This quiz helps managers examine their knowledge of the career counseling function and discover those areas in which some skill building may be necessary. Rate your knowledge, skill, and confidence as a managerial career counselor by scoring yourself on a scale of 0 (low) to 10 (high) on each of the following statements:
_____ 1. I am aware of how career orientations and life stages can influence a person’s perspective and contribute to career planning problems.
_____ 2. I understand my own career choices and changes and feel good enough about what I have done to be able to provide guidance to others.
_____ 3. I am aware of my own biases about dual-career paths and feel that I can avoid these biases in coaching others to make a decision on which way to go with their careers.
_____ 4. I am aware of how my own values influence my point of view, and I recognize the importance of helping others define their values and beliefs so they are congruent with career goals.
_____ 5. I am aware of the pitfalls of not knowing what is going on within my organization. As a result, I try to stay informed about my organization so I can help others.
_____ 6. I know the norms existing within my own department as well as those within other departments and parts of the organization, so I can help others deal with them effectively.
_____ 7. I understand the organizational reward system (nonmonetary) well enough to help others make informed decisions about career goals, paths, and plans.
_____ 8. I have access to a variety of techniques I can use to help others articulate their skills, set goals, and develop action plans to realize their career decisions.
_____ 9. I am informed on the competencies required for career success in this organization in both the managerial and technical areas, so I can advise others on the particular skills they need to build and how to go about developing that expertise.
_____ 10. I feel confident enough about my own skills as a career counselor that I can effectively help my people with their problems and plans and make midcourse corrections when necessary.
SCORING
Add up your score and rate yourself against the following scale: 0– 30 It might be a good idea if you found yourself a career counselor. 31– 60 Some of your people are receiving help from you. . . . However, do you know how many and which ones are not? 61– 80 You’re a counselor! You may not be ready for the big league yet, but you are providing help for your people.