Question 1

You are preparing to attend a career fair at your university. In addition to updating your résumé, which strategy is suggested to help improve your experience there?

Accepted Answer

Researching the attending employers beforehand will help you know which ones you are interested in speaking with and will also help you prepare questions to ask them. This will improve your overall experience at the career fair.

Question 2

Onyeka is developing his résumé for a position that he really wants. He is anxious to stand out from all the other applicants, but also wants to appear professional. What advice do you give him?

Accepted Answer

Using an easy-to-read font in 10 or 12 point size is the best choice as it appears professional and is easy to read. Filling every space on the page, using ornate fonts, or avoiding the use of bold face, underlining, and italics can all make the résumé cluttered and difficult to read.

Question 3

If firms desire applicants skilled in collaboration, this indicates that they are looking for applicants who __________.

Accepted Answer

Collaboration refers to the ability to work well with others in a team environment, so firms seeking applicants skilled in collaboration are looking for individuals who thrive in a team-based setting. The other options, such as self-motivation, strong work ethics, and technical proficiency, are important qualities, but they do not necessarily indicate an ability to collaborate effectively.

Question 4

It is generally advised to omit your __________ from your résumé, in order to avoid this information being used in a discriminatory way.

Accepted Answer

Marital status is not relevant to job qualifications and can be used to discriminate against certain individuals. Therefore, it is best to leave it off of a resume.

Question 5

If you are searching for a job, the most productive approach is __________.

Accepted Answer

While all of the options listed can be productive to some degree, networking is often the most effective approach in finding a job. Building relationships with people in your desired field or industry can lead to job opportunities that may not be advertised through traditional means. Additionally, personal referrals from contacts in your network can carry more weight with potential employers than simply submitting a resume through an online job board.

Question 6

A written document that briefly and accurately describes an individual's personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experiences is called a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

A résumé is a concise summary of an individual's personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experiences. It is typically used for job applications and is important for employers to quickly assess a candidate's suitability for a position.

Question 7

Denice is being interviewed for a position in a conservative firm. When she is asked, "You're a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?" she is taken by surprise but is able to respond confidently. This potential employer is likely interested in assessing __________.

Accepted Answer

The question about what color Denice would be if she was a crayon is an offbeat question that is designed to assess her creativity and ability to think outside of the box. It is not really related to self-motivation, ambition, or career management.

Question 8

Bullet statements on your résumé describe and show what you have accomplished. Each bullet point should begin with __________.

Accepted Answer

Bullet statements should begin with an action verb to clearly depict the action taken and the accomplishment achieved. Starting with a pronoun or a noun may make the statement unclear and less effective in highlighting your achievements on the résumé. Descriptive adjectives may be used in the bullet point but should not be the first word to start the statement.

Question 9

What type of information can you access on sites such as Monster.com and Indeed.com?

Accepted Answer

Monster.com and Indeed.com primarily provide job postings and career information for job seekers. While they may offer some interviewing and employment research strategies, these are not the primary focus of the sites. Graduate program information is also not typically found on these sites, as they are geared towards employment rather than further education.

Question 10

What result did The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey of 1,000 employers find regarding competencies in new graduates from four-year universities?

Accepted Answer

The survey found that about half of the new graduates were rated not very proficient on most career readiness competencies, indicating a gap between educational outcomes and employer expectations.

Question 11

What skill does the text specifically reference as essential to success in almost every career?

Accepted Answer

The text specifically mentions that the ability to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts is essential to success in almost every career. It mentions that this includes both verbal and written communication, as well as the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences.

Question 12

How can you best access the hidden job market?

Accepted Answer

Building relationships within the workforce through networking, attending industry events, and informational interviews can often lead to discovering unadvertised or hidden job opportunities. Reviewing online job postings and reading the newspaper are still useful methods, but they only access the visible job market. Applying for every position you can find is not an effective strategy as it wastes time and resources while potentially damaging your professional reputation.

Question 13

When employers and higher educators discuss the widening of the skill gap, they are referring to __________.

Accepted Answer

The skill gap refers to the mismatch between the skills employers are seeking and the skills new graduates bring to the workforce. This indicates that there are differences between the skills new graduates possess and the skills that employers desire.

Question 14

What aspect of communication is most important to the success of businesses and organizations?

Accepted Answer

Quality communication is the key to the success of businesses and organizations. Clear, concise, and effective communication helps to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and mistakes. It builds trust and credibility, fosters collaboration, and enhances productivity. While speed and quantity are important, they should never compromise the quality of communication. Discretion is also important, but it may not have the same impact on the overall success of the organization.

Question 15

It is common for applicants to connect with potential employers electronically. If you fill out an online application, keep in mind that __________.

Accepted Answer

When filling out an online application, it is important to use caution when providing personal information such as a Social Security number to protect yourself from identity theft.

Question 16

What is an optimal way to utilize LinkedIn as a job search tool?

Accepted Answer

Researching and connecting with employers and key people at organizations of interest is the best choice as it allows for networking and a personalized approach to job searching. Posting your profile and waiting for someone to find you may not be effective in a competitive job market. Checking organizational postings can also be helpful, but networking with individuals can provide inside knowledge and potentially lead to unadvertised job opportunities. Reviewing other people's profiles can give some insight, but it may not be the most effective use of time.

Question 17

One study indicates that those in organizational leadership roles spend about __________ of the average workweek communicating.

Accepted Answer

The study indicates that those in organizational leadership roles spend about 80 to 90 percent of the average workweek communicating.

Question 18

What does the text suggest regarding the inclusion of references on a résumé?

Accepted Answer

The text suggests listing references on a separate page and only providing them if they are requested. This way, the employer can choose whether or not to contact the references and the résumé remains focused on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

Question 19

What is the best-known site to connect jobs with job seekers, with over 500 million users?

Accepted Answer

LinkedIn is the best-known site to connect jobs with job seekers, with over 500 million users. Instagram and Twitter are social media platforms, and while they can be used for job searching, they are not primarily for that purpose. CareerBuilder.com is a job board, but it does not have the same level of name recognition as LinkedIn.

Question 20

Above all else, when a job applicant is entering the room and participating in an interview, he or she must avoid appearing __________.

Accepted Answer

Appearing too eager can make a candidate seem desperate, while appearing indifferent can give the impression that they do not care about the job or the company. Therefore, the best choice is to strike a balance between the two and avoid appearing overly eager or indifferent. Being prepared and accomplished are not negative qualities in an applicant.

Quiz 15: Connecting Through Workplace Communication: Preparing for Your Future