Deck 5: Expanding the Talent Pool: Recruitment and Careers

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of the organizational practice of promoting from within?

A) to reward employees for past performance
B) to protect the organization from internal discrimination suits
C) to reduce long-term compensation budgets
D) to alleviate some of the need for HR planning

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is the most important disadvantage of using employee referrals for recruitment?

A) It makes human resource planning near impossible due to the unpredictable nature of the talent pool.
B) Training recruiters to recognize potential in candidates in this way is difficult and costly.
C) Discrimination may result because people tend to refer others from similar backgrounds.
D) It is likely that individuals will refer weak candidates in order to lessen internal competition for promotions.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is key to the success of any employee referral program?

A) paying employees well for good referrals
B) increasing the visibility of the program
C) widening the scope of the program
D) measuring results

Answer 3

D

Question 4

If an executive search firm found a successful candidate for the role of a senior executive where the annual salary is $200,000 per year, what would be the most likely fee charged by the search firm?

A) $80,000
B) $35,000
C) $120,000
D) $100,000

Question 5

Which of the following is the best description of the use of applications and résumés for filling positions?

A) The percentage of acceptable applications from this source is generally not very high.
B) Applications and résumés are an important source of recruitment, especially for large retail organizations.
C) In combination with electronic screening, applications and résumés are a powerful HR tool.
D) Applications and résumés are the most commonly used tactic by job seekers.

Question 6

In order to identify qualified candidates for the job of "tennis teaching professional," Canmay Tennis Clubs have job candidates face a series of situations while they are observed, such as dealing with a series of e-mails from an unhappy club client in a difficult situation, role-playing a lesson, and a behavioural interview. Which of the following methods of identifying qualified candidates is Canmay using?

A) in-basket exercises
B) interviewing
C) a work sample
D) an assessment centre

Question 7

Which of the following should an employer NOT do in order to develop effective newspaper advertisements?

A) try to be too creative or flashy
B) overlook community newspapers or classified publications that target a specific market segment
C) encourage impulse applicants with weekend telephone numbers
D) highlight the major assets of the position=

Question 8

Which of the following is the most important drawback of using educational institutions for recruitment?

A) HR still has to perform a host of selection tests.
B) The candidates usually have no full-time job experience.
C) The type of recruitment is limited to sales and retail.
D) Basing recruitment of candidates on grade transcripts is not a valid selection tool.

Question 9

According to an article in the Canadian HR Reporter, what is the biggest draw for students looking for organizations to apply to?

A) a good initial salary
B) opportunities for advancement
C) challenging work
D) developmental opportunities

Question 10

According to a recent survey, which of the following recruitment sources was identified as the most effective?

A) executive search firms
B) help-wanted advertisements
C) employee referrals
D) private employment agencies

Question 11

Which of the following is the most likely outcome of recruiting from within?

A) It would increase recruiting costs.
B) It would reduce employee motivation.
C) It would inhibit creativity.
D) It would increase an organization's technology.

Question 12

What does the value of a computerized record system (SAP and People Soft) for locating qualified internal job candidates largely depend on?

A) the experience of the employees
B) the extent to which data in the system is kept up-to-date
C) the extent to which the system is "user-friendly"
D) the availability of the system to line personnel

Question 13

Which of the following recruitment methods is most likely to result in discrimination against members of protected groups?

A) Internet recruiting
B) employee referrals
C) unsolicited applications and résumés
D) executive search firms

Question 14

According to a recent study, which of the following factors is most important to executives in determining what company to work for?

A) job security
B) prestige of title
C) a talented workforce to work with
D) values and culture

Question 15

Which of the following is the most likely outcome of hiring someone from outside the organization?

A) It would lead to revitalization of the organization.
B) It would increase morale among executives.
C) It would lead to an increase in information about a rival's competitive advantage.
D) It would limit your labour market.

Question 16

Which of the following occurs in a tight labour market?

A) Unemployment is high.
B) The numbers of job applicants and job openings are about equal.
C) Compensation rates decline.
D) The demand for labour exceeds the labour supply.

Question 17

How is it possible to find out which sources produce qualified applicants?

A) by calculating and comparing yield ratios for each recruitment source
B) by using Markov analysis
C) by training recruiters more effectively
D) by advertising only in specialized media

Question 18

Which of the following external recruiting sources normally provides applicants who stay with the organization the longest?

A) educational institutions
B) newspaper ads
C) employer referrals
D) job postings

Question 19

Which of the following best describes private employment agencies?

A) They are managed and directed by Human Resources Development Canada.
B) They do not charge job seekers a fee.
C) They commonly specialize in providing services for a specific occupational area.
D) They commonly provide services only to college graduates.

Question 20

Learning in Development (LID) is a high-tech firm that specializes in applications for hand-held devices. It is looking for a cheap, fast, and effective way of recruiting new candidates. Which of the following strategies would best suit LID?

A) Internet recruiting
B) executive search firms
C) labour unions
D) walk-in job applicants

Question 21

What does employability refer to?

A) the skills and support needed to find a job
B) access to outplacement services
C) individual achievements gained through completing assessment centre activities
D) organizational benefit from developing a training program

Question 22

In which of the following processes are individuals evaluated as they participate in a series of situations that resemble what they will likely experience on the job?

A) performance appraisal
B) assessment centre
C) management talent inventory
D) job postings and biddings

Question 23

If 50 applicants came from a recruiting source, and 14 were invited for interviews, what would the yield ratio for that source be?

A) 14 %
B) 24%
C) 28%
D) 7%

Question 24

Which of the following refers to those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organizations into management positions?

A) labour barriers
B) the glass ceiling
C) barriers to entry
D) trade barriers

Question 25

Which of the following is a factor in determining the choice of outside sources from which to recruit applicants?

A) legal requirements
B) the cost-per-hire of the firm's job posting system
C) the job identification
D) the firm's success in achieving its employment equity program

Question 26

Which of the following is the term for a tool used to examine current performance data and future potential within an organization?

A) a managerial matrix
B) a potential assessment centre
C) a 9-box grid
D) a performance analysis

Question 27

Which of the following is the first step in HR's role in career management?

A) identify career opportunities and requirements
B) match individual and organizational needs
C) gauge employee potential
D) institute career development initiatives

Question 28

Organization W has had an opening in a key managerial role for three weeks, which is viewed as a long time. In situations like this in the past, Organization W has had to resort to hiring external to the organization, which is less preferable to the company, in order to fill the position in question. Which of the following best captures what Organization W is likely suffering from?

A) poor HR planning
B) a weak training and development program in the organization
C) a weak talent bench
D) a lack of value for promotions in the organization

Question 29

Which of the following is the best example of a person with a boundaryless career?

A) When Deborah become pregnant with her third child, she decided that working less would be best for her family. She now shares her job with another person who also works part-time.
B) Yusef quit his job of 10 years to open his own business and work from home. He has the freedom of being his own boss and being flexible with his schedule.
C) Bill works in a creative role within an organization with a flat structure. In such an organization there are opportunities to contribute at all levels.
D) Sally has worked for three different organizations in five years. Each time she moves to a new organization, and usually a higher position, she takes with her the skills and abilities she learned in her previous role.

Question 30

Which of the following is an important advantage of external recruitment?

A) It helps promote diversity.
B) It helps the organization maintain a rich organizational culture.
C) It helps the organization gain access to competitors' secrets.
D) It helps to lower initial pay, thus saving on compensation costs.

Question 31

Which of the following best captures the "Peter Principle"?

A) Through natural selection, incompetent employees tend to turn over.
B) When promoting based on past performance and seniority, employees will be promoted regularly until they are promoted to a position where they cannot perform well.
C) Incompetence breeds incompetence.
D) Managers who are incompetent tend to produce situations where there are more grievances, more voluntary turnover, more absenteeism, and more harassment.

Question 32

Which of the following organizations help employers find the right person for the job instead of helping jobseekers find the right job?

A) public employment agencies
B) labour unions
C) private employment agencies
D) executive search firms

Question 33

Which of the following is correlated with the recruitment success of the organization?

A) formal vs. informal recruitment sources
B) the accuracy and completeness of advertisements
C) employment equity programs
D) unsolicited applications and résumés

Question 34

Which of the following are the lines of advancement for an individual within an organization?

A) career paths
B) job progressions
C) career lines
D) job paths

Question 35

Which of the following is the LEAST significant factor in career counselling?

A) the employee's current job activities and performance
B) the employee's past career decisions
C) the employee's personal and career interests and goals
D) the employee's personal skills

Question 36

Which of the following best describes outplacement services?

A) They are useful methods of attracting individuals into a career.
B) They are designed to help terminated employees find a job elsewhere.
C) They are rarely given to executive employees.
D) They are vital parts of any career management system.

Question 37

Sandeep has been fired from his managerial position. His organization provides services to help him become employable and find a suitable position elsewhere. What are these services called?

A) coaching
B) mentoring
C) relocation
D) outplacement

Question 38

In identifying career opportunities and requirements within an organization, which of the following is the vital first step?

A) preparing a competency or job analysis
B) preparing performance appraisals of existing staff in those positions
C) ensuring the job progressions within the organization are clear
D) identifying career paths

Question 39

Which of the following is the approach to recruitment that informs applicants about all aspects of the job, including both desirable and undesirable facets?

A) honesty recruiting
B) the realistic job preview
C) balance recruiting
D) negative/positive job assessment

Question 40

In which of the following organizational situations is there most likely to be a benefit of using realistic job previews?

A) in the financial industry where there are few jobs, but the training is arduous and not very lucrative despite promise of wealth in the long run
B) in creative organizations, such as symphony orchestras, where the work is not well paid and the training is intense.
C) in a high-tech organization where despite it being a very competitive industry, engineers are allowed to explore their creative side and are motivated financially to suggest innovative products.
D) in a meat-processing plant where the work is very messy, the smell is strong and unpleasant, and there is a lot of expensive training to do the job well

Question 41

Advertisements can allow selectivity in attracting applicants.

Question 42

Sukhi is an excellent engineer and has been promoted three times within her current organization-she is now at the top level of engineering. She loves being an engineer, but the organization has now offered her a very lucrative position as a manager. If she wants to continue to be promoted, the only way is to move into management, since there are no higher engineering jobs for her. Which of the following programs would benefit Sukhi?

A) a boundaryless career
B) competency analysis
C) dual career tracking
D) a structural career plateau

Question 43

In many cases, hiring someone from outside is seen as essential for revitalizing the organization.

Question 44

Luba is developing a mentoring program for her organization. She has put a great deal of effort into making sure that all protégés are matched demographically with their mentor (gender, race, etc), educating participants about facts such as the reciprocal nature of the relationship, and that the relationship can be used for personal and professional development. In her plans, which of the following myths about mentors has Luba fallen victim of?

A) A mentor has to be the same gender and race as the protégé.
B) Mentoring should focus on the professional and not the personal.
C) Although mentoring can be reciprocal, that is just a by-product. The focus should be on the protégé.
D) Highly profiled people make the best mentors.

Question 45

Job posting and bidding can be done via electronic bulletin boards or on regular bulletin boards, employee publications, special handouts, direct mail, and public address messages.

Question 46

Most organizations have integrated promotion policies as an essential part of their employment equity programs.

Question 47

When unemployment levels are low, employers may need to use more sources of recruitment.

Question 48

There is a correlation between the accuracy and completeness of an advertisement, and recruitment success.

Question 49

The various recruitment sources are pretty much the same with respect to job tenure and performance.

Question 50

Applicants who find employment through an employee referral tend to be a problem because they tend to quit more often.

Question 51

Excessive reliance upon internal sources can create the risk of employee cloning.

Question 52

Human resources information systems can be used to predict the career paths of employees.

Question 53

Educational institutions are typically a source of young applicants with formal training but relatively little full-time work experience.

Question 54

Transfers usually provide the same motivational value as promotions.

Question 55

What are the most frequent organizational accommodations made for dual-career couples?

A) flextime working schedules
B) parental leave policies
C) policies that allow work to be performed at home
D) day-care facilities

Question 56

The most commonly used search tactic for job seekers is Internet recruiting.

Question 57

Nepotism is a problem with executive search firms.

Question 58

In addition to the positive morale benefits, recruiting from within the organization also attempts to capitalize on HR and human capital investments.

Question 59

Recruiting is the process of attempting to locate and encourage potential applicants to apply for existing or anticipated job openings.

Question 60

The best source for recruitment will vary depending on the industry.

Question 61

A common approach to establishing a career development program is to integrate it with the existing HR functions and structures in the organization.

Question 62

Public employment agencies work closely with private employment agencies.

Question 63

Recruiters usually have minimal influence on an applicant's decision to work for one organization or another.

Question 64

Often, applicants will respond to an advertisement even if they don't meet the job requirements.

Question 65

Skill inventories are an important tool for succession planning.

Question 66

Yield ratios can help indicate which recruitment sources are most effective at producing qualified job candidates.

Question 67

A dual career path is for couples who are both working professionals in the same field.

Question 68

Yield ratios should be calculated for each recruiting source.

Question 69

It is the responsibility of the employee to identify his or her own knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, and values and to seek out information about career options in order to set goals and develop career plans.

Question 70

Private employment agencies often specialize in particular occupations or professions.

Question 71

Recruiters sent to university and college campuses must be properly trained and prepared to talk to candidates about their company and job requirements of specific openings.

Question 72

The realistic job preview informs applicants about all aspects of the job, including both its desirable and its undesirable facets.

Question 73

Realistic job previews reduce turnover, but also reduce job acceptance rates.

Question 74

It is the responsibility of the organization to supply information about its mission, policies, and plans for providing support for employee self-assessment, training, and development.

Question 75

Mentoring is one important indicator of management support in career development.

Question 76

Organizations tend to integrate their promotion-from-within policy and their employment equity programs.

Question 77

If career development is to succeed, it must receive the complete support of top management.

Question 78

The most common method used by job searchers is responding to printed advertisements.

Question 79

A recruiter's job is to "sell" applicants on the organization, but they have no influence on their decision.

Question 80

An assessment centre is a place where people are evaluated.