Which of the following best describes the job duties of security administrators?

Managing Human Resources, 7e (Gómez-Mejía / Balkin / Cardy) Chapter 9 Developing Careers

1. Unlike training, career development: A) has a short-term focus. B) is initiated by employees. C) has a broad scope. D) benefits the organization.

2. Career development is best defined as a: A) one-time event or opportunity to enhance long-term skills. B) formal, organized, ongoing effort to develop people skills. C) highly selective process which guarantees success. D) process that focuses on immediate job requirements.

3. Which of the following best explains why the career development field has experienced significant change in recent decades? A) More college graduates pursue careers with non-profit organizations. B) Self-employment is a preferred career path for professionals. C) Career paths are less structured and predictable. D) Job security is an important career element.

4. The purpose of career development has changed over time and shifted its focus from the: A) organization to both the organization and the individual. B) individual to the organization. C) organization to the individual. D) individual to the community.

5. Currently, firms primarily view career development as a way to meet all of the following goals EXCEPT: A) reducing job burnout. B) reinforcing affirmative action. C) improving quality of work life. D) expanding tenure opportunities.

6. Initially, companies viewed career development as a program to meet organizational needs. Now, it is also looked upon as a way to meet employees' needs. This shift in perspective is most likely due to all of the following EXCEPT: A) the pressures of downsizing. B) the pressures of technological change. C) employee demands for career advancement opportunities. D) the need for global firms to meet short-term strategic goals.

7. Lillian, the VP of HR, insists that a career development program should be implemented at Dresses, Inc. She notes that employee turnover is increasing and many employees complain that they feel stuck in dead-end jobs. Patty, the president of HR, claims that due to the recent economic downturn, it is impossible to implement such a program. From this scenario, it is most

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likely that: A) Lillian does not recognize the cost-benefit factors in implementing a career development program. B) Patty does not place enough importance upon the vital need of career development. C) Lillian overestimates the value of career development. D) Patty is more economically savvy than Lillian.

1. Tomas is considering his company's most critical needs and challenges in the future and his own strengths and interests. Tomas is most likely in the process of: A) linking his needs to the firm's needs. B) laying the groundwork for a mentoring program. C) establishing a management development program. D) evaluating the marketability of his skills in a global setting.

2. Who is responsible for an employee's career development in most modern companies? A) Supervisors B) HR department C) Employees D) Organization

3. A number of events and forces in the business environment have shaped the move in career development from corporate to individual responsibility, including: A) increasing stock option opportunities. B) the empowerment movement. C) global recruiting efforts. D) hiring increases.

4. Career development in traditional bureaucratic organizations differs from that in more modern organizations in that: A) bureaucratic organizations left career development solely to the employees, while modern organizations implement career development for employees. B) bureaucratic organizations supported employee empowerment, while most modern organizations shy away from employee empowerment. C) bureaucratic organizations saw career development as something that was done "for" employees, while modern organizations view it as something in which the employee must play a role. D) bureaucratic organizations saw career development as something that would improve the individual employee, while modern organizations see career development as something that will improve the company as a whole.

5. Chloe, Operations Manager of Brant International, is trying to encourage employee empowerment in the business. She supports letting employees take total responsibility for their career development. As the head of HR, you would most likely: A) realize that giving total responsibility to employees may leave them without the guidance and understanding they need to develop their careers. B) agree that while this is done in most companies, it is too expensive for Brant to implement at this time.

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intervention programs.

1. In Fortune 500 companies, ________ % of seats on the boards of directors are held by women. A) 5 B) 15 C) 25 D) 50

2. Which of the following is NOT a common issue associated with dual-career couples? A) Experiencing conflicts between personal lives and career lives B) Needing flexible scheduling to handle child care responsibilities C) Struggling with career advancements that involve a geographic move D) Requiring additional health care benefits to cover both members of the couple

3. Ken and Vicki are a dual-career couple. Ken has received an overseas assignment, but Vicki is concerned that she will be unable to obtain employment authorization. How does the text suggest handling such issues? A) Encouraging Vicki to telecommute B) Helping Vicki obtain a temporary resident visa C) Paying for Ken and Vicki to visit each other monthly D) Offering Ken another position from the firm's main office

4. Dual-career couples are best described as couples: A) who participate in career development programs. B) whose members both have career issues at stake. C) whose members have both received career counseling. D) who are able to combine work life and home life.

5. Han is going through the process of identifying his skills, values, and interests. He is in the ________ phase of career development. A) education B) discovery C) direction D) assessment

6. The two outer poles in the spectrum of assessment activities are: A) self assessment and interactional assessment. B) self assessment and organizational assessment. C) organizational assessment and formal assessment. D) self development and self assessment.

7. Career development assessment is primarily for helping employees to do all of the following EXCEPT: A) select a realistically obtainable career. B) choose a career that is a good fit for them. C) identify corporations that value career development.

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D) determine the weaknesses they need to overcome in order to reach career goals.

1. Which of the following is a self-assessment tool? A) Career workbooks B) Psychological testing C) Succession planning D) Performance appraisals

2. Which of the following would most likely provide employees with information about career options within an organization? A) Interest inventories B) Performance appraisals C) Career planning workshops D) Assessment centers

3. Lorraine is attending a company program that seeks to help employees understand career options within the company and provide them with feedback about their career strategies. This program is probably: A) an organizational assessment. B) a career-planning workshop. C) an employee orientation. D) a skill assessment exercise.

4. A major self-assessment tool that permits employees to identify their strengths and weaknesses by answering written questions and completing written exercises is a: A) psychological test. B) performance appraisal. C) career workbook. D) aptitude assessment.

5. All of the following are common self-assessment activities EXCEPT: A) completing an interests inventory. B) participating in succession planning. C) doing skills assessment exercises. D) clarifying values.

6. Which of the following is an organizational assessment tool? A) Career planning workshops B) Career workbooks C) Assessment centers D) Interest inventories

7. B. is using a self-assessment tool that prioritizes his key values. He is using a(n): A) psychological values profile. B) interest inventory. C) skills proficiency test. D) values clarification instrument.

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D) psychological testing.

1. The use of performance appraisals in career development gives employees and the organization important insights into employees': A) underlying skills. B) interests and attitudes. C) strengths and weaknesses. D) future advancement potential.

2. A promotability forecast: A) projects the advancement potential of employees. B) analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of employees. C) predicts the need for managers over a specified period. D) reviews key employees' underlying skills and interests.

3. Succession planning: A) requires psychological testing. B) uses assessment centers to identify key employees. C) is critical for small companies. D) identifies future lower-level management needs.

4. Most succession planning is: A) required for firms with federal contracts. B) performed according to a formal system. C) handled informally by most firms. D) identical to promotability forecasting.

5. Businesses such as UPS minimize discrimination complaints regarding succession planning by: A) providing training to all employees. B) identifying potential external candidates. C) using a formal talent identification process. D) involving managers in the decision process.

6. Which of the following actions would be LEAST likely to help a subordinate find career anchors? A) Giving the worker opportunities to develop work standards B) Offering the worker responsibility for a company program C) Setting goals that are easily accomplished D) Allowing for a flexible work schedule

7. A career anchor is best described as an individual's: A) strengths and weaknesses. B) professional knowledge. C) management skills. D) core values.

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1. Kay is working with Charity to help Charity identify the type of career she wants and what steps to take to realize her goals. Kay and Charity are: A) in the direction phase of career planning. B) in the development phase of career planning. C) conducting a self assessment of Charity. D) working through an organizational assessment.

2. The determination of the type of career you want and what steps you need to take to make that career a reality best describe the ________ phase of career development. A) assessment B) direction C) development D) planning

3. The direction phase is represented by employees': A) personality traits. B) mental soundness. C) competencies. D) interpersonal skills.

4. For career development to be successful, it must: A) focus solely on the needs of the employees. B) focus solely on the needs of the organization. C) be distinct from other HR efforts. D) be integrated with other HR efforts.

5. Individual career counseling is typically conducted by all of the following EXCEPT: A) managers. B) HR staff members. C) co-workers. D) professional counselors.

6. ________ is(are) an easy way to provide employees information about job opportunities. A) Skill inventories B) A job-posting system C) An HRIS system D) Career paths

7. Jermaine is a retail associate at a music warehouse. He has recently received a booklet from management that outlines the qualifications and experience he needs to have in order to advance within the company. It shows different alternatives and jobs that he could fill in the future depending on the areas in which he wishes to train and specialize. Jermaine is probably reading a: A) career path chart. B) skills inventory. C) job posting book. D) career workbook.

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B) job rotation. C) self assessment. D) group mentoring.

1. A career development process that uses ongoing, sometimes spontaneous, meetings between managers and employees to discuss career goals and development is: A) mentoring. B) group mentoring. C) coaching. D) simulating.

2. Which of the following best explains why many managers do not participate in employee coaching? A) Managing too few workers B) Feeling inadequate for the task C) Tightening departmental budgets D) Experiencing burnout and job stress

3. How does an employee primarily benefit from job rotation? A) More career flexibility B) Improved balance of work and career C) Increased compensation and responsibilty D) Better relationships with managers and co-workers

4. Career development through job rotation is similar to the training technique of: A) specific skills training. B) coaching. C) group mentoring. D) cross-functional team training.

5. A benefit of job rotation is that: A) employees become specialists in one area. B) it creates a more broadly trained workforce. C) production increases occur during training. D) short run costs are very low.

6. Job rotation is espcially beneficial to employees when a firm is going through: A) downsizing. B) rapid expansion. C) hierarchical changes. D) organizational strategizing.

7. One tool available to corporations to encourage employees to seek educational and development opportunities outside of the organization by defraying the costs is: A) a tuition assistance program. B) a career development workshop. C) cross-functional team training.

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D) off-the-job-training.

1. Tuition assistance programs: A) often have a fixed limit for reimbursement of tuition. B) typically cover 100% of job-related educational expenses. C) generally cover any graduate level education. D) usually target undergraduate courses/programs.

2. Which of the following is most likely a benefit to organizations that offer tuition assistance programs? A) Increased production and profitability B) College recruitment opportunities C) Federal and state tax assistance D) Turnover reductions

3. A number of self-development suggestions are offered by your text, such as: A) acquiring management experience. B) joining a cross-cultural work team. C) developing your interpersonal skills. D) taking responsibility for your own direction.

4. Which term refers to positioning yourself to move ahead in an organization? A) Training B) Assessment C) Advancement D) Development

5. Your text suggests that if an organization does not offer career development programs, employees should initiate their own career development by: A) creating their own personal mission statements. B) placing a priority on enhancement over advancement. C) applying for positions with competing firms. D) finding a subordinate to mentor and coach.

6. The most appropriate personal mission statements are: A) unchanging and highly structured. B) dependent on a work-life balance. C) formalized by management. D) changeable over time.

7. Of the advancement suggestions offered by the authors, one of the most critical is: A) setting reasonable goals. B) placing a priority on enhancement. C) cultivating relationships with superiors. D) improving your communication skills.

8. All of the following are recommended activities for career advancement EXCEPT:

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1. Refer to Case 9. Which of the following best describes Ron's primary concern? A) Ensuring that the organization has a diverse and well-trained staff B) Preparing employees for anticipated management openings C) Helping employees balance their work and personal lives D) Matching employee strengths and interests

2. Refer to Case 9. Rudy's comments most likely suggest that he: A) is confused between the concepts of training and development. B) realizes the importance of meeting employee career demands. C) hopes to retain the most competent employees for many years. D) dislikes the idea of linking career development with performance appraisals.

3. Refer to Case 9. Charles' comments suggest that the company's career development efforts are primarily based on: A) job rotation. B) mentoring. C) coaching. D) training.

4. Refer to Case 9. Tanya's comments show that the company is most likely facing the challenge of: A) meeting the needs of a diverse workforce. B) forming unrealistic employee expectations. C) overemphasizing career advancement. D) investing too much in development.

5. Refer to Case 9. Which of the following would most likely be supported by Tanya? A) Tuition assistance programs B) Group mentoring C) Self-assessment D) Job rotation

Case 9. Martin, the director of HR at Austin Designs, is meeting with the career development team. The firm's CEO has decided that the company needs to invest the time and effort into improving the direction and development phases of the current career development program; however, development funds are limited. The CEO and most of the executive management team are self- made professionals who believe strongly in individual responsibility. The organizational structure of Austin Designs is very flat. The company has a wide variety of jobs but few levels of high responsibility. Feedback from employees suggests that they don't know when promotional opportunities are available.

1. Refer to Case 9. Which of the following would be the best development tool for Austin Designs? A) Creating a coaching program B) Establishing a mentoring program

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C) Revising the performance appraisal system D) Establish a career resource center in the HR department

1. Refer to Case 9. What would be the best directional tool for addressing the employees' complaint? A) Establishing a job-posting system B) Eliminating the firm's glass ceiling C) Conducting more performance appraisals D) Requiring annual skills assessment exercises

2. Refer to Case 9. Given the organizational realities, which developmental tool would provide the best return for the lowest cost? A) Assessment centers B) Project rotation C) Tuition assistance D) Career resource center

3. Refer to Case 9. Which statement most likely describes the future of career development efforts at Austin Designs? A) Management will take responsibility for employee career development through coaching. B) Career development will become the increasing responsibility of individual employees. C) The firm will create an assessment center and career resource center in the near future. D) The firm will increase its emphasis on assessment prior to selection.

4. Refer to Case 9. Which of the following best supports the idea of generating broad career paths for employees at Austin Designs? A) The firm employs many young workers who have expressed an interest in job variety. B) Managers report that employees lack communication skills necessary for promotion. C) Employees at the firm require additional training for advanced technical skills. D) The majority of employees at the firm are nearing retirement age.

5. Career development differs from training by its purpose, its content, and its time frame. Answer: TRUE

6. Initial career development efforts focused on the individual. As the field advanced, it integrated career development into organizational needs. Answer: FALSE

7. Mergers, acquisitions, and downsizings have shifted the responsibility of career development from employees to employers. Answer: FALSE

8. The employee-empowerment approach to career development is especially beneficial in flat organizations where advancement opportunities are greater. Answer: FALSE

9. Many companies view career development as a good way to prevent job burnout.

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1. Succession planning and promotability forecasts are career development tools, or activities best used for an organizational-level career development assessment. Answer: TRUE

2. In the preparation of succession plans and promotability forecasts, managers need to consider personality characteristics, technical knowledge, and motivation. Answer: TRUE

3. Succession planning is more important at large organizations than at small firms. Answer: FALSE

4. Most managers consider career development counseling with their employees a top priority. Answer: FALSE

5. Career development-related information services include: a job posting system, skills inventories, career paths, and a career resource center. Answer: TRUE

6. A career path is a chart that shows the possible routes of career advancement and a realistic timetable for each step. Answer: TRUE

7. Effective mentoring must be formal, structured, and only at the upper levels of management. Answer: FALSE

8. Effective mentoring can improve promotional rates, income, and job satisfaction. Answer: TRUE

9. The most important aspect of group mentoring is the educational content. Answer: FALSE

10. Coaching and mentoring are different terms for the same type of career development activity. Answer: FALSE

11. Job rotation is a form of career development. Answer: TRUE

12. Job rotation is closely connected to cross-functional training. Answer: TRUE

13. Organizations that offer tuition assistance programs hope to reduce turnover and encourage employee loyalty. Answer: TRUE

14. When an employer does not routinely offer career development programs, there is very

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little individual employees can do to take control of their own development. Answer: FALSE

1. Communication skills and the ability to resolve problems are keys to career advancement. Answer: TRUE

2. ________ is an ongoing and formalized effort that focuses on developing enriched and more capable workers. Answer: Career development

3. A couple whose members both have occupational responsibilities and career issues at stake is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: dual-career couple

4. A career development activity in which managers make decisions regarding the advancement potential of subordinates is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: promotability forecast

5. ________ is a career development activity that focuses on preparing people to fill executive positions. Answer: Succession planning

6. A system in which an organization announces job openings to all employees on a bulletin board, in a company newsletter, or through a phone recording or computer system is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: job-posting system

7. ________ is a company-maintained record of employees' abilities, skills, knowledge, and education. Answer: Skills inventory

8. A(n) ________ is a chart showing the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization. Answer: career path

9. A collection of career development materials such as workbooks, tapes, and texts is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: career resource center

10. A developmentally oriented relationship between senior and junior colleagues or peers that involves advising, role modeling, sharing contacts, and giving general support is called ________. Answer: mentoring

11. What are the primary challenges that firms typically face when implementing career development programs? How can firms address the additional challenge of dual-career couples? Answer: The three key challenges are:

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• Make learning a priority
• Find a mentor Excessive career concern is indicated by employees capitalizing on advancement opportunities rather than maintaining adequate job performance. Workers may also focus more on managing impressions and networking than on performing the job.

1. What are some steps that employees can take to improve their chances for career advancement? What organizational activities suggest that a firm has a culture that supports career development and advancement? Answer: Summary of suggested answer -a more developed list appears under the heading Advancement Suggestions.

• Develop interpersonal skills in addition to performance skills
• Understanding business trends
• Improving communication skills
• Being a team player and resolving conflicts

An organization that offers mentoring, coaching, job rotation, job-posting systems, career paths, and tuition assistance most likely fosters career development and advancement.

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