Chapter 9 Developing Careers

Managing Human Resources 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 1 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. 8) 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. 9) Who is responsible for an employee's career development in most modern companies? A) Supervisors B) HR department C) Employees D) Organization 10) 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. 11) 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. 12) 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. 2 C) follow her suggestion, knowing that employee empowerment of this sort will increase worker morale and productivity. D) believe that the company should play the most active role in employees' career development. 13) Which of the following most likely suggests that career development is emphasized too much in an organization? A) Employees take total responsibility for their career development. B) Employees spend time with supervisors seeking career advice. C) Employees make numerous lateral moves within a department. D) Employee job performance is neglected for networking opportunities. 14) Marcus is trying to encourage his employees to think and plan for their future careers. He's concerned, however, that he might create or feed unrealistic expectations. Marcus is most likely trying to answer which of the following questions? A) How much career emphasis is enough? B) Who's responsible for career development? C) How does one meet the needs of a diverse workforce? D) Whose goals should be met, those of the organization or the individual? 15) Which of the following is LEAST likely a negative aspect of career development programs that foster unrealistic advancement expectations? A) Employee dissatisfaction B) Poor performance C) Increased turnover D) Discrimination 16) The "glass ceiling" is best defined as the: A) official boundary in an organization that prohibits minorities and women from rising to upperlevel job positions. B) filtering of minority group members and women into non-revenue producing areas of a business. C) informal barrier that prevents women and minorities from advancing their careers within firms. D) expansion of opportunities for minorities and women in the workplace required by EEO laws. 17) According to a 1991 government study on the "glass ceiling,": A) women were excluded from formal recruitment efforts. B) employers failed to provide formal career development programs. C) women and minorities were held back from lower-level management positions. D) minorities and disabled workers were excluded from upper-level management positions. 18) Which of the following is most likely a true statement? A) The glass ceiling is a problem exclusive to the United States. B) Women and minorities tend to be excluded from informal career development efforts. C) Since the 1991 glass ceiling study, women have attained appropriate representation in directorship positions. D) Barriers to women and minorities in the workplace no longer exist as a result of government 3 intervention programs. 19) In Fortune 500 companies, ________ % of seats on the boards of directors are held by women. A) 5 B) 15 C) 25 D) 50 20) 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 21) 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 22) 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. 23) 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 24) 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. 25) 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. 4 D) determine the weaknesses they need to overcome in order to reach career goals. 26) Which of the following is a self-assessment tool? A) Career workbooks B) Psychological testing C) Succession planning D) Performance appraisals 27) 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 28) 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. 29) 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. 30) 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. 31) Which of the following is an organizational assessment tool? A) Career planning workshops B) Career workbooks C) Assessment centers D) Interest inventories 32) B.J. 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. 5 33) Samantha is working through an instrument that will help her identify her occupational interests. She is using a(n): A) psychological profile. B) interests inventory. C) skills proficiency test. D) values clarification instrument. 34) Corrine is doing an exercise in her career workbook that involves rating the importance of security, power, money, and family in her life. This exercise is most likely a(n): A) values clarification exercise. B) interest inventory. C) skills assessment exercise. D) psychological test. 35) Career development tools such as psychological testing, assessment centers, and performance appraisals are also used in: A) retraining programs. B) employee selection. C) socialization. D) orientation. 36) You want to use an organizational assessment tool to evaluate an employee's ability to handle certain situations specific to the job and to test for key skills. Your best choice of an assessment tool would be: A) a psychological profile. B) a performance appraisal review. C) an interests inventory. D) an assessment center. 37) An in-basket exercise given to an employee for career development purposes would most likely focus on: A) providing feedback to the worker. B) comparing the worker to managers. C) measuring the worker's past performance. D) identifying the advancement potential of the worker. 38) A pitfall of using performance appraisals as a tool for organizational assessment is that: A) it assesses past performance and does not necessarily predict future performance. B) the process makes employees nervous and initiates voluntary separations. C) employees focus too much on their reputations rather than their job performance. D) it fosters unrealistic expectations for career advancement opportunities. 39) Your boss wants you to take a personality test, an attitude test, and an interest inventory as part of your promotion review process. Your boss is putting you through: A) an assessment center. B) situational exercises. C) succession planning. 6 D) psychological testing. 40) 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. 41) 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. 42) 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. 43) 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. 44) 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. 45) 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 46) A career anchor is best described as an individual's: A) strengths and weaknesses. B) professional knowledge. C) management skills. D) core values. 7 47) 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. 48) 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 49) The direction phase is represented by employees': A) personality traits. B) mental soundness. C) competencies. D) interpersonal skills. 50) 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. 51) Individual career counseling is typically conducted by all of the following EXCEPT: A) managers. B) HR staff members. C) co-workers. D) professional counselors. 52) ________ 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 53) 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. 8 54) Company-maintained records of employees' abilities, skills, knowledge, and education are: A) career paths. B) job-posting systems. C) assessment systems. D) skills inventories. 55) For career paths to be helpful, they need to contain information about: A) pay and benefits at each level. B) employee interests, education, and abilities. C) qualifications and time between steps. D) criteria for selecting applicants. 56) A(n) ________ is a collection of career development materials. A) career path B) career workbook C) organizational assessment D) career resource center 57) Eileen is considering assignments, training programs, and development opportunities that she will need in preparation for being a general manager in the future. Eileen is in the: A) development phase of her career development. B) discovery phase of her career development. C) assessment phase of her career development. D) directional phase of her career development. 58) Mentoring is one program commonly used in the ________ phase of career development. A) directing B) development C) allocating D) assessment 59) Mentoring programs: A) are popular but typically unsuccessful. B) are best when a formalized process. C) make a real difference in careers. D) develop during orientation. 60) Mentoring is primarily a(n): A) theory that has not been widely accepted among HR managers. B) developmentally-oriented relationship between a senior and junior employees. C) system whereby senior employees can groom lower-level employees to take their place. D) assessment program to identify employee performance problems and offer solutions to employees. 61) A career development technique that especially helps small business owners, women, and minorities is: A) retraining. 9 B) job rotation. C) self assessment. D) group mentoring. 62) 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. 63) 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 64) 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 65) 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. 66) 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. 67) Job rotation is espcially beneficial to employees when a firm is going through: A) downsizing. B) rapid expansion. C) hierarchical changes. D) organizational strategizing. 68) 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. 10 D) off-the-job-training. 69) 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. 70) 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 71) 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. 72) Which term refers to positioning yourself to move ahead in an organization? A) Training B) Assessment C) Advancement D) Development 73) 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. 74) 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. 75) 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. 76) All of the following are recommended activities for career advancement EXCEPT: 11 A) understanding business trends. B) balancing your work and family C) resolving problems at work. D) marketing yourself. 77) Which of the following would be the best way to market yourself? A) Attending seminars B) Studying business issues C) Facing conflicts at work D) Requesting an executive mentor 78) According to the text, which of the following is NOT one of the key domains to consider when defining career success? A) Life B) Work C) Money D) Environment 79) Elise works in the marketing department at her firm Mondays through Thursdays. Each Friday, Elise assists the accounting department. Which of the following best describes this situation? A) Project rotation B) Partial rotation C) Cross-region rotation D) Interdepartmental rotation 80) Which of the following is primarily used to fill short-term needs created by vacations or sick leave? A) Cross-functional rotations B) Project rotations C) Temporary rotations D) Partial rotations Case 9.1 Ron, the CEO at CableNet, wants to invest in career development because he is concerned that the firm is not prepared to meet future needs and challenges. Rudy, the operations manager, states that CableNet has already invested significantly in employee training, and a career development program would be a costly duplication. Rudy produces a recent productivity and quality study that shows significant improvement among employees to support his assertion that a development program is unnecessary. Charles, an IT manager, states that most supervisors currently discuss career options with their subordinates as part of the management process. Charles asserts that managers are taking care of their employees well enough and that nothing else is necessary. Tanya, the HR director, suggests that assigning employees to various jobs would give them a wider base of skills at a minimal expense. She asserts that an active career development program would help the company with EEO-related matters, which are a concern to her. The workforce is about 30% female and 45% minority, but upper management is 100% Asian-American male. 12 81) Refer to Case 9.1. 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 82) Refer to Case 9.1. 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. 83) Refer to Case 9.1. Charles' comments suggest that the company's career development efforts are primarily based on: A) job rotation. B) mentoring. C) coaching. D) training. 84) Refer to Case 9.1. 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. 85) Refer to Case 9.1. 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 9.2 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 selfmade 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. 86) Refer to Case 9.2. Which of the following would be the best development tool for Austin Designs? A) Creating a coaching program B) Establishing a mentoring program 13 C) Revising the performance appraisal system D) Establish a career resource center in the HR department 87) Refer to Case 9.2. 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 88) Refer to Case 9.2. 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 89) Refer to Case 9.2. 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. 90) Refer to Case 9.2. 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. 91) Career development differs from training by its purpose, its content, and its time frame. Answer: TRUE 92) Initial career development efforts focused on the individual. As the field advanced, it integrated career development into organizational needs. Answer: FALSE 93) Mergers, acquisitions, and downsizings have shifted the responsibility of career development from employees to employers. Answer: FALSE 94) The employee-empowerment approach to career development is especially beneficial in flat organizations where advancement opportunities are greater. Answer: FALSE 95) Many companies view career development as a good way to prevent job burnout. 14 Answer: TRUE 96) In the past, career development in bureaucratic organizations was initiated and driven by the employees themselves, but now, employees take up less of a role in their individual career development. Answer: FALSE 97) If career development is over-emphasized, the organization may suffer when employees become more concerned about their image than their actual performance. Answer: TRUE 98) Too much of an emphasis on career development can be detrimental to an organization by creating unrealistic expectations, leading to dissatisfaction and poor performance. Answer: TRUE 99) Barriers to the advancement of women and minorities are clearly visible and can be eliminated through career development strategies. Answer: FALSE 100) The glass-ceiling phenomenon affects women more in South Korea than in the U.S. Answer: TRUE 101) When both members of a couple have careers and occupational responsibilities, their personal lives are less likely to affect their performance. Answer: FALSE 102) The two-income family is becoming increasingly common. Answer: TRUE 103) A manager is meeting with her subordinate and discussing career development. Together they are clarifying the employee's goals and his strengths and weaknesses as related to his job. This manager and employee are in the assessment stage of career development. Answer: TRUE 104) An interest inventory is a self-assessment tool employees can use to prioritize their personal values. Answer: FALSE 105) In-basket exercises and business games are elements of assessment centers used to select managers at a firm. Answer: TRUE 106) As a manager, Tim wants to conduct an organizational-level assessment to determine the advancement potential of key subordinates. The best tool for this assessment would be a career planning workshop. Answer: FALSE 15 107) Succession planning and promotability forecasts are career development tools, or activities best used for an organizational-level career development assessment. Answer: TRUE 108) In the preparation of succession plans and promotability forecasts, managers need to consider personality characteristics, technical knowledge, and motivation. Answer: TRUE 109) Succession planning is more important at large organizations than at small firms. Answer: FALSE 110) Most managers consider career development counseling with their employees a top priority. Answer: FALSE 111) Career development-related information services include: a job posting system, skills inventories, career paths, and a career resource center. Answer: TRUE 112) A career path is a chart that shows the possible routes of career advancement and a realistic timetable for each step. Answer: TRUE 113) Effective mentoring must be formal, structured, and only at the upper levels of management. Answer: FALSE 114) Effective mentoring can improve promotional rates, income, and job satisfaction. Answer: TRUE 115) The most important aspect of group mentoring is the educational content. Answer: FALSE 116) Coaching and mentoring are different terms for the same type of career development activity. Answer: FALSE 117) Job rotation is a form of career development. Answer: TRUE 118) Job rotation is closely connected to cross-functional training. Answer: TRUE 119) Organizations that offer tuition assistance programs hope to reduce turnover and encourage employee loyalty. Answer: TRUE 120) When an employer does not routinely offer career development programs, there is very little 16 individual employees can do to take control of their own development. Answer: FALSE 121) Communication skills and the ability to resolve problems are keys to career advancement. Answer: TRUE 122) ________ is an ongoing and formalized effort that focuses on developing enriched and more capable workers. Answer: Career development 123) A couple whose members both have occupational responsibilities and career issues at stake is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: dual-career couple 124) A career development activity in which managers make decisions regarding the advancement potential of subordinates is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: promotability forecast 125) ________ is a career development activity that focuses on preparing people to fill executive positions. Answer: Succession planning 126) 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 127) ________ is a company-maintained record of employees' abilities, skills, knowledge, and education. Answer: Skills inventory 128) A(n) ________ is a chart showing the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization. Answer: career path 129) A collection of career development materials such as workbooks, tapes, and texts is referred to as a(n) ________. Answer: career resource center 130) 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 131) 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: 17 • Who will be responsible? Responsibility calls for a balance between employer and employee, as each has a vested interest in the employee's career. • How much to emphasize? Emphasis requires enough to show it is important so managers will make the effort, but not so much that unrealistic expectations are created. • How will a diverse workforce's needs be met? Diversity has to address not only the barriers to women and minorities, but issues of two-career couples and the aging workforce. Dual-career couples are an additional challenge to firms in regards to career development because a career opportunity for one member that demands a geographic move can produce a crisis for both the couple and their companies. Some of the organizational approaches used to deal with the needs of dual-career couples include flexible work schedules, telecommuting, and child-care services. 132) What is the purpose of the assessment phase of career development? How can selfassessment help individuals develop their own careers? What self-assessment tools are available? Answer: The assessment phase of career development includes activities ranging from selfassessment to organizationally provided assessment. The goal of assessment, whether performed by employees themselves or by the organization, is to identify employees' strengths and weaknesses. This kind of clarification helps employees (1) to choose a career that is realistically obtainable and a good fit and (2) to determine the weaknesses they need to overcome to achieve their career goals. Selfassessment is increasingly important for companies that want to empower their employees to take control of their careers. The major tools used for self-assessment are workbooks and workshops. Interest inventories indicate how much an individual's likes/dislikes match what the job involves. Values clarification helps the employee see how his/her values fit the values necessary to be satisfied. 133) What is involved in the direction phase of career development? How can skills inventories and career paths aid in the process? Answer: This is where the employee determines the type of career he/she wants and realizes the steps that must be taken to realize their goals. Skills inventories are company-maintained records with information such as employees' abilities, skills, knowledge, and education. The company can use this comprehensive, centralized HR information system to get an overall picture of its workforce's training and development needs, as well as to identify existing talent in one department that may be more productively employed in another. Skills inventories can prove valuable for employees as well. Feedback regarding how they stack up against other employees can encourage them to improve their skills or seek out other positions that better match their current skill levels. Career paths provide valuable information regarding the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization. A career path presents the steps in a possible career and a plausible timetable for accomplishing them. Just as a variety of paths may lead to the same job, so may starting from the same job lead to very different outcomes. 134) What self-development steps are recommended to prepare employees for future workplace challenges? What are the warning signs that an individual's career development activities have become excessive? Answer: Summary of suggested answer • Create a personal mission statement • Take personal responsibility for your career 18 • 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. 135) 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 . • 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. 19