CCMC Career Planning & Goal Setting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The GROW model used in career coaching stands for:
- Goals, Reality, Obstacles, Will
- Goals, Resources, Outcomes, Wins
- Growth, Reflection, Options, Wisdom
- Goals, Reality, Options, Way Forward (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Goals, Reality, Options, Way Forward
The GROW model—Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward—provides a structured coaching conversation framework for goal achievement.
Question 2: When a client sets an overly ambitious goal with no realistic timeline, the most effective coaching response is to:
- Accept the goal to maintain the client's motivation and enthusiasm
- Help the client break the goal into smaller, time-bound milestones while honoring their ambition (Correct answer)
- Directly tell the client the goal is unrealistic and needs to be scaled back
- Suggest the client work with a different coach who specializes in ambitious goals
Correct answer: Help the client break the goal into smaller, time-bound milestones while honoring their ambition
Breaking large goals into milestones preserves the client's vision while creating achievable steps that build momentum.
Question 3: Super's Life-Span, Life-Space theory suggests that career development:
- Is determined primarily by personality type and genetic predisposition
- Occurs across multiple life roles and evolves through distinct developmental stages (Correct answer)
- Is most critical during early adulthood and remains stable after age 40
- Depends entirely on external market conditions and economic factors
Correct answer: Occurs across multiple life roles and evolves through distinct developmental stages
Super's theory emphasizes that careers unfold across a lifespan through stages and that individuals play multiple life roles simultaneously.
Question 4: A client who has been laid off is struggling to set new career goals. The coach's priority in early sessions should be to:
- Move quickly to goal-setting to rebuild the client's sense of direction
- First acknowledge the emotional impact of the layoff before moving to planning (Correct answer)
- Help the client update their resume so they feel productive and ready
- Focus exclusively on financial planning until the client feels more stable
Correct answer: First acknowledge the emotional impact of the layoff before moving to planning
Acknowledging and processing the emotional response to job loss is essential before productive goal-setting can occur.
Question 5: Which of the following represents an 'outcome goal' rather than a 'process goal' in career planning?
- Apply to five job openings per week for the next two months
- Network with two new professional contacts each week
- Obtain a senior project manager role within 18 months (Correct answer)
- Complete one online course per quarter in data analytics
Correct answer: Obtain a senior project manager role within 18 months
Outcome goals describe the end result to be achieved, while process goals describe the behaviors and actions that lead there.
Question 6: A client consistently avoids taking action on agreed coaching commitments. The coach should:
- Reduce the client's commitments until they are small enough to be completed
- Explore with the client what is getting in the way and examine potential underlying resistance (Correct answer)
- Inform the client that continued lack of action may not be a good fit for coaching
- Increase the frequency of sessions to provide more accountability pressure
Correct answer: Explore with the client what is getting in the way and examine potential underlying resistance
Exploring the barriers to action uncovers whether obstacles are practical, motivational, or rooted in beliefs that need to be addressed.
Question 7: In career planning, 'informational interviewing' is primarily used to:
- Formally apply for positions that are not yet publicly posted
- Gather firsthand knowledge about a role, field, or organization from practitioners (Correct answer)
- Negotiate salary by comparing compensation data from multiple insiders
- Assess whether a hiring manager would be a compatible supervisor
Correct answer: Gather firsthand knowledge about a role, field, or organization from practitioners
Informational interviews allow clients to explore career options, gain insider knowledge, and expand their professional network without the pressure of a formal job interview.
CCMC Career Planning & Goal Setting 4
The GROW model used in career coaching stands for: