The recruitment and development of talent is a growing priority for many organizations, and is increasingly regarded as an important competitive advantage. One example of this emphasis on talent development is the creation of so-called ‘C’ level executive roles—Chief Talent or Personnel Officer—that represent the interests of the Human Resources department. This is a significant change from past years, during which Human Resources was generally considered a lower priority, even a necessary evil, and a destination for executives that did not thrive in other departments.
This change has had an important beneficiary—women. An extraordinarily high proportion of Human Resources departments are run by women, reflecting the composition of the departments themselves. For better or worse, Human Resources positions have long been perceived as natural roles for women, as women are generally regarded as more nurturing and service-oriented than their male counterparts. As these traits are considered core to the functioning of effective Human Resources personnel, the advancement of women within HR departments has been routine and that, in turn, has attracted more women. Additionally, the lifestyle of workers in the Human Resources department is often not as demanding in terms of hours and weekends worked as it is for workers in other departments; many women with children find this appealing.
The preponderance of female heads of Human Resources departments and the higher prioritization of talent development have combined to give many female executives increased authority and influence. Many women, after performing well in a Human Resources capacity, have been given additional responsibilities in other departments. Also, more female executives have been asked to represent their organizations at industry conferences, further increasing their visibility.
1. Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?
(A) An innovative idea is explained, and the unexpected results of the idea’s adoption are listed.
(B) A new theory is described, and evidence is provided to support this hypothesis.
(C) An established practice is challenged, and the results of this challenge are documented.
(D) A recent trend is introduced, and an impact of this trend is then explained and examined.
(E) A change in emphasis is detailed, and advocates of this change are described.
2. The passage implies that an organization with a Chief Talent Officer
(A) employs a woman in the position
(B) regards Human Resources as more important than other departments
(C) emphasizes the importance of Human Resources to a greater degree than organizations without such a position
(D) enjoys a competitive advantage relative to other organizations
(E) is attractive to prospective female employees
3. The passage suggests which of the following about the “additional responsibilities” cited in the second sentence of the third paragraph?
(A) They are probably in areas not as traditionally associated with female leadership.
(B) They are in departments that used to be run by a man.
(C) They are similar to responsibilities that these women have already successfully undertaken.
(D)They include speaking at industry conferences on behalf of these women’s organizations.
(E) They are more important than these women’s prior responsibilities in the Human Resources area.
4. The tone of the passage suggests that the author regards the changes described in the passage as
(A) overdue redress for issues historically faced by women
(B) a natural result of business and personnel trends
(C) an unfortunate continuation of pervasive misconceptions
(D) a necessary step in the realignment of management
(E) a formidable new impediment to social changes
5.Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage?
(A) Human Resources departments are attractive to women for a number of reasons.
(B) Women are more effective at developing and retaining talent than their male counterparts.
(C) The increasing emphasis on the recruitment and treatment of talent has benefited many female executives.
(D) Women are being promoted to lead Human Resources departments more and more frequently.
(E) The recruitment and development of talent is receiving greater attention and emphasis in many organizations.
6. The passage suggests that all of the following contribute to the relatively high proportion of female heads of Human Resources departments EXCEPT:
(A) The perception that being service-oriented is important for Human Resources personnel.
(B) The perception that advancement for women in such departments is common.
(C) The perception that such departments accommodate more balanced work schedules than other departments.
(D) The proportion of women working in such departments.
(E) The increasing visibility of women at industry conferences.