirees
c! moderate! p. ".+%
&$-
TrueB ?alse
/1. 9ll ?ortune #$$ firms offer a formal career management process. ?!
moderate! p. "#$%
/&. Career development is the lifelong series of activities that contributes to a
person)s career e*ploration' establishment' success' and fulfillment. T!
easy! p. "#$%
/". 9 career is the occupational positions one holds at a single organization.
?! easy! p. "#$%
/-. 6hile careers were traditionally thought of in terms of climbing a ladder
because they tended to be an upward' linear progression' future careers
could be viewed as climbing a series of short hills. T! moderate! p. "#$%
/#. <mployees will trade 3ob security for training and development
opportunities provided at work. ?! moderate! p. "#$%
/.. 6hen human resource management takes on a career development focus'
it includes information about individual interests and preferences in data
sets on task needs and skill sets. T! moderate! p. "#1%
//. 6hen training and development take on a career development focus' it
encourages employees to participate in volunteer opportunities. ?!
moderate! p. "#1%
/+. 6hen performance appraisal takes on a career development focus' it adds
consideration for an individual)s career goals in addition to traditional
ratings and rewards. T! moderate! p. "#1%
/,. Training and development have always had a sort of career development
focus because they e*ist to improve an employee)s performance. ?!
difficult! p. "#1%
+$. 6hile career development ultimately should result in an employee who is
more mobile' such programs often result in increased employee
commitment. T! moderate! p. "#1%
+1. The employee' the manager' and the employer should all share the
responsibility for an employee)s career development and career success.
?! easy! p. "#&%
+&. Matching individual strengths and weaknesses with occupational
opportunities and threats is the key to the career planning process. T!
moderate! p. "#&%
+". 0ob shock occurs when a new employee)s high e*pectations confront the
reality of a boring 3ob. ?! easy! p. "##%
+-. Career4oriented appraisals are performance appraisals in which managers
match a person)s strengths and weaknesses with a feasible career path and
re(uired development work in addition to appraising 3ob performance. T!
moderate! p. "##%
+#. 9 focus on competitiveness and motivation suggests that a company
should promote on the basis of seniority. ?! moderate! p. "#+%
+.. 7elocation costs have slowed the use of easy4transfers of employees from
one locale to another. T! easy! p. ".$%
&$#
+/. 9n employer)s promotion processes are free of the re(uirements imposed
by anti4discrimination laws. ?! easy! p. ".$%
++. 6omen constitute -$C of the workforce but hold less than &C of top
management positions. T! moderate! p. ".1%
+,. Minority and non4minority women report different opinions about the
main factors critical for career advancement. T! moderate! p. ".1%
,$. 9 mistake many career development programs may make in meeting the
needs of women is the assumption that the workplace is the central
consideration in people)s lives. T! moderate! p. ".1%
,1. 9 company4sponsored career development process' no matter how well
managed' will not result in increases in employee commitment. ?!
moderate! p. ".-%
,&. 9 career workshop uses vocational guidance tools to help employees
identify career4related skills and the development needs they possess. T!
moderate! p. ".-%
,". The best opportunity for discussing career4related issues with an employee
is during the annual or semi4annual appraisal. T! easy! p. ".#%
,-. >erformance appraisals should not include a discussion of an employee)s
career interests because the employee may be planning to leave the
company. ?! easy! p. ".#%
,#. 7etirement can be bittersweet for many employees because they are free
of the constraints of a 3ob but may miss the structure and social
atmosphere of work. T! moderate! p. "..%
,.. Most preretirement education programs include counseling for second
careers inside the company. ?! difficult! p. ".+%
,/. The most offered educational program for preretirement planning among
companies is the e*planation of 8ocial 8ecurity benefits. T! moderate! p.
".+%
,+. Dranting part4time employment to employees as an alternative to outright
retirement is a growing trend. T! easy! p. ".+%
,,. 7etirement procedures are e*empt from the laws affecting recruitment'
appraisal procedures' and promotions. ?! easy! p. ".+%
1$$. The barriers for women to advance at work are referred to as the glass
ceiling because it is so easy to break through it. ?! moderate! p. ".&%
<ssayB 8hort 9nswer
1$1. 6hat benefits accrue to an organization that works with its employees to
develop their careers2 moderate! p. "#1%
9nswerE 6hen employers provide the tools' environment' and skill
development opportunities for employees and then employees are better
e(uipped to serve the company and build it to its potential. Career
development may also cultivate employee commitment.
&$.
1$&. 6hat roles and responsibilities should a manager have in an employee)s
career development2 easy! p. "#"%
9nswerE The manager should provide timely performance feedback'
developmental assignments and support. The manager should participate
in career development discussions. The manager should support employee
development plans.
1$". Fame five e*amples of career management practices employers can
engage in to support the growth of its employees. easy! p. "##%
9nswerE 8ome e*amples are posting 3ob openings' supporting a formal
education' providing career4oriented performance appraisals' counseling
by managers' offering lateral' developmental moves' counseling by 17'
providing retirement preparation' and succession planning.
1$-. 1ow can an employer best prevent reality shock2 moderate! p. "##%
9nswerE 7eality shock occurs when a new employee has high
e*pectations for a new 3ob but then finds that the 3ob is boring andBor
unchallenging. <mployers can prevent this by providing realistic 3ob
previews and challenging first 3obs. 9 realistic 3ob preview can help
prospective employees more accurately gauge whether the 3ob is really for
them and whether the 3ob)s demands are a good fit with a candidate)s
skills and interests.
&$/
1$#. Gou are considering a position as an entry4level management trainee' but
you want to know what the company has to offer in the way of career
development initiatives. Fame three innovative career development
initiatives that you would like to see at the company. moderate! p. "#.%
9nswerE 8everal initiatives may be named here.
5ndividual budgets for employee development
Onsite or online career centers with materials and workshops
Opportunities for working in a variety of positions
Opportunity to take courses with nearby colleges or through
consultants
Career success teams for networking and support
Career coaches
Career planning workshops
1$.. 6hat is the role of a career coach in a career development program2
moderate! p. "#.%
9nswerE Coaches can help employees identify development needs' obtain
training' and obtain professional development and networking
opportunities. Career coaches usually focus on career counseling and
development advice. They might work one4on4one with individual
employees to help them use career assessment tools and identify training
and development options. ?or very high level managers' coaches may
double as therapists. The e*ecutive coaches may provide assessment and
advice concerning how a person)s personal life is influencing his or her
career. Career coaches also help employees create 14# year plans showing
where their careers with the firms may lead.
1$/. 6hat is a career planning workshop2 5dentify the three main activities that
take place in a career planning workshop. moderate! p. "#.%
9nswerE 9 career planning workshop is a planned learning event in which
participants are e*pected to be actively involved in completing career
planning e*ercises and inventories and participating in career skills
practice sessions. 9 typical workshop includes three main activitiesE 1%
self4assessment' &% environmental assessment' and "% goal4setting and
action planning.
&$+
1$+. 6hat are the four decisions that affect a firm)s promotion process2
<*plain the effect each decision could have on promotional decisions.
difficult! p. "#+4"#,%
9nswerE The first decision is whether to base promotions on seniority or
competence or some combination of the two. 9 focus on competitiveness
and motivation favors promotion based on competence. =ut when union or
civil service regulations are involved' seniority may be favored.
The second decision occurs if the firm chooses to base the promotional
process on competence. 5f it does' the firm must then decide how to define
and measure competence. >ast performance is based on defining the 3ob'
setting standards' and appraising performance. ?or promotional purposes'
the organization must decide whether this past performance is also
predictive of a candidate)s future performance.
The third decision is whether the process is formal or informal. 5f the
process is informal' employees may feel like one)s personal network is
more important than performance. ?ormal procedures include formal
promotion policies that are distributed to all employees. They may also
include a 3ob4posting policy and the use of employee (ualification briefs.
The fourth decision is whether the promotion will be vertical or horizontal
or something else. This may be an issue if a company is downsizing.
>romotions can involve different types of positions aside from supervisory
positions.
1$,. 6hat steps can organizations take to enhance the promotional and career
prospects for their female employees2 moderate! p. "."%
9nswerE There are several steps companies can take to enhance the
prospects for women. ?irst' organizations should take the career interests
of women employees seriously. They should identify institutional barriers
and eliminate them. ?or instance' re(uiring late evening meetings
disproportionately affects women. Companies should improve the
opportunities for networking and mentoring. They should eliminate the
glass ceiling! though this is a difficult challenge. ?inally' companies can
institute fle*ible schedules to provide women the opportunity to meet their
obligations at home and at work successfully. @ikewise' instituting career
tracks can enable women to periodically reduce their time at work while
still remaining on a career track.
&$,
11$. 1ow has the psychological contract changed over time2 moderate! p.
".-%
9nswerE The psychological contract in years past likely involved hard
work and loyalty on the part of the employee in e*change for a secure
position from the organization. Today' the psychological contract is
temporary in nature with both parties recognizing the indefinite nature of
the contract. Fow' employees are e*pected to work hard and be loyal
while employed and in e*change the company will provide developmental
opportunities necessary for the employee to move on at some point in the
future.
&1$