Question 1

Acting as a mentor gives managers
A) career support and sponsorship.
B) increased visibility among the organization's managers.
C) a chance to talk about their worries.
D) a chance to develop their interpersonal skills.
E) a greater opportunity to be promoted.

Accepted Answer

Acting as a mentor provides managers with the opportunity to develop their interpersonal skills, as they work closely with employees to provide guidance and support. While mentoring may indirectly lead to career support, increased visibility, and promotion opportunities, these are not the primary benefits of the mentorship role. Additionally, mentoring is not a time for managers to express their personal worries, but rather to focus on helping their mentees.

Question 2

What is a characteristic of a successful formal mentoring program?
A) Mentor and protégé participation is mandatory.
B) Managers are rewarded for employee development.
C) Mentors are chosen on a random basis.
D) Mentors become therapists for their protégés.
E) Mentor-protégé relationships are artificially created.

Accepted Answer

A successful formal mentoring program should have support and participation from top management. Managers should be rewarded for employee development which encourages active participation in mentoring programs. Mandatory participation can lead to forced and unproductive relationships, and choosing mentors on a random basis or creating artificial relationships may not result in effective mentoring. Additionally, mentors should not function as therapists for their protégés, but rather provide guidance and support for professional development.

Question 3

Employees at Atkins Inc. are frustrated with their manager, Kyle, who does not believe in providing feedback because he thinks it's a waste of time. His employees argue that they do not know how to hone their skills if they are not told what areas they should work on and what areas are satisfactory. Which statement would strengthen the employees' arguments?
A) Kyle only hires employees who have the potential to follow through on his high expectations.
B) Feedback is not an effective mechanism because employees can choose to reject the constructive information.
C) Evaluating each employee is a herculean task that would require a lot of time and effort.
D) Employees who receive feedback gain more clarity on their roles and how they fit within an organization.
E) Employees ought to evaluate themselves because self-assessment is the best type of feedback.

Accepted Answer

Option D specifically addresses the argument made by the employees, that they need feedback in order to know how to improve their skills and understand their roles within the organization. It supports the idea that feedback is valuable, rather than dismisses it like option B. Options A and C are not relevant to the argument, and option E suggests self-assessment as a replacement for feedback, which may not always be as effective.

Question 4

The ________ is a self-assessment tool that helps employees identify their occupational and job interests.
A) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
B) Self-Directed Search
C) leaderless group discussion
D) Occupational Outlook Handbook
E) Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory

Accepted Answer

The Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory is a self-assessment tool that helps employees identify their occupational and job interests.

Question 5

Warm 'n Go, a leading brand in microwavable food items, prides itself on helping its employees with their career paths. The employees are highly efficient and are motivated to define areas of weakness in their job performances and work to eliminate them. The employees take various tests to help them assess their career interests and behavioral tendencies, thus helping them work on becoming successful. In this scenario, which system for career management is being employed at Warm 'n Go?
A) feedback
B) self-assessment
C) self-discipline
D) goal setting
E) action plan

Accepted Answer

The system for career management being employed at Warm 'n Go involves self-assessment by employees through various tests to assess their career interests and behavioral tendencies. This helps them work on enhancing their strengths and eliminating weaknesses, making it a self-directed approach to career management.

Question 6

David was part of a formal mentoring program and was mentored by Angela. The mentoring sessions were conducted over a period of six weeks to improve David's communication and interpersonal skills in the workplace. The sessions, however, were unsuccessful. Which scenario, if true, would most likely have caused the failure of the mentoring sessions?
A) David failed to treat the mentoring sessions as therapy.
B) David and Angela did not have an informal relationship before the formal mentoring program began.
C) Angela is a senior employee and has more experience than David.
D) David's participation was involuntary, and he had little understanding of the details of the program.
E) David is a new employee, whereas Angela has been working with the firm for many years.

Accepted Answer

If David's participation in the mentoring program was involuntary and he had little understanding of its details, he may have been resistant to the process or not fully engaged in the sessions, leading to their failure. It is important for participants in mentoring programs to have a clear understanding of their role and to willingly participate in the process for it to be successful.

Question 7

John, a senior editor at TSS News, asks Ronda, the editor-in-chief, for a sabbatical. Which statement best explains why TSS News would pay John during the sabbatical, if Ronda approves it?
A) John will use the time to try his hand at acquiring skills in various other departments.
B) While John is away, Ronda can promote another senior editor on the team.
C) During the sabbatical, John can develop new skills and refresh his existing ones.
D) John's salary cannot be matched by any other company in the local area.
E) During the sabbatical, John will have more time to spend with family members.

Accepted Answer

TSS News would pay John during the sabbatical because it would provide John with the opportunity to develop new skills and refresh his existing ones. This will ultimately lead to John being more productive and effective once he returns to work.

Question 8

Matt is a successful senior employee at Tech Nation. He has five years of experience in the company and is well recognized for his contributions. The vice president of human resources tells Matt about Taylor, an employee Tech Nation hired for her keen intelligence. According to the vice president, Taylor is struggling to make an impact because she does not speak up assertively or understand who to talk to when she has questions. The vice president asks Matt to serve as a mentor to Taylor. What would this role involve doing?
A) promoting Taylor to better jobs and giving her raises
B) assigning several protégés to help Taylor
C) developing Taylor through coaching, sponsorship, and challenging assignments
D) implementing a formal mentoring program
E) administering 360-degree feedback

Accepted Answer

Serving as a mentor to Taylor would involve developing her through coaching, sponsorship, and challenging assignments to help her understand how to make an impact in the company. This would include helping her to speak up assertively and identify who to talk to when she has questions. It would not involve promoting her or giving her raises, assigning protégés, implementing a formal mentoring program, or administering 360-degree feedback.

Question 9

Antonio, a manager at the Colonial Inn, is training a new group of employees. After each training session, the employees complete various exercises to test their knowledge. After evaluating the results, Antonio speaks one-on-one with the employees to help them define their areas of weakness and encourage them to keep fine-tuning their strengths. In this scenario, Antonio is providing his employees with
A) counseling.
B) feedback.
C) goals.
D) self-assessment.
E) self-appraisal.

Accepted Answer

Antonio is providing feedback to his employees by evaluating their results and speaking with them one-on-one to help them improve their knowledge and skills. Counseling, goals, self-assessment, and self-appraisal are not specifically mentioned in the scenario.

Question 10

Management at an IT firm is thinking of promoting Tad, a customer service representative, to the position of senior customer relationship manager. Which scenario would make the promotion less likely to happen?
A) A promotion would reduce Tad's feelings of accomplishment.
B) Tad wants to improve his pay and status at work.
C) Tad is showing that he can handle greater responsibility.
D) Slow growth is limiting the opportunities available in the company.
E) The company would have to provide detailed information about the new position.

Accepted Answer

Scenario D, which mentions slow growth limiting opportunities in the company, would make Tad's promotion less likely because it suggests there may not be enough resources or positions available for advancement.

Question 11

Daniel, an accounting manager at Plot Co., agreed to work with a coach. He chose this in order to become more of a team player, which would, in turn, lead him to being considered for a larger role in management. After two months, however, he complained to the human resource manager that the process was time-consuming and he has not seen any positive results. Which response to Daniel's complaint would best reflect how coaching can contribute to employee development?
A) A coach generally starts by asking challenging questions, so the coach should be replaced.
B) Results should show up after several weeks-so Daniel must not be practicing.
C) Getting results can take several months-and the employee has to keep practicing.
D) The coach should have defined Daniel's goals and motives more specifically.
E) The coach should meet with Daniel every six months until he improves.

Accepted Answer

Coaching is a process that requires time, commitment, and effort from both the coach and the employee. It is not uncommon for results to take several months to become apparent, and it is important for the employee to keep practicing and applying the strategies discussed in coaching sessions. It is possible that the coach could have provided more specific, measurable goals and motives for Daniel, but this alone may not have resulted in immediate positive results. Ultimately, it is up to the employee to put in the work and stay motivated. A coach challenging the employee with questions is part of the coaching process and should not be a reason for replacement. Meeting every six months does not provide enough consistency and follow-up to promote ongoing development.

Question 12

Paula, a human resource executive, is setting up a mentoring program at her company. Which action will best help the program succeed?
A) making sure the performance management system rewards managers for employee development
B) selecting mentors based on their interpersonal rather than technical skills
C) setting up the mentoring as a mandatory program for both mentors and protégés
D) giving mentors realistic expectations by explaining that the protégés will benefit, not the mentors
E) defining the mentor's role broadly, to help with personal problems as well as business-related skills

Accepted Answer

Making sure the performance management system rewards managers for employee development will incentivize managers to invest time and effort into the mentoring program, increasing the likelihood of its success. Selecting mentors based on their interpersonal skills and defining the mentor's role broadly can also be helpful, but they are not as critical as ensuring that managers are rewarded for participating in the program. Making the program mandatory may not be effective if the mentors or protégés do not fully engage with it, and giving mentors only a narrow expectation of their role may limit the program's potential impact.

Question 13

Which activity is most appropriate for the first step of the career management process?
A) self-assessment
B) goal setting
C) reality checking
D) identifying the steps and timetable to reach a goal
E) specifying the competencies to be developed

Accepted Answer

The first step in the career management process is self-assessment. This involves identifying one's skills, interests, values, and personality preferences to gain a better understanding of their career aspirations and potential career paths. Self-assessment lays the foundation for all other steps in the career management process.

Question 14

A peer or manager who works closely with employees to motivate them, help them develop their skills, and provide reinforcement and feedback is known as a
A) protégé.
B) coach.
C) moderator.
D) high-potential employee.
E) facilitator.

Accepted Answer

A manager or peer who works closely with employees to motivate them, help them develop their skills, and provide reinforcement and feedback is known as a coach. A coach helps employees to improve their performance, develop their skills, and achieve their goals. They provide constructive feedback, support, and guidance to help employees reach their full potential.

Question 15

Kris is a technical analyst at Tulla Inc. and has consistently impressed her managers with her ability to perform outstandingly in all projects assigned to her. Her manager, Robert, understands that she is really good at her job, but also recognizes that she might experience burnout because of the repetitive nature of the job. He talks to her about developing other possible skills by working full time for a short period at a different company. In this scenario, which approach to employee development is Robert encouraging?
A) externship
B) transfer
C) promotion
D) job rotation
E) job transfer

Accepted Answer

Robert is encouraging Kris to participate in an externship, which involves working full time for a short period at a different company to develop other possible skills. This approach to employee development can help employees gain new experiences, broaden their perspective, and develop new skills.

Question 16

The step in the career management process in which employees receive information about their skills and knowledge and where these assets fit into the organization's plans is called
A) self-assessment.
B) feedback.
C) goal setting.
D) action planning.
E) data gathering.

Accepted Answer

The step in the career management process that involves receiving information about one's skills and knowledge is feedback. This feedback helps employees to identify areas where they need to improve and develop their skills further. It also helps them to understand how their skills and knowledge fit into the organization's plans and goals.

Question 17

Which of the following helps identify employees' preferences for working in different types of environments, such as sales and counseling?
A) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
B) Self-Directed Search
C) leaderless group discussion
D) Occupational Outlook Handbook
E) Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory

Accepted Answer

The Self-Directed Search is a career assessment tool that helps individuals identify their interests and preferences for working in different environments, such as sales and counseling.

Question 18

Providing employees with the opportunity to get away from the day-to-day stresses of their job and acquire new skills and perspectives is known as a(n)
A) transfer.
B) expatriate assignment.
C) sabbatical.
D) externship.
E) downward move.

Accepted Answer

A sabbatical is a period of time, typically ranging from a few weeks to a year, during which an employee takes a break from their regular work duties in order to pursue a specific goal or interest. This can include traveling, volunteering, or taking courses to learn new skills. Sabbaticals are often used as a way to prevent burnout and promote employee satisfaction and engagement.

Question 19

What is a component of a basic career management system?
A) sabbatical
B) goal setting
C) externship
D) team building
E) workplace ethics

Accepted Answer

Goal setting is a crucial component of a basic career management system as it helps individuals identify their career aspirations and develop a plan to achieve them. Sabbatical, externship, team building, and workplace ethics may also be important aspects of career development, but they are not necessarily basic components of a career management system.

Question 20

Phillip is a senior journalist at a news agency. He goes on a temporary leave for six months and travels around different parts of South Asia during his leave. He records his travel experiences in a book and shares it with his colleagues upon his return. During his leave, he was also being paid by the organization. This is an example of a(n)
A) transfer.
B) expatriate assignment.
C) sabbatical.
D) externship.
E) downward move.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a sabbatical, which is a period of leave granted to an employee for personal, professional, or academic purposes. During this period, the employee is often paid and expected to return to their job after the leave is over. Sabbaticals are commonly used as a way to retain talented employees and provide them with opportunities to recharge, learn new skills, or pursue personal interests.

Quiz 8: Developing Employees for Future Success

Acting as a mentor gives managers

What is a characteristic of a successful formal mentoring program?

The ________ is a self-assessment tool that helps employees identify their occupational and job interests.

John, a senior editor at TSS News, asks Ronda, the editor-in-chief, for a sabbatical. Which statement best explains why TSS News would pay John during the sabbatical, if Ronda approves it?

Management at an IT firm is thinking of promoting Tad, a customer service representative, to the position of senior customer relationship manager. Which scenario would make the promotion less likely to happen?

Paula, a human resource executive, is setting up a mentoring program at her company. Which action will best help the program succeed?

Which activity is most appropriate for the first step of the career management process?

A peer or manager who works closely with employees to motivate them, help them develop their skills, and provide reinforcement and feedback is known as a

The step in the career management process in which employees receive information about their skills and knowledge and where these assets fit into the organization's plans is called

Which of the following helps identify employees' preferences for working in different types of environments, such as sales and counseling?

Providing employees with the opportunity to get away from the day-to-day stresses of their job and acquire new skills and perspectives is known as a(n)

What is a component of a basic career management system?