CESP Career Planning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An individual with autism spectrum disorder excels at detailed, repetitive data tasks but struggles with open-plan offices. Which career planning strategy BEST addresses this?
- Advise the individual to avoid office environments entirely
- Identify data-focused roles with private or low-stimulation workspaces as a job target (Correct answer)
- Recommend sensory integration therapy before job searching
- Suggest the individual work only in sheltered settings
Correct answer: Identify data-focused roles with private or low-stimulation workspaces as a job target
Matching occupational tasks to the individual's strengths while targeting compatible work environments is a core customized employment strategy.
Question 2: How does 'labor market analysis' support career planning in supported employment?
- It determines the individual's eligibility for job training funds
- It identifies local industries, growing occupations, and employer hiring patterns relevant to the individual's goals (Correct answer)
- It calculates the maximum hours an individual can work without losing benefits
- It ranks individuals by employability for funding prioritization
Correct answer: It identifies local industries, growing occupations, and employer hiring patterns relevant to the individual's goals
Labor market analysis helps align the individual's career goals with real employer demand, increasing the likelihood of successful job development.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST illustrates 'job carving' as a career planning strategy?
- Splitting one full-time position into two part-time roles for two different job seekers
- Extracting specific tasks from multiple positions to create a new role that matches an individual's skills (Correct answer)
- Carving out extra hours from an existing employee to train a new worker
- Removing duties an employee can no longer perform due to injury
Correct answer: Extracting specific tasks from multiple positions to create a new role that matches an individual's skills
Job carving identifies tasks across an organization that represent unmet needs and bundles them into a customized position that fits the job seeker's strengths.
Question 4: When setting career goals with an individual who has had limited work experience, the employment specialist should:
- Set short-term, achievable goals first and build toward long-term aspirations (Correct answer)
- Focus exclusively on long-term career goals to maintain motivation
- Let the individual set all goals without any guidance or feedback
- Prioritize employer needs over the individual's stated interests
Correct answer: Set short-term, achievable goals first and build toward long-term aspirations
Short-term, achievable goals build confidence and momentum while progressively moving toward longer-term career aspirations.
Question 5: A job seeker tells their employment specialist, 'I want a job but I'm scared I'll lose my SSI.' Which career planning step should IMMEDIATELY follow?
- Pause employment planning until the concern is resolved on its own
- Refer the individual to a benefits counselor for a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) consultation (Correct answer)
- Advise the individual to work fewer than 10 hours per week regardless of their goals
- Document the concern and continue with job placement as planned
Correct answer: Refer the individual to a benefits counselor for a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) consultation
Referring to a WIPA-certified benefits counselor ensures the individual gets accurate, personalized information about how work will affect their SSI, enabling truly informed choice.
Question 6: In career planning documentation, the 'conditions for success' section identifies:
- The employer's requirements for hiring the individual
- Environmental, social, and structural factors that help the individual perform their best (Correct answer)
- The funding agency's performance standards for the employment specialist
- Medical clearances required before the individual can begin work
Correct answer: Environmental, social, and structural factors that help the individual perform their best
Conditions for success describe the workplace characteristics—such as supervision style, noise level, and schedule predictability—that support the individual's optimal performance.
Question 7: Which statement BEST reflects the role of the employment specialist during career planning?
- The specialist decides the best career path based on their professional expertise
- The specialist facilitates the individual's own exploration and decision-making process (Correct answer)
- The specialist matches individuals to jobs based solely on available openings
- The specialist ensures the individual's family approves all career decisions
Correct answer: The specialist facilitates the individual's own exploration and decision-making process
The employment specialist's role is facilitative—guiding the individual through exploration and choice rather than directing outcomes.
CESP Career Planning 5
An individual with autism spectrum disorder excels at detailed, repetitive data tasks but struggles with open-plan offices.
Which career planning strategy BEST addresses this?