Deck 10: Career Planning and Development

Question 1

Increasing competition, rapid technological change, relentless restructuring and downsizing means that high performance no longer:

A) allows organisations to maintain their market position.
B) protects employees from the threat of dismissal.
C) ensures financial bonuses for individual employees.
D) occurs in such unstable and unpredictable environments.

Answer 1

protects employees from the threat of dismissal.

Question 2

Career planning and development involves the processes of:

A) job analysis and human resource planning.
B) career planning and career management.
C) career advice and career management.
D) career advisory interviews and training provision.

Answer 2

career planning and career management.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT an organisational benefit of career planning and development?

A) Communication of career opportunities to employees
B) A better match between employee career aspirations and organisational opportunities
C) Achievement of EEO goals
D) Identification of employees who are surplus to organisational requirements

Answer 3

Identification of employees who are surplus to organisational requirements

Question 4

Individual career planning requires the employee to:

A) identify an area of interest and stick to it rigidly; rejecting all tasks or opportunities that are outside that sphere of interest.
B) focus on what they want to achieve during their work life, not what the organisation needs them to achieve.
C) critically examine his or her personal and vocational interests, personal and career goals, and present skill and ability levels.
D) employ an outside career consultant to provide them with useful feedback on their current performance, and their future possibilities.

Question 5

To promote career planning among employees the HR department:

A) should hold annual in-depth interviews with each employee.
B) must be seen to support the program with sufficient funding allocations.
C) should be aware of the organisation's future HR needs, career chances, and training and development opportunities.
D) understand the long-term strategies of the organisation and how it will impact on employees.

Question 6

Employees are rarely considered for training and development opportunities, international assignments or promotion if:

A) they perform badly.
B) they are over 45 years of age.
C) they have only been with the organisation for a short time.
D) they have recently taken a leave of absence.

Question 7

Becoming known to senior management through superior performance, training activities and social activities, is a factor in career development known as:

A) exposure.
B) performance.
C) sponsorship.
D) development.

Question 8

Organisations recognised as having programs that develop high-potential employees are said to have a:

A) focus on continuous learning.
B) star reputation.
C) preference for graduate employees.
D) reputation for employee empowerment.

Question 9

A person who helps a younger employee advance his/her career by offering advice, giving instruction and opening up career opportunities is a:

A) supervisor.
B) HR manager.
C) mentor.
D) career counsellor.

Question 10

Mentoring activities can include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) inclusion in a high profile project team.
B) personal introduction and recommendations.
C) counselling about work and personal problems.
D) formal in-house training programs.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of career planning and development to the organisation?

A) Identifies poor performers in the organisation
B) Promotes employee retention and commitment
C) Advances employee diversity and EEO programs
D) Develops a positive image of the organisation as an employer of choice.

Question 12

Women and minorities often find themselves excluded from mentoring relationships because:

A) mentoring is frequently based on personal relationships built up outside of working hours.
B) mentoring has a number of inbuilt biases against women and minorities.
C) managers often feel uncomfortable mentoring employees from different segments of the workforce.
D) they are not receptive to the ideas and commitment incorporated in mentoring.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of mentoring?

A) Helps companies encourage and capitalise on diversity
B) Help to inculcate corporate values
C) It increases labour turnover
D) Improves employee job satisfaction and motivation

Question 14

When employees do favours for their superiors, agree with their superiors' opinions and give them praise and flattery, this is known as:

A) nepotism.
B) mentoring.
C) ingratiation.
D) exposure.

Question 15

In the current environment of economic, social, and technological change employees must:

A) understand what is happening in the world.
B) upgrade their skills and knowledge.
C) become involved in as many project teams as possible.
D) have experience in an overseas placement.

Question 16

Networking involves:

A) fishing for information about employees and their career interests.
B) using informal contacts inside and outside an organisation.
C) establishing formal communication channels between organisations in related industries.
D) fostering a strong link with essential suppliers.

Question 17

Organisations encounter problems moving dual career couples because:

A) spouses often refuse to relocate despite being offered incentives.
B) they are not prepared to cover the financial costs of moving an entire family.
C) they are often unresponsive to the needs of dual career couples and offer little support.
D) many dual career couples are not interested in overseas placements.

Question 18

Career planning and development must deal with problems associated with all of the following EXCEPT:

A) outplacement.
B) work/family conflict.
C) dual career couples.
D) cultural bias.

Question 19

The conflicting demands made on an individual by home and work is known as:

A) work/family conflict.
B) relationship management.
C) equal employment opportunity.
D) diversity management.

Question 20

To help a terminated employee locate a new career an organisation might make use of:

A) recruitment agencies.
B) networking.
C) outplacement.
D) international assignments.

Question 21

The shortfall in the earnings of HR professionals compared to other functional areas in organisations is reducing as:

A) HR employees gain valuable working experience overseas in HR positions.
B) the general level of professional earnings has increased across the country.
C) HR moves away from its traditional role to that of strategic business partner.
D) organisations come under pressure to increase the remuneration of HR specialists.

Question 22

Which of the following career development activities would not assist in career development?

A) Needs analysis
B) Ingratiating behaviour
C) Goal setting
D) Language skills

Question 23

In certain professions such as sales, retail, hospitality, and entertainment:

A) relevant qualifications are increasingly being sought by employers.
B) international work experience improves an employee's career prospects.
C) good looks appear to be an unspoken requirement for employment.
D) employers are more interested in people skills than experience.

Question 24

A significant change in an employee's career via transfer, demotion, promotion or overseas assignment is known as:

A) career plateauing.
B) career management.
C) career transition.
D) career development.

Question 25

Careers that involve switching jobs, specialisations, companies and locations are known as:

A) international careers.
B) career plateauing.
C) career management.
D) boundaryless careers.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a reason that employees and organisations are paying more attention to career planning and development?

A) Employees are increasingly concerned about the quality of life
B) There are EEO legislation and requirements
C) Workers are making the transition from lateral to vertical careers
D) Educational levels and employee aspirations are rising

Question 27

Evidence indicates that two-thirds of retrenched executives find their new jobs through:

A) on-line websites.
B) outplacement organisations.
C) career counsellors.
D) networking.

Question 28

Those employees who voluntarily elect to change their lifestyle and reduce the amount of time spent at work in order to achieve a better work-life balance are known as:

A) career plateauers.
B) downshifters.
C) transitioners.
D) outplaced employees.

Question 29

A situation where employees work to excess, make lots of money, acquire many assets and then quit to take an open-ended sabbatical is known as a:

A) flame-out track.
B) protean career
C) downshifter.
D) dual career.

Question 30

A situation where the individual plays the key role in shaping their career in order to satisfy their own needs rather than those of the organisation is known as a(n):

A) protean career.
B) goals-oriented career.
C) flame-out career.
D) dual career.

Question 31

Which is NOT an attribute that powerful supervisors promote on entry to an organisation?

A) Exposure designed to make management aware of their abilities and achievements
B) Access to performance-based pay
C) Access to reputation-building job opportunities
D) Neutralisation of negative associations connected with the use by the employee of work family programs

Question 32

Charles Handy argues that employees must begin to think of their careers as:

A) a sequence of jobs that may or may not be in the same organisation.
B) a series of progressions up the management chain in an organisation.
C) something that needs to be carefully planned with the HR manager.
D) requiring the spending of time in many parts of the same organisation.

Question 33

Because of the ever-changing work environments employees are vulnerable to career disruption or stagnation:

A) so a regular upgrading of qualifications is expected.
B) and therefore need to be always alert to career opportunities.
C) so some form of career planning is critical.
D) so organisations need to provide some form of career development.

Question 34

Job security today centres on:

A) having a permanent job.
B) being related to the manager.
C) being employable.
D) having good working relationships.

Question 35

Realistic career planning forces employees to:

A) regularly re-evaluate their career choices.
B) identify changing organisational requirements.
C) rely heavily on the advice/guidance of HR managers.
D) be proactive and to anticipate problems and opportunities.

Question 36

Ideally, career planning and development should be seen as a process that:

A) allows for the identification of employees with skill deficiencies.
B) aligns the interests and skills of employees with the needs of the organisation.
C) provides continuous upgrading and development of employee skills.
D) results in improved organisational performance and customer satisfaction.

Question 37

Career planning is ultimately the responsibility of:

A) the employee.
B) the organisation.
C) the HR manager.
D) the supervisor.

Question 38

If an employee adopts a passive role to career planning and development and leaves such concerns up to the organisation they:

A) trust that the organisation will manage their careers effectively.
B) are usually more committed and loyal to the organisation.
C) recognise that there is no chance for career advancement .
D) give up control of their own career.

Question 39

Successful career development that has purpose and gives employees a sense of direction and achievement requires:

A) support from the immediate supervisor.
B) the financial commitment of the organisation.
C) a goal-oriented approach.
D) ingratiating behaviour.

Question 40

The point in an individual's career where the probability of further advancement is negligible is known as a:

A) career plateau.
B) glass ceiling.
C) green field.
D) career planning.

Question 41

Which of the following initiatives would NOT be considered a family-friendly policy?

A) Flexible work schedules
B) Work intensification
C) Job sharing
D) Flexible leave provisions.

Question 42

Experience valuable to HR Professionals would be gained in:

A) specialist HR roles.
B) line-management functions.
C) public service positions.
D) HR consultancies.

Question 43

Job prospects in HRM risk lagging behind those in finance, information technology, marketing, and general management because:

A) of the trend to devolve many HR activities to line managers and the outsourcing of other activities such as compensation and training and development.
B) of the lack of top management support for HR activities in all countries around the world.
C) few HR professionals have formal, recognised qualifications in HRM.
D) the downsizing of organisations has resulted in the loss of many HR departments.

Question 44

Family responsive policies by organisations such as the provision of childcare facilities:

A) result in increased employee commitment.
B) have been forced on businesses by government legislation.
C) are more common in private sector organisations than public sector organisations.
D) have led to the creation of new roles for HR specialists.

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a strategy that dual-career couples need to pursue if they are to be successful?

A) Be mutually committed to both careers
B) Adopt coping mechanisms
C) Develop skills of career planning
D) Work in the same organisation

Question 46

Successful career development requires:

A) a goal-oriented approach.
B) a focus on financial planning skills.
C) the employee to focus on their appearance.
D) effective communication and presentation skills.

Question 47

Work-family conflict is evidenced by:

A) the dual-income family and the single-parent family.
B) the tendency for senior employees to be supported by a non-working partner.
C) the tendency for employees to remain longer in current jobs.
D) increasing litigation by employees against their employer.

Question 48

In what way does coaching differ from mentoring?

A) Coaching is always carried out by someone external to the organisation.
B) Coaching focuses on guidance and support, goal setting, performance feedback and personal development.
C) Coaching focuses on employees establishing and building on networks within and external to their own organisation.
D) Coaching focuses on breaking down barriers associated with entrenched discriminatory practices in organisations.

Question 49

A career plateau may stem from an employee's decision to make a trade-off between career progression and:

A) a more balanced lifestyle.
B) the avoidance of losing their job.
C) short-term remuneration.
D) the risk of obsolescence.

Question 50

Negative educational equity occurs:

A) due to the ranking of universities based on their reputation.
B) when the poor reputation of a university qualification causes the applicant to also be perceived in a negative light.
C) as a result of the socio-economic background of the individual and/or university.
D) due to the 'brand' name of the university.

Question 51

Critically discuss the benefits received by the organisation and the individual as a result of successful career planning and development.

Question 52

Discuss how successful career planning and development can help an organisation to achieve its strategic objectives.

Question 53

Mentoring has become a popular career development tool. Identify and examine the strengths and weaknesses of using mentoring as the primary method of career development.

Question 54

At some stage in their career employees might reach a career plateau. What impact might this have on both individual and organisational performance?

Question 55

Discuss the conflicts that are emerging in organisations with regard to the conflict between work and family.

Question 56

Identify the competencies that the HR leader of the future would need to attribute.