Chapter 9: Managing Careers
Reviewing Important Concepts
1. Explain how and why employee development and career development activities
overlap. (LO 1)
The main distinction between employee development and career development lies in their
time frames. Employee development focuses on more of the immediate and intermediate
2. Rank the four career development stages in order of increasing employer
responsibility and involvement. Explain your choices. (LO 5)
The four career stages are exploration, establishment, mid-career, and late career.
3. Identify the Holland vocational preferences and explain the importance of this
model in determining the best job fit. (LO 6)
The Holland vocational preferences are realistic, investigative, artistic, social,
enterprising, and conventional. The model helps identify people’s occupational
preferences. Research has shown that if you do a job you think is important, you will be
4. What is a mentor and how do you go about finding one? (LO 3, 4, 5)
A mentor is usually a senior employee who takes an active role in guiding another
individual. This guidance involves direction, advice, criticism and suggestions. You
should find out if your organization has a formal mentoring program. Additionally,
Evaluating Alternatives
5. Review the elements of Samsung’s Global Services Group and Regional Specialists
program in chapter in chapter five and on the Samsung website. Explain the
benefits to Samsung and to the participants. Which program do you feel would offer
the greatest advantages for participants? Why? (LO 2, 4, 7)
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Benefits to Samsung include several from this chapter including: talent will be available
Employee benefits also include several from this chapter including being involved in
career development activities, being visible, seeking important assignments, utilizing
6. After reviewing the chapter opener describing the efforts of Principal Financial
Group to help employees manage their careers, explain which of the company’s
initiatives you feel is the most valuable and why. Suggest additional career
development activities aimed at encouraging mid-career stage workers to continue
to grow rather than plateau or decline. (LO 2, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Allowing employees paid time off from work for volunteering allows employees to give
Allowing a “no meetings Friday” option is great for employees and will allow them to
The Working Caregiver Leave will allow employees to still contribute to the
organization, while also caring for themselves or a love one without the added stress of
The “Happy Returns” program which allows retires to still work would allow the
organization to still capitalize on retirees expertise, including having them act as mentors
to younger employees. Having older workers work in nonprofits or overseas assignments
In terms of the sixth initiative, I think it would be counterproductive to limit it to only
workers over fifty since that might be demoralizing to employees who are younger than
Research and Communication Skills
These activities require students to research a topic and report the findings to the instructor or the
class. They can be assigned to either individuals or groups and are designed to develop critical
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thinking, research and presentation skills necessary for HR. Grading can be simplified by using
the grading rubric above.
Activity Summaries
7. Four interviews of individuals in different career stages are summarized and presented to
class with presentation slides or videos. (LO 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
8. Comparing the results of several career surveys and personality assessments in a paper.
(LO 6)
9. Develop an elevator pitch and practice it in groups. (LO 4, 7)
Making a Difference: Service Learning Projects
Overview: Service Learning Projects provide students with opportunities to develop and
demonstrate HR skills and build a professional network that will assist in getting a job in HR.
The activities that relate to this chapter on career development involve working with people in
different stages of careers. A sample assignment with requirements and grading materials is
available at the front of the Instructor’s Manual and as a download from the text website.
Case Application 9 A- Preparing for the Future at Western States
An HR director is confused when Western States, the mortgage company she works for fails to
gain a place on the local “Best Employers” list. Students are asked to help her utilize career
development concepts to improve employee opinions about the opportunities at Western States.
Questions:
1. In what ways can mentoring and coaching help accomplish Western State’s Career
Development goals? (LO 3, 5)
Effective coaches give guidance through direction, advice, criticism, and suggestion in an
attempt to aid the employee’s growth. They can encourage employees to take advantage
2. How will Western States benefit from a successful career development program in
addition to getting on the “Best Employers” list? (LO 1, 2)
Creating a more effective career development will help make sure talent will be available
3. How can Western States improve communication about careers and career
development opportunities? (LO 2)
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HRM should not only inform employees, but managers should be trained in way to
provide career development and encouraged to support employees who participate in
4. Create a fourth goal for the career development plan and explain why it’s
important. (LO 1, 2, 3)
Suggestions may include:
Providing volunteer opportunities and supporting employees who volunteer with
time off.
Flexible working schedules for new parents and other employees with family
5. Research: If finances at Western states don’t allow tuition reimbursement or paying
for outside training programs, what career development activities in addition to
mentoring might be appropriate for employees interested in mid and senior level
management positions? Start with examples from this chapter, then search online
for examples from organizations you admire or would like to work for. Summarize
your results and include your sources. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Encourage students to look for example of career development activities for organizations
in your community or organizations they may be familiar with. Suggestions may be
similar to those in the suggested answer to question 4.
Case Application 9 – B: Walmart Boot Camp
Nearly 40 percent of first-time leaders fail in their position. When you look at the number of
leaders Walmart needs to sustain their global growth, it’s important to reduce that number and
increase the odds of employees succeeding in their new positions. Their answer was to establish
a leadership academy full of career development activities designed to prepare high potential
employees for promotion.
Questions:
1. What value does the leadership academy offer to the individual in terms of career
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development? (LO 2, 4, 5)
In addition to the benefits of gaining skills that allow them to relate to employees,
learning problem solving skills and work under pressure, they gain intrinsic rewards from
2. In what ways does the leadership academy benefit Walmart besides increasing the
number of managers capable of running a supercenter? (LO 2, 5)
It will increase the chances that newly promoted managers will find success and stay with
Walmart. With a greater understanding of career development opportunities, they may
3. What characteristics would you look for to identify “high potential” employees to
participate in the leadership academy? (LO 6)
Employees in the establishment and mid-career stages would be good targets for the
academy. Personality styles would also be a determining factor. The Myers-Briggs
4. Research: Look for examples of other companies that have established leadership
academies. In what ways are they similar or different from Walmart? What are
their objectives? How successful are they? Would you consider participating in a
leadership academy? (LO 1, 2, 3, 5)
Answers will vary.
Online Case Application 9 – C: TEAM FUN
Questions:
1. Define career and success for Bobby, Tony, Kenny, and Norton.(LO 1, 2, 4, 5, 6)
2. Trace career stages for each of them. (LO 5)
3. What career and employee development activities should Kenny and Norton provide for
Bobby and Tony? (LO 1, 2, 3)
4. Identify Holland vocational preferences for Bobby, Tony, Kenny, and Norton. (LO 6)
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5. Suggest several career management strategies that Bobby and Tony could utilize. (LO 4, 5, 6,
7)
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