Deck 9: Managing Careers

Question 1

The psychological contract between employers and employees identifies the ________ of each party.

A) long-term goals
B) expectations
C) ethical morals
D) opportunities

Answer 1

B
Explanation: What the employer and employee expect of each other is part of what psychologists call a psychological contract. This is "an unwritten agreement that exists between employers and employees." The psychological contract identifies each party's mutual expectations.

Question 2

Allison,a new employee at Dixon Enterprises,has been assigned a career coach.Allison should most likely expect the coach to help her with all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) negotiating for a lifelong learning account
B) obtaining development opportunities
C) identifying development needs
D) creating a five-year career plan

Answer 2

A
Explanation: Career coaches generally help employees create 5-year plans showing where their careers with the firm may lead. Coaches help individual employees identify their development needs and obtain the development required to satisfy those needs. Although a coach might encourage an employee to establish a lifelong learning account, negotiation would probably not be necessary.

Question 3

Which term refers to a phenomenon that occurs when a new employee's high expectations are met with a dull job?

A) engagement
B) reality shock
C) job withdrawal
D) employee turnover

Answer 3

B
Explanation: Reality shock may occur at the initial career entry when the new employee's high job expectations confront the reality of a boring or otherwise unattractive work situation. Reality shock may lead to withdrawal or quitting.

Question 4

Which term refers to the lifelong series of activities that contribute to a person's career exploration,establishment,success,and fulfillment?

A) career management
B) career development
C) career planning
D) career

Question 5

Which of the following is the role of a manager in an employee's career development?

A) providing positive employee references
B) identifying the main interests of employees
C) providing monetary assistance for higher education
D) linking performance appraisals to development plans

Question 6

Career management,planning,and development are primarily the responsibility of the ________.

A) mentor
B) employee
C) employer
D) manager

Question 7

Which term refers to the occupational positions a person has had over many years?

A) engagement
B) experience
C) promotion
D) career

Question 8

Which factor most likely increases the importance of career management for workers?

A) global expansion
B) cost of health benefits
C) unpredictable labor market
D) lack of training opportunities

Question 9

What is the primary method for management to support the career development of employees?

A) assigning career planning coaches
B) establishing corporate career centers
C) offering individual career counseling
D) providing realistic performance reviews

Question 10

Which term refers to a planned learning event in which participants evaluate occupational trends,perform self-assessment exercises,set goals,and develop action plans?

A) employee orientation
B) team building retreat
C) career planning workshop
D) competency-based peer review

Question 11

Which term refers to careers built around using one's skills to create a livelihood based on multiple income sources,often from a variety of jobs

A) job enrichment
B) portfolio careers
C) networking
D) job sharing

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a reason that people support themselves through portfolio careers?

A) They want to be independent.
B) They cannot find a full-time job.
C) They want job security and benefits
D) They need flexibility for family matters.

Question 13

According to the text,what is important to young people entering the job market today?

A) work-life balance
B) career development
C) international opportunities
D) strong organizational culture

Question 14

Intuit offers a Rotational Development Program that provides ________.

A) recruitment information
B) career coaching
C) selection criteria
D) work-life balance training

Question 15

Kirk,a marketing specialist,is working with a mentor to identify his personal skills and interests.Kirk will then identify career-related goals and establish an action plan to attain those goals.Kirk is most likely involved with ________.

A) job training
B) career planning
C) career development
D) organizational management

Question 16

All of the following are career management opportunities offered by many employers EXCEPT ________.

A) providing realistic job interviews
B) offering periodic job rotation
C) distributing interest surveys
D) giving performance feedback

Question 17

Career management is best defined as the ________.

A) process for helping employees to develop and use their skills and interests both within the company and after they leave the firm
B) lifelong series of activities that contribute to a person's career exploration, establishment, success, and fulfillment
C) process through which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations, and other characteristics
D) series of occupational positions that a person holds over many years

Question 18

Which of the following would LEAST likely prevent an employee from experiencing reality shock?

A) being given simple tasks
B) being assigned a mentor
C) receiving realistic job expectations
D) having challenging work assignments

Question 19

Which of the following is most likely an example of a career development activity?

A) selection interview
B) performance appraisal
C) employee coaching
D) training workshop

Question 20

Kareem,a college student,has just completed the Self-Directed Search test.By taking the test,Kareem is most likely trying to ________.

A) apply for a job
B) determine labor trends
C) assess cognitive strengths
D) identify suitable occupations

Question 21

Research indicates that traditional mentoring is more effective for women than for men.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about employee engagement is most likely TRUE?

A) Most of the global workforce is engaged.
B) Long-term employees are considered engaged.
C) Career development programs raise employee engagement.
D) Companies improve engagement by raising salaries.

Question 23

Coaching involves helping employees make long-term career plans,and mentoring focuses on teaching shorter-term job-related skills.

Question 24

Describe the four-step coaching process.

Question 25

What actions can managers take to support the career development needs of subordinates? What role does coaching play in supporting employee development needs?

Question 26

Quinn,a new employee at Madison Enterprises,thinks that a mentor would benefit his career at Madison.In order to have a successful mentor-protégé relationship,Quinn should most likely ________.

A) keep expectations vague for flexibility
B) ask his manager to be his mentor
C) focus on specific work issues
D) discuss his personal problems

Question 27

How can organizations facilitate the career development needs of employees?

Question 28

Westin Manufacturing is a large firm with offices across the U.S.Many career opportunities exist at Westin in areas such as IT,sales,marketing,and product development.Westin managers are currently considering the idea of assigning a coach to every new employee at the firm.Which of the following,if TRUE,best supports this idea?

A) Organizational development at Westin has improved employee engagement.
B) As a high-performance work system, Westin relies on multiskilled teams.
C) Westin employees participate in training and development programs twice a year.
D) The turnover rate of hourly employees at Westin is higher than the industry average.

Question 29

Why is traditional mentoring often less effective for women than men? How are some firms addressing this problem?

Question 30

Which of the following managerial actions would most likely improve employee engagement?

A) highlighting how employee efforts help accomplish company goals
B) providing annual performance appraisals and bonuses
C) assigning employees to high-performing work teams
D) encouraging lifelong learning through training

Question 31

The Self-Directed Search test helps people evaluate their occupational orientations and preferences.

Question 32

According to research,effective mentors have the ability to ________.

A) maintain control of the relationship
B) establish basic standards of performance
C) steer employees into important projects
D) teach employees how to complete tasks

Question 33

Which term refers to educating,instructing,and training subordinates to perform job-related tasks?

A) outsourcing
B) networking
C) mentoring
D) coaching

Question 34

Jason,a sales manager,has been given the task of coaching a new employee.What should Jason do first?

A) ask the employee to complete a job-related questionnaire
B) give the employee suggestions about work practices
C) observe the employee working and interacting
D) reach agreement with the employee on a plan

Question 35

Diminished employee engagement is most likely shown by all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) poor attendance
B) voluntary turnover
C) mental withdrawal
D) inadequate supervision

Question 36

Unlike a traditional mentor,a mentor/sponsor is able to ________.

A) advocate for an employee's promotion
B) guide employees into projects
C) offer professional advice
D) teach job skills

Question 37

Jason,a sales manager,has been given the task of coaching a new employee.Jason has already observed the employee on the job and reviewed the employee's productivity levels.What should Jason do next?

A) develop a change plan with the employee
B) offer the employee ideas and advice
C) observe the employee again
D) create a task assignment

Question 38

Which term refers to advising,counseling,and guiding an employee?

A) coaching
B) mentoring
C) appraising
D) training

Question 39

Discuss how and why careers today are different from those in the past.

Question 40

Which term refers to being psychologically involved in,connected to,and committed to getting one's jobs done?

A) retention
B) engagement
C) ethical
D) enrichment

Question 41

Discuss the relationship between employee engagement and turnover.How can a firm foster engagement?

Question 42

High unemployment increases the voluntary turnover rate.

Question 43

Frequent absences,daydreaming,and undeserved work breaks are examples of job withdrawal.

Question 44

Which term refers to actions intended to place physical or psychological distance between employees and their work environments?

A) absenteeism
B) job withdrawal
C) employee retention
D) voluntary turnover

Question 45

Which of the following is an example of an intangible cost of turnover?

A) interviewing costs
B) recruiting costs
C) coaching costs
D) testing costs

Question 46

Which of the following is the LEAST relevant question to ask when establishing an organization-wide promotion process?

A) How should competence be measured?
B) How much time should the process take?
C) Should the process be a formal or informal one?
D) Should promotion be based on seniority or competence?

Question 47

Which of the following organizations would most likely base promotions on seniority?

A) small business
B) private corporation
C) union jobs
D) multinational enterprise

Question 48

The lack of promotion opportunities is the primary reason that top-performing employees leave an organization.

Question 49

ABC Enterprises has a high rate of employee turnovers.Which of the following would most likely help ABC managers identify turnover causes?

A) background checks
B) appraisal interviews
C) aptitude testing
D) exit interviews

Question 50

Wilson Manufacturing has experienced a significant increase in employee turnover over the last year.Managers at Wilson want to identify and correct problems before losing valuable employees.Which of the following would most likely accomplish this goal?

A) administering attitude surveys to employees
B) initiating regular exit interviews for workers
C) providing additional training opportunities
D) offering a flexible benefits plan

Question 51

Employers have to think through how they're going to maintain employee engagement in the face of potential downsizings.

Question 52

What is job withdrawal? What are common causes for job withdrawal? What are potential solutions to job withdrawal?

Question 53

Turnover is best defined as the rate at which ________.

A) employees leave a firm
B) employers hire workers
C) employees are promoted
D) employers downsize operations

Question 54

Which of the following would LEAST likely measure employee engagement?

A) profitability
B) recruitment
C) absenteeism
D) customer satisfaction

Question 55

Which of the following would most likely increase turnover rates at an organization?

A) training and development
B) flexible work arrangements
C) intense performance monitoring
D) high-involvement work practices

Question 56

According to research,what is the primary reason that top-performing employees leave an organization?

A) stress
B) compensation
C) work-life balance
D) promotion opportunities

Question 57

What are the primary reasons that top-performing employees leave a firm? What can a firm do to retain these employees?

Question 58

A talent management approach to employee retention focuses primarily on ________.

A) retaining key employees
B) reducing turnover costs
C) minimizing coaching needs
D) retaining executive managers

Question 59

________ can provide useful insights into potential turnover problems.

A) Performance appraisals
B) Exit interviews
C) Management-by objectives
D) Social media

Question 60

Ray,an IT specialist,often daydreams at work,fails to focus on tasks,and arrives late.Ray's actions are most likely an example of ________.

A) voluntary turnover
B) disengagement
C) withdrawal
D) retention

Question 61

Which of the following is most likely important in a firm that has informal promotion processes?

A) employee qualification data banks
B) nine-box assessments
C) job posting policies
D) networking skills

Question 62

Managers at M&M Enterprises want to retain a greater number of the firm's older workers.Which of the following would most likely help the firm accomplish this goal?

A) offering flexible work arrangements
B) providing more full-time positions
C) establishing a coaching program
D) setting achievable career goals

Question 63

Which of the following terms refers to the involuntary termination of an employee's employment with a firm?

A) leave of absence
B) insubordination
C) sabbatical
D) dismissal

Question 64

Under the public policy exception to the termination at will doctrine,courts have held that ________.

A) discharge is wrongful when it is against an explicit, well-established law
B) even in the absence of a written document, an implied contract existed based on representations in the employee handbook
C) employers should not fire employees without good cause
D) persistent failure to perform assigned duties or to meet prescribed standards on the job is reason for dismissal

Question 65

Which of the following best defines "termination at will"?

A) Employers can end business relationships with clients even if a contract exists.
B) Employees can refuse to collaborate with specific co-workers for personal reasons.
C) Customers can end relationships with service providers for any reason at any time.
D) Either the employer or the employee can end the employment relationship at any time.

Question 66

Which of the following would most likely encourage working mothers to remain with a firm?

A) job coaching
B) flexible scheduling
C) appraisal interviews
D) performance monitoring

Question 67

In most private firms,what is the typical measure of competence when determining promotions?

A) performance potential
B) cognitive skills tests
C) past performance
D) assessment centers

Question 68

Which of the following exceptions is NOT responsible for eroding the strength of the "termination at will" doctrine?

A) EEO laws
B) public relations campaigns
C) public policies
D) common law exceptions

Question 69

What is the most common reason that employers transfer employees?

A) rewarding a high-performing employee
B) finding a better job fit for the employee
C) giving the employee more challenging work
D) allowing the employee to work part-time

Question 70

Which of the following most likely ensures the legality of a firm's promotion process?

A) objective evidence
B) informal procedures
C) union agreements
D) salary increases

Question 71

Promotions at most private firms are based on competence rather than seniority,but public sector job promotions emphasize seniority over competence.

Question 72

All of the following are reasonable bases for dismissal EXCEPT ________.

A) unsatisfactory performance
B) whistle blowing
C) misconduct
D) lack of job qualifications

Question 73

The employer's promotion process should do all EXCEPT ________.

A) allow promotion decisions to invite claims of age discrimination
B) comply with all antidiscrimination laws
C) assure that promotion decisions avoid a discrimination claim
D) make promotion procedures clear and objective

Question 74

The 9-box matrix is used by firms to assess an employee's ________.

A) past performance
B) job skills knowledge
C) communication skills
D) promotional potential

Question 75

Which term refers to moving from one job in a firm to another with no change in salary or grade?

A) promotion
B) turnover
C) retention
D) transfer

Question 76

Promotions are always upward.

Question 77

What is the most likely reason that retirement planning is increasingly important to firms?

A) rising number of acquisitions
B) changes in federal employment laws
C) concerns about future labor shortages
D) rising need for cost containment strategies

Question 78

Flexible work arrangements and part-time positions are offered by firms that seek to retain older workers.

Question 79

Tracy is frequently absent from work and almost always late,so her manager has decided to fire her.Which of the following grounds for dismissal will her manager most likely use?

A) misconduct
B) insubordination
C) unsatisfactory performance
D) lack of qualifications for the job

Question 80

What are traditional and modern ways that organizations measure competence for the purpose of promotions? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.