KOSSA Career Planning & Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which section of a resume typically appears first and provides the employer with contact information?
- Work Experience
- Education
- Header/Contact Information (Correct answer)
- Skills
Correct answer: Header/Contact Information
The header or contact information section is placed at the top of a resume so employers can immediately identify and contact the applicant.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a professional reference on a job application?
- To verify your personal hobbies
- To confirm your identity through a government agency
- To provide third-party testimony about your work ethic and skills (Correct answer)
- To list your educational coursework
Correct answer: To provide third-party testimony about your work ethic and skills
Professional references are individuals who can vouch for an applicant's abilities, character, and work performance from personal or professional experience.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes an apprenticeship?
- A four-year university degree program
- A paid, on-the-job training program that combines work experience with classroom instruction (Correct answer)
- An unpaid internship for high school students only
- A self-paced online certification course
Correct answer: A paid, on-the-job training program that combines work experience with classroom instruction
Apprenticeships are structured programs where workers earn wages while learning a skilled trade under the guidance of experienced professionals, often alongside related technical instruction.
Question 4: When negotiating a job offer, which approach is generally most effective?
- Accept the first offer without question to appear easy to work with
- Refuse any offer below your ideal salary
- Research market salary ranges and make a counteroffer backed by data (Correct answer)
- Only negotiate after your first performance review
Correct answer: Research market salary ranges and make a counteroffer backed by data
Using market research to support a salary counteroffer demonstrates professionalism and gives the candidate a credible basis for the negotiation.
Question 5: What does W-4 form, completed by a new employee, primarily determine?
- The employee's job title and duties
- The amount of federal income tax withheld from each paycheck (Correct answer)
- The employee's health insurance selections
- The employee's retirement contribution rate
Correct answer: The amount of federal income tax withheld from each paycheck
The W-4 form tells an employer how much federal income tax to withhold from an employee's wages based on filing status and allowances.
Question 6: Which career planning strategy involves evaluating your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
- PDCA analysis
- SWOT analysis (Correct answer)
- STAR method
- LEAN assessment
Correct answer: SWOT analysis
A personal SWOT analysis helps individuals identify internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats to make informed career decisions.
Question 7: A mentor in the workplace is best described as:
- A supervisor who evaluates your annual performance
- An experienced professional who provides guidance, advice, and support to help develop your career (Correct answer)
- A coworker at the same experience level who shares tasks
- A trainer who only teaches technical job-specific skills
Correct answer: An experienced professional who provides guidance, advice, and support to help develop your career
A mentor is a trusted, experienced professional who shares knowledge, offers guidance, and helps a less experienced colleague navigate career challenges and growth.
KOSSA Career Planning & Development 2
Which section of a resume typically appears first and provides the employer with contact information?