CCMC Techniques & Communication Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A career coach uses the SOAR model during a client session. What does the 'O' stand for?
- Objectives
- Opportunities (Correct answer)
- Outcomes
- Observations
Correct answer: Opportunities
SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results — a strengths-based strategic planning framework.
Question 2: When a client says 'I feel like I'm stuck and no one understands me,' the most effective empathic response is:
- Tell me more about what's been happening. (Correct answer)
- I understand — many clients feel that way.
- Let's focus on your action plan instead.
- Have you tried talking to your manager?
Correct answer: Tell me more about what's been happening.
An open invitation to elaborate honors the client's feelings and gathers more information before drawing conclusions.
Question 3: Which questioning technique is BEST for helping a client uncover unconscious assumptions limiting their career search?
- Closed questions
- Leading questions
- Socratic questioning (Correct answer)
- Rhetorical questions
Correct answer: Socratic questioning
Socratic questioning uses guided inquiry to help clients examine and challenge their own assumptions and beliefs.
Question 4: A coach notices a client repeatedly deflects career-related questions with humor. The BEST response is to:
- Match the humor to build rapport
- Directly confront the avoidance behavior
- Gently name the pattern and explore what's underneath (Correct answer)
- Skip the sensitive topics entirely
Correct answer: Gently name the pattern and explore what's underneath
Naming a behavioral pattern in a non-judgmental way opens the door for deeper exploration without confrontation.
Question 5: In career coaching, 'powerful questions' are characterized by being:
- Long and detailed to cover all possibilities
- Open-ended and thought-provoking (Correct answer)
- Closed to elicit specific factual answers
- Advisory to guide clients toward solutions
Correct answer: Open-ended and thought-provoking
Powerful questions are open-ended and evoke discovery, insight, commitment, or action rather than simple yes/no answers.
Question 6: A client presents two job offers and cannot decide. Which coaching technique is most appropriate?
- Tell the client which offer is better based on salary
- Use a decisional balance worksheet to weigh pros and cons (Correct answer)
- Advise the client to take more time and revisit next session
- Assign homework to research both companies further
Correct answer: Use a decisional balance worksheet to weigh pros and cons
A decisional balance worksheet helps clients systematically evaluate trade-offs and clarify their own priorities.
Question 7: The '5 Whys' technique in career coaching is primarily used to:
- Set SMART goals
- Identify root causes of career dissatisfaction (Correct answer)
- Evaluate résumé effectiveness
- Prepare for salary negotiations
Correct answer: Identify root causes of career dissatisfaction
The 5 Whys technique iteratively asks 'why' to drill down from surface symptoms to the underlying root cause of a problem.
CCMC Techniques & Communication Skills 2
A career coach uses the SOAR model during a client session.
What does the 'O' stand for?