CPTD CPTD - Certified Professional in Talent Development Career Development and Succession Planning Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which career development model emphasizes that employees must take primary ownership of their own career growth within an organization?
- Protean career model (Correct answer)
- Boundaryless career model
- Traditional organizational career model
- Dual-ladder career model
Correct answer: Protean career model
The protean career model holds that individuals, not organizations, are the primary drivers of their own career direction and development.
Question 2: A talent development professional is building a succession plan for key leadership roles. What is the FIRST step in a best-practice succession planning process?
- Identify critical positions that require succession coverage (Correct answer)
- Select high-potential employees for development
- Create individual development plans for successors
- Communicate the succession plan to the board
Correct answer: Identify critical positions that require succession coverage
Succession planning must begin by identifying which roles are critical to the organization's strategy before candidates can be assessed or developed.
Question 3: What distinguishes a 'ready now' successor from a 'ready in 1–2 years' successor in a succession talent pool?
- The ready-now successor can step into the role immediately with minimal transition support (Correct answer)
- The ready-now successor has completed more years of service
- The ready-now successor is preferred by senior leadership
- The ready-now successor has a higher performance rating
Correct answer: The ready-now successor can step into the role immediately with minimal transition support
Readiness tiers reflect how quickly a successor can assume a role, with 'ready now' meaning no significant development gaps remain.
Question 4: An organization wants to retain high-potential employees by offering structured career paths. Which tool BEST supports this by mapping roles, competencies, and advancement criteria?
- Career lattice framework (Correct answer)
- 360-degree feedback instrument
- Exit interview protocol
- Performance improvement plan
Correct answer: Career lattice framework
A career lattice framework maps lateral and upward movement options, competencies, and criteria so employees can see multiple progression paths.
Question 5: During a succession review meeting, executives debate whether to 'build or buy' leadership talent. What does the 'build' option refer to?
- Developing internal employees through targeted growth experiences (Correct answer)
- Acquiring a company with strong leadership talent
- Hiring externally for senior leadership vacancies
- Contracting executive coaches from outside the organization
Correct answer: Developing internal employees through targeted growth experiences
The 'build' strategy invests in growing internal talent through assignments, mentoring, and development programs rather than sourcing leaders externally.
Question 6: Which metric would BEST help a talent development professional evaluate the effectiveness of a succession planning program over time?
- Percentage of key roles filled internally when a vacancy occurs (Correct answer)
- Number of employees enrolled in leadership development programs
- Average tenure of employees in the talent pool
- Number of succession reviews conducted per year
Correct answer: Percentage of key roles filled internally when a vacancy occurs
Internal fill rate for critical roles directly measures whether the succession pipeline is producing job-ready leaders when vacancies arise.
CPTD CPTD - Certified Professional in Talent Development Career Development and Succession Planning Questions and Answers 1
Which career development model emphasizes that employees must take primary ownership of their own career growth within an organization?