Solution Manual For Career Management, 4th Edition

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Chapter 1–Discussion Questions1.What is the impact of recent changes in the business environment onindividuals’ careers? Consider the consequences of intense competition,changes in organizational structure and the nature of work,internationalization, technology, work–family issues, and cultural diversityon career management.As found in Chapter 1 and as listed in the question, there are a number ofenvironmental factors that impact individual career management. Overall, theseenvironmental factors give greater emphasis to the need for people to proactivelymanage their careers. In this sense, individuals should be more self-reliant in thisprocess. The students could also highlight the change in the psychologicalcontract between employers and employees (from relational to transactional) ashaving an effect on career management. They could also point to the need to takea boundaryless/protean approach or attitude to career management (in contrast tothe traditional approach where one’s organization takes and active role in helpingindividuals manage their careers).2.Does the characterization of the contemporary workforce described inthis chapter (high expectations, autonomy, weakening sex-role stereotypes,and concern for total lifestyle) fit your picture of yourself, your friends, oryour family members? Could there be age, social class, cultural, or genderdifferences in how people view work and life?This question leaves it up tothe individual student to assess whether thecharacterizations “fit” the person or their close acquaintances. Nonetheless, thestudents should also recognize that there can be differences in perceptions of thesecharacterizations based on social or demographic factors. For example, youngerversus older workers would likely differ in how they see themselves within thecontemporary workforce3.Why should people be concerned about managing their careers?What can happen if people do not actively plan and manage their careers?This question is certainly related to the first one. Specifically, the ever changingnature of the global work environment makes it necessary to be vigilant in careermanagement. The constant risks and uncertainties that individuals face in theircareersdictate that the individual be “ever ready” to respond these challenges. Inaddition, organizations have become less likely to assist their employees in thecareer management process (note the shift toward the transactional psychologicalcontract). Thus, it is incumbent on the individual to actively manage his or hercareer. If the individual does notactivelymanage his or her career, then theyleave themselves open tothe whims of the organization and the job marketwithout having proper preparedness.4.What is the incentive for an organization to help its employeesmanage their careers? How can the organization stand to gain from thisventure? Are there any risks?

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By helping individual employees manage their careers organizations stand to gainin several ways. First, it assists in the selection ofhumanresourcessince it helpsemployersensure that employees will be placed in jobs that“fit”them in terms oftheir personal qualities (P-E fit).When P-E fit is attained, workers are moresatisfied, more productive, and show a higher level of commitment to theorganization. In addition, career management assistance allows for improveddevelopment andutilization ofhumanresourcesby helping to ensure thatemployees are ready for new challenges and are prepared to take on greaterresponsibilities (succession planning).Career management assistance alsoimproves the management ofculturaldiversitysince companies need todevelopfair assessment techniques regarding candidates for promotions or other jobassignments. Finally, helping employees manage their careers is a sign that theorganization is being “sociallyresponsible.”The risks to companies thathelp their employees manage their careers centeraround the possibility ofpersonaldisappointmentand dissatisfactionif thecompany cannot provide enough hierarchical and/or lateral opportunitiesforitsworkers. In this sense,by providing this assistance,the company overly inflatesthe expectations of workers that opportunities will be available to them. Ifbusiness strategies or market conditions change, then the organization might notbe able to offer employees new opportunities. Thus,they risk alienating theiremployees.They also risk greater turnover if the employees use the informationgained from the career management assistance process as a “springboard” to seekout more personally fulfilling positions with other organizations.

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Chapter 1–Essay Questions1.Briefly describe the environmental, organizational, and individual changes thathave taken place over the past 25 years that have affected the nature of work andcareers.The students should be able to list and describe the following factors, all of which areaddressed in the first part of chapter 1:organizational cost cutting and the loss of jobsecurity, the changing structure of organizations, the changing nature of work,international competition, technology and the churning of jobs, changes in workforcediversity and demographics,and greater attention to the balance and integrationbetweenwork and family life.2.How have these changes altered the “traditional” relationship (or psychologicalcontract) between employers and employees?As discussed in chapter 1on page 6and elsewhere in the book, the students should beable to describe the change in the psychologicalcontract from one that was primarily‘relational” to onethat is now primarily “transactional.”3.Why is an understanding of career management important for individuals and fororganizations?As stated in the chapter, an understanding of career management is essential forindividuals and for organizations. For individuals, effective career management isparticularly important in light of the turbulent economic, technological, and culturalenvironments discussed earlier in the chapter. In rapidly changing and uncertaintimes, career success and satisfaction will most likely be achieved by individuals whounderstand themselves, know how to detect changes in the environment, createopportunities for themselves, and learn from their mistakes—all elements of effectivecareer management. In an era of downsizing, outsourcing, and changing corporatestructures, individuals who have insights into themselves and their options should bemore able to overcome obstacles to their career growth.For organizations,the ability to manage its human resources effectively depends onhow well it understands its employees’ career needs and helps them engage ineffective career management.Having a strong career management program within theoverall management of human resources can aid in theselection, development, andutilization of human resources.

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Chapter 1 Case: Richard the Information Systems ExecutivePurposeThis case describesan individual who facedafairly common but critical career choice.Namely, to leave the relative comfort and certainty of an employerwithwhomhe hadbeen for 14 years, in order to embark on a new, more uncertain career path with anotheremployer. Richard’s age at the time of the career decision (38) and thefact that he has aspouse and young child add to the complexity of the case.The case is an idealsupplementtoChapter 1 since itnot onlyshows that career management requiresactivedecision making on the part of the individual, but alsoreflects the uncertainty thatindividuals face inmaking career decisions.PerspectiveAt the age of 38 Richard is at an important juncture in his life. He is nearing the end ofhis “early career” and is looking for more out of his career and his life as he enters hismiddle career years. He chooses to leave the safety and security of one career/companywhere he has a relational psychological contract with his employer for the relativeinsecurity of a new career with a different company. In this sense, Richard adopts a“boundaryless” perspective in his career management. Once with the new companyRichard makes his mark, but is quickly victimized by the vagaries of the globalenvironment. Although he lands on his feet with a third employer, he clearlyisnot ascertain as he once was over his job security. He recognizes that the boundarylessapproach to career management comes with risks.Case Questions1.What do Richard’s experiences indicate about the process of careermanagement?The students should recognize at least two points: that career managementrequires active decision making on the part of the individual and thatcareerdecisions involve risks. They should also note that career decisions are not madein a vacuum, but involve the input from one’s family and others in the socialnetwork.2.What environmental factors have affected Richard’s career?The students should be able to citethe global economy and the push bymany companies for lower cost/greater efficiency, including the offshoring ofjobs.3.When Richard decided to leave his initial employer, what career trade-offs, either consciously or subconsciously, did he make?In a general sense, the students should be able to cite the trade-off betweenthe safety and security of the initial employer versus the uncertainty of the new

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employers. More specifically, they should recognize the underlying trade-offs: aslow and steady progress in salary, title, and prestige versus the opportunity forgreater advancement, responsibility, and rewards. They should also recognizethatcareer decisions have an impact on others, most notably one’s family.Do you believe that Richard has done a good job of managing his career?Why or why not?This is an open-ended question where the students can givecompetinganswers. On one hand, they could say that he has done a good job since he wasable to advance in salary and title and is able to provide better income for hisfamily. On the other hand, they could say he has done a poor job since he left asafe and secure position to pursue a less certain path. Ultimately, the studentsshould comment on whether his adoption of a “boundaryless” perspective in hiscareer management was right for him. The instructor can also remind the studentsthat they should not assume that Richard’s first employer represented “absolute”safety and security—in today’s uncertain business environment there is no suchthing as “absolute” safety and security in a job or a career.4.If Richard sought your help, what advice would give him in terms of the futuremanagement of his career?Again,this is an open-ended question. Given that Richard hadbeen burned onceand was now in a position with uncertain job security, it would be appropriate for him tobe ready if he were to once again face a lay-off. The students could suggest that he beproactive in his career management bypreparingan up-to-date resume and “networking”with others who might be able to provide job leads if he were to find himselfunemployedagain. The students could also suggest that he keep an open dialogue with his wife so thatshe knows the situation with his current employer, not onlysothat she can be prepared ifhe does lose his job but also to provide encouragement and moral support.

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Chapter 1–AssignmentInterview a friend, family member, or coworker to review the key events in his orher career. Remember to examine objective and subjective factors. Sketch adiagram of the person’s career as in Exhibit 1.1.Purpose/Perspective:This assignment allows the students to get a perspective on themovement of a career over the course of a person’s lifetime. It should give them anappreciation of the objective and subjective factors that combine to define a person’scareer and life, as well as the external environmental factors that might influence a career.This assignment can be used to spur in-class discussion of the positive events (likelanding a new job or a promotion) and the negative events (like a job loss) that can occurover a lifetime as well as theindividualresponses to these events.

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Chapter 2–Discussion Questions1.Using Levinson’s model as a framework, in what stage of adult lifedevelopment do you see yourself? What concerns are uppermost in yourmind at this time? Are these concerns consistent with Levinson’s model?This question gives the students the opportunity toreflect on their career and lifestage. Using Levinson’s framework, the students can “test” whether theirlife/career fits the framework of stable periods that are interrupted by stressfultransitional periods. In a group or full class discussion,the students can compareanswers anddecidewhether there is general consistency with Levinson’sframework.2.Some people experience a crisis during their early or middle forties.What factors are responsible for a midlife crisis? Does everybody experiencea midlife crisis? Why or why not?The students can give their opinions on the factors that underlie a possible mid-life crisisand whether the crisisisuniversallyexperienced by individuals in mid-life.If older adult students are in the class, their descriptions of their experiencescould provide important insight. Younger students could also describe theexperiences of their parents that they have witnessed.3.Do you think everybody follows the same developmental path throughadulthood? Is Levinson’s model applicable to women as well as men? Tosingle people as well as married people? To working-class adults as well asupper-middle-class adults? Why do you feel that way?These questions allow the students to give their opinions on whether the conceptof career/life stages, in general, or Levinson’s model, in particular, are stillrelevant in today’s ever changing work environment. The students can also givetheir opinions as to whether the career/life stage theory of development isconsistent across such sociological variables as gender, marital status, or socio-economic class.Again, students can cite their own experiences in making thecasefor or againstthese common experiences and groupings.

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Chapter 2–Essay Questions1.Briefly describe the boundaryless and protean concepts of career management.The chapter gives clear definitions/descriptions of these two concepts. For theboundaryless career, the students should be able to identify the threedifferentperspectives or themesthat denote thisconcept: it involves mobility patterns that departfrom a traditional career, it requires the use of competencies or strategies that aredifferent from those used in a traditional career,and itinvolves the need for individualsto maintain a high degree of self-responsibility for their career choices and to followpersonally-meaningful values in making career decisions. For the protean career, thestudents should note the two primary dimensions: it is proactivelyself-directedwherethe individualfeelsresponsible for managinghis or hercareer and it isvalues-driveninthat individuals make career decisions to meet their personally meaningful values andgoals, resulting in feelings of psychological success.2.Briefly describe the different ways for individuals to look at career success.The chapter gives clear definitions on the different categories of career success,including the objective form and the subjective form.3.Discuss the key underlying principles associated with a stage-based view of lifeand careerdevelopment.As stated in the chapter, the underlying principles of the stage-based view is that theexperiences, needs, values, and situations of all individuals change over time as theyage, whichmakesit appropriate to view a career as a series of relatively unique stagesor phases.In this sense, individuals face a variety of career tasks and developmentalissues at different life stages. Further, changes in the nature of career motivation arelikely to occur over the course of an employee’s life. An understanding of the tasks anddevelopmental implications of different career stages can help individuals manage theircareers more effectively and can help organizations manage and develop their humanresources.

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Chapter 2 Case:Kevin at the CrossroadsPurposeThis case is intended to embody the material intheChapter2concerning theboundaryless and protean career conceptsas well as the different meanings of careersuccess. Kevin is a highlyaccomplishedexecutive with a multi-national engineeringcompany. Aftermany years with the company, Kevin is bored in his job,hates theoverseas travel, envies his wife’s career in teaching, and daydreams about doingsomething different with his life and his career. As with the Richard case at the end ofChapter 1, Kevin longs for more.ButKevin is different because he wants more time forhis family and morefulfillment in his life. In this sense,he is looking for more“subjective” success as opposed to the “objective”success that he hasalready achieved.One of the primary questions is whether Kevin could be classified as “boundaryless” inhis career management even though he has not actually moved into a different careerdirection.PerspectiveThis case should get the students thinking about the meaning of the boundarylessandproteancareer perspectivesand what it means to be successful in one’s career.Kevinwants more out of life, but feels trapped by his objective career success. He knows hewants to do something different and more meaningful with his career, but the loss insalary and future wealth and the potential negative reaction from his wife causespsychological conflict. This conflict is compounded by the offer of a major promotionand an expatriate assignment to another country. Although Kevin is in a “traditional”career, his willingness to consider the possibility of moving in a different direction couldindicate a boundaryless/protean attitude on his part.Case Questions1. Based on the definition and the description of the boundaryless perspectiveof careers as provided in this chapter, do you think Kevin has adopted thisapproach to his career? Why or why?The students should be able to articulate thecommon attributes that definethe boundaryless perspective. Given that Kevin has notyetshown an absolutewillingness to pursue inter-organizational mobility (or a mobility pattern thatdeparts from his current traditional career), it would be difficult to label him asboundaryless in his perspective. However, the students could note that Kevin hasbecome protean in his career management since hedoesdisplayanorientation orapproachtohiscareer that indicates a willingness to move in a new direction.2.Do you think Kevin sees himself as successful in his career? Why or whynot?This question allows the students to engage in a discussion of thedifferences between objective and subjective career success.Clearly, Kevin is

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successful in an objective sense given the tangible accomplishments in his career.However, given the message in the case, it is likely that he would not see himselfas successful because he is measuring his own success in subjective terms. Thereason he envies his wife’s career is thathe views her assubjectively successfulsince she isable to devote more of her time to her family and leisure pursuits.Kevin wants more balance and he daydreams about trying to achieve it.3.What social factors are influencing Kevin’s career choices?The students should recognize the effect of Kevin’s family on his decisionmaking. One of his major concerns is that he would face a negative reaction,especially from his wife,if he were to pursue a career in teaching.More broadly,the “normal” expectations of society would be that a successful executive likeKevin does not just toss aside a career wherehehas a good chance tosomedaybethe CEO of a multi-national engineering organization.How big a role should social factors play in the career decisions of anindividual? Should they play a role?The students could answer this question in at least two ways. First theycould say that career management is a fundamentally individualistic pursuit andas such a person like Kevin must stay true to his values, interests, and desiredlifestyle.Whilehe should take other people’s opinions into account, ultimately heis responsible for his career and life. On the other side, the students could saythathe should never make a career decision that in any way jeopardizes the financialwell-being and happiness of his wife and children.4. Do you think Kevin’s age and the fact that he is at mid-career are havingan effect on his “daydreaming” and the questioning of his future careerdirection? Why or why not?This questionhighlightsthe impact of career stage on career decisionmaking.With Kevin in his late 30s, heismoving out of his early career andtransitioning into mid-career. Borrowing from the work of Levinson and hiscolleagues, the students should recognize that many individuals facing mid-lifewill question the direction of their lives and careers and re-evaluatetheir future.Thus,they should conclude thatKevin is doing what would be expected given hisage.5.If Kevin sought your help, what advice would you give him in terms of themanagement of his career?The students could give several different answers here. First, they would likelyrecommend that Kevin discusses his feelings with his wife even before he broaches theoffer of the promotion. Kevin can not consider all of his alternatives until he knows hiswife’s opinion on the prospect of him leaving the engineering company. Depending onhis wife’s reaction, he would then need to weigh the pros and cons of each of his careeroptionsand get her feedback.He would also need to conduct substantially more researchon the job of being a teacher in terms of requirementsand challenges.The students might

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also recommend that he get professional career help from a counselor who could advisehim on his options.If you had to make a prediction, what career choices do you think Kevin will make?This is an open-ended question. On one hand, the students could predict that hethrows caution to the wind and leaves the engineering firm for a career as a teacher. Onthe other hand they could predict that the obstacles areso great that he could not seriouslyconsider moving out of his current career path. Both answers have merit, but the studentswould need to speculate as to why they see one choice over the other.

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Chapter 2–Assignments1. Interview a friend, acquaintance, coworker, or relative who is in adifferent career stage than you are. What career-related tasks and activitiesis this person currently undertaking? What are the issues and concerns thatare uppermost in his or her mind? In what ways are these issues andconcerns consistent or inconsistent with the approach to life development andcareer development proposed in this chapter?Purpose/Perspective:Related to the materialon career stagesin latter part ofChapter 2, this exercise allows the students to compare and contrast the importantconcerns and issues that take place at different career stages. In addition, it allowsthe students to confirm or disconfirm the “standard”issuesthat would be expectedin each career stage versus what the students actually find through the interviewprocess. Small group and full class discussion can then ensue based on thesefindings.2. Chart the career histories of a male and a female friend, acquaintance, coworker,or relative. Are the two career histories parallel and similar to each other? Are theysimilar to Levinson’s model? Do employment gaps exist in either career history? Ifso, ask if these employment gaps have had any effect on the individual’s career.Purpose/Perspective:This assignment is somewhat similar to the prior one, but thisassignment allows for a comparison of career histories based on gender and in relation toLevinson’s model. It also allows for a discussion of what happens when employmentgaps occur over a person’s career. This assignment works best either in an undergraduatesetting where there is a solid number of older adults already established in their careers orwith graduate students who are already established in the work world.

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Chapter 3–Discussion Questions1.Why is career exploration such a critical component of careermanagement?How, if at all, can people develop insights into themselves andtheir environment in the absence of deliberate attempts to seek information?What career exploration activities have you undertaken in the past year? Inthe past three years? How successful have they been?The obvious answer on the importance of exploration is that it facilitates theachievement of person-environment and person-organization fit (P-E and P-J fit).Research has demonstrated conclusively that fit leads to positive outcomes for theindividual. In addition, self-and environmental exploration sets the stage for theestablishment of conceptual and operational career goals.Without deliberate and systematic exploration it would be difficult for theindividual to gather information and develop an awareness of self and theenvironment.In this case, the gathering of information and insight is left tochance or to other people within the social network who would be willing to offerinsight to the individual.The final two questions allow the students to describe their career explorationactivities over the recent past and to discuss how successful they have been in theprocess. Small group and full-class discussion can then take place where thestudents describe their activities.2.Should career management be primarily a rational, systematicprocess? What are the advantages and disadvantages of adopting a highlyrational approach to career management?The theme of this chapter and the entire book is that career management should beconducted in a rational and systematic fashion so as to help ensure theindividualmaximizes his or her chances to attain a satisfying and rewarding career and life.This approach also helps the individual cope with the normal personal andenvironmental changes that take place throughout the life cycle and it assists themto stay “at-the-ready” should disruptions occur over the course of the career.Aprimary criticism (orsupposeddisadvantage) of this rational/systematicapproach is that it can breedrigidityin career management due toan unwaveringattachment to particular career goals or strategies.Our belief is that this criticism,while understandable,is not valid. Individuals need to recognize thatcareermanagement is, by its very nature, a "messy" endeavorand thatunanticipatedevents in one’s personal and professional lives can cause major career disruptionsthat wipe out career plans. Because of these possible disruptions individuals, mustbe careful tonot become“robots”when managing their careers. In addition,"gut"feelingscan andshould, at times, take precedence oversystematictechniques andprocedures.3.Why is it important to monitor and appraise your career? Whyshould career appraisal be conducted periodically? How frequently should

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you conduct a career appraisal? How do individuals and environmentschange in ways that can influence a person’s career? What role does familyplay in career appraisal?Career appraisal represents the periodicassessment of one’s overall career and thelevel of progression within the career. This process is important because it ishealthy to occasionally check to see whether career goals are still relevant andconsistent with values and interests and whether career strategies are working ornot working in the attainment of the career goals. If career appraisal does notoccur on a regular basis, then the individual might continue down a wrong careerpath or pursue goals and strategies that are not relevant and/or not working.Clearly, environmental changes and uncertainties can prompt the undertaking ofcareer appraisal. Individuals, as they age, develop new values, interests, andtalents which can change the ways they view their careers and the goals they haveestablished. Life situations such as marriage, divorce, and children can all changecareer priorities. These new developments and life-style alterations can andshould prompt the career appraisal process. Likewise, environmental factors cannecessitate career appraisal. For example, job loss (or the threat of job loss) for aperson and/or his or her spouse canmandate that thecareer appraisal processtakeplace.Other environmental changes, such as job shifts, promotions, or transfers,can all influence the need for career appraisal.If would be difficult, if not impossible, to conduct career appraisal without theinput of one’s family. First, changes in one’s family, such as the birth of a child orchildren leaving the home, might influence the need to conduct career appraisal.Second, the family’s needs and expectations should be a major component in theassessment process because career decisions are not made in a vacuum. Third,other family members can provide insight that the individual can use as they gothrough the appraisal process.

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Chapter 3–Essay Questions1.How can a “normative” model be useful in helping individuals manage theircareers?The model of career management considered in this book is normative in nature; that is,it describes how people should manage their careers. Not everybody manages a careerin this fashion, but the activities represented in the model are believed to lead todesirable outcomes for the individual. In sum, the career management cycle is aproblem solving, decision-making process. Information is gathered so individuals canbecome more aware of themselves and the world around them. Goals are established,plans or strategies are developed and implemented, and feedback is obtained to providemore information for ongoing career management.This model is based on theassumption that people will be more fulfilled and more productive when their work andlife experiences are compatible with their own desires and aspirations. People are moresatisfied with their career choices and jobs when their work experiences are consistentwith their values, interests, personality, abilities, and life-style preferences.2.Why should career management be an ongoing process?The chapter explicitly discusses why career management should be an ongoing process.There is a specific section in the chapter on page 56 entitled:Career Management as anOngoing Process.3.Briefly describe the indicators of effective career management.The chapter has an entire section on the indicators of effectiveness. These include:adeep knowledge of oneself and an accurate picture of the environment, thedevelopment of realistic conceptual and operational goals that are compatible withone's values, interests, abilities, and desired life-style, the development andimplementation of appropriate career strategies, and the presence of a continualfeedback process that permits adaptation in the face of changing circumstances.Students should be able to discuss these indicators in answering this question.

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