Deck 13: Employment Communications

Question 1

The interviewer asks you to tell something about yourself.Which of the following is your best answer?

A)An enthusiastic discussion of your favorite bands
B)A story about your sixteenth birthday when you got your driver's license
C)A story about how you had to finish a project in college, worked on it all night every night for a week, and got an "A" on it
D)A general autobiographical sketch of your life from birth to the present

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The interviewer wants to know why you got a "D" in all your English classes until this year when you got a "B." Which of the following is your best response?

A)"I can't write, but then this job doesn't require much writing.You need people with math skills, and that's what I have--math skills."
B)"I had problems writing and never thought it was important.Then, I realized that it is important, so I got myself a tutor and really buckled down.I've learned a lot this year."
C)"My teachers could never get through to the class.It wasn't until this year that I ran into one who could actually teach."
D)"I have always had problems writing.I'm just no good at it.Fortunately, my teacher this year is really nice and felt that I deserved a 'B' for effort."

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a valid difference between résumés and job application letters?

A)A résumé is adapted to a position; a job application letter is adapted to the needs of a particular organization.
B)A résumé is one page; a job application letter is two.
C)A résumé summarizes your qualifications; a job application letter shows how your qualifications help the organization meet its needs.
D)A résumé uses sentence fragments; a job application letter use well-written paragraphs.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of following communication behaviours is MOST likely to be successful in an interview?

A)Giving general answers
B)Talking 55% of the time or more
C)Confining questions to general issues
D)Avoiding all technical jargon

Question 5

Which of the following statements is the BEST one to include in a performance evaluation?

A)Mahad has been more than an hour late three times this month.
B)Mahad is insufficiently committed to our organization.
C)Mahad does not value punctuality.
D)Mahad's status here is rapidly becoming tenuous.

Question 6

Which of the following will NOT increase the chances that your résumé is scanned correctly?

A)Using 12- or 14-point type
B)Using a single-column format
C)Using full justification.
D)Putting each phone number on a separate line

Question 7

Which of the following is the BEST way to handle the fact that all your work experience is in your family's business?

A)List your family members as references, but in your letter of application stress that they were just as hard on you as they would have been if you had not been related.
B)Do not list the name of the company if it contains your family name.
C)List the company you worked for on the résumé; name as a reference a supervisor, client, or vendor who can talk knowledgeably about your work; and be prepared to answer questions about why you are now leaving the company.
D)It makes no difference whether your references are relatives.Proceed as you would even if you were not related.

Question 8

Your interviewer says to you, "You're a graduate of that snooty private school, aren't you? What makes you think you can cope with regular people?" What is your best response?

A)The question is rude.It is appropriate to politely ask the interviewer to rephrase the question.
B)"You're asking if I can fit into your working community here.I used to live in a town like this."
C)"You're just upset because your daughter had to drop out of school there.I knew her.It was really unfortunate, and I want you to know that I think she's a nice person."
D)"You're asking me a stress-interview question and I don't like it.You are the one who is being snooty.Ask me another question."

Question 9

Which of the following is the MOST acceptable response to the question, "What is your greatest weakness?".

A)"I really expect people to come through on a project, to do what they say they will.When they don't, I get very upset."
B)"I hate math.Numbers scare me, so I've signed up for a special class for people with math anxiety.It's really helping."
C)"I go on shopping binges.I can't help myself.If I'm upset, I'll go out and buy a $100 sweater I don't need.It's better than drinking, I guess."
D)"I tend to take on too much, too many volunteer projects.A couple of times, I've really gotten myself into a mess doing that."

Question 10

Which of the following is the MOST correct structure for a prospecting letter?

A)Catch the reader's interest; build a bridge from the attention-getter to your qualifications; develop your strong points; ask for an interview.
B)Catch the reader's interest; develop your strong points; build a bridge from your strong points to your qualifications; ask for an interview.
C)Ask for an interview; catch the reader's interest; develop your strong points; build a bridge from your strong points to your qualifications.
D)Develop your strong points; catch the reader's interest; build a bridge from your attention-getter to your qualifications; ask for an interview.

Question 11

Which of following communication behaviours is MOST likely to be successful in an interview?

A)Using technical jargon appropriate to the position
B)Making it clear that you are using the interview to learn about the company and what it can offer
C)Giving short answers of ten words or less
D)Responding neutrally to the interviewer's statements

Question 12

You did not finish a four-year degree, and you recently left a company as an alternative to being fired, but you have a community college diploma and four years of experience at three different jobs all related to a job for which you are now applying.Which of the following is your BEST option?

A)A skills résumé
B)A chronological résumé
C)Either a skills or chronological résumé
D)Neither a skills nor chronological résumé

Question 13

Identify the error in the following list of job duties: "Recruited 17 volunteers, designing of brochures, and spoke to 5 community groups."

A)The list lacks emphatic order.
B)The list lacks details.
C)The list lacks parallel structure.
D)The list uses a complete sentence.

Question 14

Which of the following should a job application letter NOT focus on?

A)Major requirements of the job for which you're applying
B)Qualifications that separate you from other applicants
C)Qualities that every employer is likely to value
D)Reasons for leaving previous positions

Question 15

Which of the following is the BEST statement to include in a strong letter of recommendation?

A)Giulia worked here from Sept.3, 2005 to Oct.12, 2010.
B)Giulia is a capable, pleasant employee who manages her time well.
C)Giulia is, overall, a strong candidate, with several unimportant weaknesses.
D)Giulia acted as team leader on an important contract; she motivated and helped the team to submit a very detailed report that in turn netted our organization another $3 million contract.

Question 16

Which of the following is a good strategy for submitting résumés via email?

A)Use your current employer's email system
B)Use mass mailings
C)Use a plain-text résumé
D)Use a lengthy, creative subject line

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways employers use résumés?

A)To decide whom to interview
B)To scan or skim into an electronic job applicant tracking system
C)As an example of your best work
D)To determine how you handle stress in the workplace

Question 18

You have written the following description of your work as a receptionist: drafted letters, reorganized filing system, re-ordered office supplies, interviewed new clients, and scheduled appointments.Where on your résumé should you place the phrase "scheduled appointments"?

A)Keep it precisely where it is to emphasize it
B)Place it first in the series to emphasize it
C)Move it to the middle of the paragraph to emphasize other factors more
D)Omit it to de-emphasize it

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a good strategy for an online résumé?

A)Include your full address and phone number, an email link, and links to other pages you've created
B)Put your strongest qualification first
C)Specify the job you want
D)Do not link to other organizations (for example, your school or your current employer); this shifts the emphasis away from your credentials

Question 20

Which of the following is the BEST advice for increasing the number of "hits" on a scannable résumé?

A)Avoid jargon of any sort.
B)Use more verbs than nouns
C)Use a keywords section under your name, address, and phone.
D)Use only one page.

Question 21

In a skills résumé, details about job duties and achievements in each position should be put under "Work History."

Question 22

You may omit references on a résumé if you do not want your current employer to know that you are job hunting.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a good job search strategy?

A)Create specific applications, rather than generic ones; this way, you stand out
B)Eliminate all spelling, grammar, etc.errors from documents related to the job search; doing so makes you seem professional
C)Don't simply rely on academic achievements; they aren't enough on their own
D)Send interviewers an invitation to your Facebook page; this way, you cement a personal relationship with the person and his/her organization

Question 24

It's OK to have just one subheading under "Experience" in a skills résumé.

Question 25

A chronological résumé is usually best for someone who is changing fields.

Question 26

Under the résumé heading "Activities," do not include volunteer work unless you are applying to a non-profit organization.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a reason to use a chronological résumé?

A)Your education and experience are logical preparation for the position
B)You have impressive job titles, offices or honours
C)You have an atypical work history that may raise questions
D)You have shown good progress to your current position

Question 28

Interviewing for jobs before you graduate is a good idea because you're not under so much pressure to find a job immediately.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a useful strategy for ensuring your job application gets past email spam filters?

A)Send your résumé as an attachment
B)Use a specific subject line
C)Test your message against your own spam filters
D)Avoid coloured backgrounds

Question 30

Do not list work experience in your family's business on your résumé, even if it's your only job.

Question 31

It's now acceptable to use "I" in a résumé.

Question 32

Since companies are impressed by ambitious workers, new college graduates should list as their career objective the positions they hope to hold much later in their careers.

Question 33

Conventions, expectations, and criteria for employment communications differ from culture to culture.

Question 34

Bulleted lists are a good way to emphasize material in a résumé.

Question 35

Personality and aptitude tests can tell you exactly what job title best suits you.

Question 36

Using gerunds ("ing" verbs) is preferable to using nouns in a résumé job description.

Question 37

If you are going to list references on your résumé, you should include at least three.

Question 38

If you're preparing a scannable résumé, you should leave out some information so that your cover letter has new material in it.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a good option for a reference?

A)Your current superior
B)Roommates
C)People with strong communication skills
D)People who can vouch for your character

Question 40

Which of the following strategies is NOT a good one when you're preparing for a job interview?

A)Shine your shoes
B)Style your hair conservatively
C)Wear a reasonably expensive cologne or perfume
D)Wear only understated jewelry or makeup

Question 41

Job applications should be addressed to a specific person, not to the company in general or the personnel office.

Question 42

Your résumé cannot be more than one page; if it is, it will be unsuccessful.

Question 43

One way to handle a stress interview is to change the physical conditions which are causing you stress.

Question 44

You can call the employer after sending a solicited letter, but you should wait to be called after a prospecting letter.

Question 45

An application letter must not only reveal your experience, but also show how that experience can benefit a specific organization.

Question 46

Actually asking for an interview in an application letter is too forward and bold, especially in a prospecting letter.

Question 47

If you are doing a major job search, your application letters to different companies should be virtually identical.If they are not, you are being unethical by presenting yourself differently to different readers.

Question 48

It's appropriate to send a follow-up letter after an interview, but not to call.

Question 49

Informal preparation for job hunting should start a full year before you begin interviewing; formal preparation for job hunting should begin as soon as you graduate.

Question 50

A strong letter of recommendation will end by indicating whether the person writing it would be willing to rehire the person for whom it is written.

Question 51

Strong performance appraisals rely heavily on labels and inferences.

Question 52

A targeted résumé is a version of a chronological résumé that highlights abilities that relate to a specific job target.

Question 53

If asked in an interview about your strengths and weaknesses, it's best to talk about work-related strengths and personal (not work-related) weaknesses.

Question 54

Regardless of your work experience, "Education" should always be the first category on your résumé.

Question 55

You should come to an interview with a list of questions you want to ask about the company and job.

Question 56

When preparing to interview, you should prepare to talk about 10-15 strengths that relate to responsibilities of the job for which you interview.

Question 57

It is not necessary to research an organization's larger goals since you can ask those kinds of questions in an interview.

Question 58

Bring extra materials to the interview (such as samples of your work or a portfolio) ONLY if the employer specifically asks you to.

Question 59

Strong interviewees demonstrate assertiveness by resisting the interviewer's topic shifts.

Question 60

Successful interviewees back up claims with specific examples of what they have done.

Question 61

Some organizations are very cynical about information interviews.When this is the case, how can you ensure that the interview is still productive for everyone involved?

Question 62

A _____ interview puts you in a scenario that allows the interviewer to see whether you have the qualities the company is looking for.

Question 63

A _____ résumé emphasizes the skills you've used, rather than the job in which you used them or the date when you last used them.

Question 64

A _____ interview deliberately puts you under either physical or psychological stress.

Question 65

_____ interviews are scheduled to learn about current openings in your field.

Question 66

A _____ résumé summarizes what you did in a timeline.

Question 67

In _____ interviews, you talk to people who work in the area you hope to enter to find out what the day-to-day work involves and how you can best prepare to enter that field.

Question 68

A _____ interview asks you to describe actual behaviours to gain insight into how you might function as an employee.

Question 69

A purposeful collection of electronic evidence of your abilities and achievements in text, images, and multimedia is called an ___________________________.

Question 70

Companies that will issue references that merely confirm you worked for them have a ___________ reference policy.

Question 71

______________ is the order of items in a chronological résumé, which lists most recent events first, and then goes backward through time.

Question 72

How can you find out useful information about a potential employer? Make sure you discuss at least two ways.

Question 73

An evaluation that's written by a superior about a subordinate and that occurs at regular intervals is called a _________________.

Question 74

When should you use a chronological résumé?

Question 75

Many new jobs come not from responding to an ad but from networking with personal contacts.These unadvertised jobs are called the _____ job market.

Question 76

Write a _____ job application letter when you know that the company is hiring.

Question 77

A ____________ résumé is a version of a skills résumé that highlights abilities and achievements related to a specific job.

Question 78

When you want to work for an organization that has not announced openings, you should write a _____ job application letter.

Question 79

How should you send a résumé via email?

Question 80

When should you use a skills résumé?