The answer is to review the project management plan to determine resource requirements and update the staffing plan. This is correct because the project management plan contains the approved resource management plan, which defines the specific roles, responsibilities, and skill sets needed for each position, ensuring any replacement aligns with the project’s budget and scope rather than being an ad-hoc decision. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Resource Management knowledge area and the principle that planning documents always guide corrective actions before execution. A common trap is jumping straight to recruiting or reassigning a team member, which violates the process-driven approach the exam rewards. Remember the memory tip: “Plan before you fill” — always consult the plan first to confirm what the role actually requires before taking any staffing action.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
During a project, a key team member resigns unexpectedly. The project manager needs to fill the role quickly. What is the first action the project manager should take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Review the project management plan to determine resource requirements and update the staffing plan.
Option A is correct because the project manager must first refer to the project management plan to identify the documented resource requirements, roles, and responsibilities for the vacant position. This ensures that any replacement aligns with the approved staffing management plan and avoids ad-hoc decisions that could violate budget or skill specifications. Updating the staffing plan is the foundational step before initiating any recruitment or reassignment actions.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Review the project management plan to determine resource requirements and update the staffing plan.
Why this is correct
Proper planning before recruitment ensures right fit.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Contact the former employee to negotiate a return.
Why it's wrong here
Unlikely to be successful and delays action.
✗
Ask the sponsor to reassign someone from another project.
Why it's wrong here
Sponsor may not have authority; PM should initiate process.
✗
Immediately post a job opening for the same role.
Why it's wrong here
Should first assess if the role is still needed or can be restructured.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may jump to immediate recruitment or reassignment actions (options B, C, or D) without first consulting the project management plan, which is the mandatory first step per PMI’s process-driven approach to resource management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The project management plan contains the resource management plan, which defines how resources are acquired, allocated, and released. Under the hood, this plan includes role descriptions, required competencies, and cost baselines that must be consulted before any staffing change to maintain alignment with the project’s scope and budget. In a real-world scenario, skipping this step could result in hiring a contractor with a different rate than budgeted, causing a cost variance that requires a change request.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Review the project management plan to determine resource requirements and update the staffing plan. — Option A is correct because the project manager must first refer to the project management plan to identify the documented resource requirements, roles, and responsibilities for the vacant position. This ensures that any replacement aligns with the approved staffing management plan and avoids ad-hoc decisions that could violate budget or skill specifications. Updating the staffing plan is the foundational step before initiating any recruitment or reassignment actions.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a project transition, a key team member resigns unexpectedly. The project manager needs to ensure knowledge transfer and minimize impact. Which THREE actions should the project manager take? (Choose three.)
medium
✓ A.Redistribute the departing member's tasks among the team based on capacity and skills, and update the work breakdown structure
✓ B.Arrange for the departing member to document key processes and create a handover document
C.Ask the remaining team members to absorb the departing member's tasks
D.Immediately hire a replacement with similar skills
✓ E.Conduct an exit interview with the departing team member to document knowledge
Why A: Option A is correct because redistributing the departing member's tasks based on team capacity and skills is a proactive resource management action that maintains project continuity. Updating the work breakdown structure (WBS) ensures the project scope and task assignments are accurately reflected, preventing scope creep and confusion. This approach leverages existing team knowledge and avoids the delays associated with external hiring.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PMP exam.
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