Deck 50: Obtaining Employment

Question 1

A medical assistant with several years of experience might want to highlight skills that will transfer to a different type of work. What style of résumé meets this goal?

A) Targeted
B) Functional
C) Experiential
D) Chronological

Answer 1

Functional

Question 2

How many names and addresses of references should be included on a résumé?

A) None
B) Two to four
C) Exactly four
D) Five to seven

Answer 2

None

Question 3

Which of the following should be included with personal demographic information at the top of the résumé?

A) E-mail address
B) Best time to call
C) How many miles you are willing to travel
D) If you have taken and/or passed the CMA (AAMA) or RMA examination

Answer 3

E-mail address

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a very specific objective that might be included on the résumé of a recent medical assisting graduate?

A) To obtain an entry-level position as a medical assistant
B) To obtain a challenging position as a medical assistant
C) To obtain a position as a clinical medical assistant in the office of a dermatologist
D) To obtain a medical assisting position that provides opportunity for growth and professional development

Question 5

What is the primary purpose of networking during the job search?

A) To demonstrate good people skills
B) To obtain verbal information about potential jobs
C) To stay in contact with other individuals in the health care field
D) To give and receive emotional support during the job-hunting process

Question 6

Jean would like to work at the medical facility where she is doing her practicum. Which action is most likely to lead to the offer of a permanent position?

A) Talking with her practicum coordinator
B) Letting the people in the department know how she feels
C) Talking with the people in the facility's human resources department
D) Trying to do everything she sees, even if she is not sure of the procedure

Question 7

Linda is a medical assistant student who is about to graduate from an accredited medical assistant program. She has no prior paid work experience relevant to medical assisting; however, she did volunteer as a "candy striper" in a hospital for a couple of years. Linda also completed a 200-hour practicum as a component of her medical assistant program. How should these experiences be noted in the résumé?

A) They can be included under "Work Experience."
B) They should not appear on the résumé but should be included in the cover letter.
C) They should be included under another heading, such as "Related Health Care Experience."
D) They do not need to be on the résumé-Linda can mention these items during the interview.

Question 8

What information is not included on a résumé?

A) Education
B) Work history
C) Marital status
D) Name, address, and telephone number

Question 9

Which of the following statements would be most descriptive when describing job responsibilities on a résumé?

A) Was a team player
B) Assisted the manager as required
C) Worked well with other employees
D) Sorted and opened mail in a 10-person office

Question 10

What is one of the first things a medical assistant graduate should do when starting a job search?

A) Construct a résumé.
B) Call a recruiting company and have it perform the search.
C) Set a goal and identify the ideal job for his or her current circumstances.
D) Have friends ask their bosses if they are planning on hiring anyone else.

Question 11

What style of résumé would a recent graduate from an accredited medical assistant program probably use if he or she has worked part-time and summers as a cashier?

A) Targeted
B) Functional
C) Experiential
D) Chronological

Question 12

Where will a medical assistant indicate that he or she is seeking a particular type of job and will accept only that type of position?

A) Near the top of the résumé, in the "Objective" statement
B) In the "Position Sought" statement at the bottom of the résumé
C) In the cover letter, so that the person reading the letter does not have to bother reading the résumé
D) In the résumé, under "Work Experience," to highlight that the medical assistant has experience in those tasks

Question 13

When preparing a résumé, what information should be included about each educational experience and/or educational program attended?

A) Grade point average for each year
B) Year(s) the institution or program was attended
C) Name of the director of the program or student's major
D) Street address, city, and state of the institution or program

Question 14

In what order should information about education be presented on a medical assistant's résumé?

A) Chronological order
B) Reverse chronological order
C) The medical assisting training program should always be last
D) Information about the medical assisting training program should always be first

Question 15

What should be done before an individual's name is used as a reference?

A) The person should be asked if his or her name can be used.
B) No specific action is required, because he or she may never be contacted.
C) The person should be sent a letter stating that his or her name will be used.
D) The person should give permission in writing for his or her name to be used.

Question 16

How can the medical assistant identify potential employers?

A) Scan advertisements for possible open positions.
B) Fill out applications at larger institutions where résumés remain on file.
C) Perform Internet searches to identify local physicians and medical facilities.
D) Ask contacts who work at health care facilities to look at internal job postings.
E) All of the above.

Question 17

Which of the following is the least desirable reference?

A) Former instructor
B) Previous employer
C) Practicum coordinator or supervisor
D) Neighbor who has known the applicant for many years

Question 18

What is the primary purpose of a résumé?

A) Obtain an interview for an open position
B) Show that you have graduated from an accredited program
C) Make your qualifications appear more extensive than they really are
D) Write down everything about yourself so that you do not forget facts during the interview

Question 19

If a section of the résumé is titled Work Experience, which of the following previous experience can be included?

A) Years as a homemaker
B) Volunteer experience at a local hospital
C) Employment as a cashier at a supermarket
D) Medical assisting externship in an accredited medical assisting program
E) All of the above

Question 20

Which of the following is the best example of networking?

A) Meeting your best friend for coffee every week
B) Describing your job search to a friend of the family
C) Dropping by to visit former instructors in your medical assisting program
D) Asking your boyfriend to proofread your résumé for grammar and spelling

Question 21

If possible, it is best to limit a résumé to a single page.

Question 22

Credentials for CPR and first aid should be included on a medical assistant's résumé.

Question 23

On a chronological résumé, a potential employer will assume that any gaps in employment for a woman can be attributed to staying home and raising children.

Question 24

What guideline(s) relate to the use of a cover letter in the job search?

A) It should accompany every résumé sent out by mail.
B) It should explain briefly why the résumé is being sent.
C) It may state whether the applicant is responding to a particular ad.
D) It may state that the applicant is sending an open query about possible job opportunities.
E) All of the above.

Question 25

It is illegal for an employer to ask an applicant for a medical assistant position to take a keyboarding test.

Question 26

A job search will usually be successful if a medical assistant applies for three to five positions using the Internet.

Question 27

Which action is most helpful for a job candidate between the time an interview had been arranged and the actual interview?

A) Having a manicure to apply fresh nail polish
B) Learning as much as possible about the facility
C) Purchasing a pair of designer jeans to wear to the interview
D) Making an anonymous visit to the facility to observe how it functions

Question 28

What action should the medical assistant take after sending out a résumé?

A) Wait patiently for a call to set up an interview.
B) Call after a few days to inquire whether the résumé has been received.
C) Call daily in order to show interest in the job.
D) Call and ask how many résumés have been received and what the chances are for having an interview.

Question 29

Even if a résumé is submitted to a potential employer electronically, it is still recommended to include a cover letter or e-mail.

Question 30

The statement, "prepared patients for examination" would be an example of the participle form of the verb.

Question 31

Many large medical facilities ask a job applicant to fill out an application in addition to submitting a résumé. Which of the following actions is NOT recommended when filling out an application?

A) Using only positive statements
B) Answering all questions fully and truthfully
C) Including names and telephone numbers of previous supervisors
D) Referring to your résumé for questions on the application form that are covered there

Question 32

After a position has been offered, the question of salary is explored. What should an applicant do if the salary offered is less than anticipated?

A) Ask when raises will next be given
B) Accept the job and hope for the best
C) Decline the job and look elsewhere
D) Ask for a specific time frame when his or her performance will be reviewed and if a raise will be possible

Question 33

What is the predominant reason why a person decides to leave a job?

A) The salary is too low.
B) The commute is too long.
C) There is no room for advancement.
D) There is conflict with other employees.

Question 34

When the medical assistant sends a résumé to a medical office, he or she will usually not be asked to fill out a job application.

Question 35

What should a job applicant do on the day after a job interview?

A) Send another résumé-as a follow-up
B) Call the interviewer and ask for feedback about the job interview
C) Call and ask if there is additional information that the interviewer needs
D) Write the interviewer a thank-you note reaffirming his or her interest in the job

Question 36

When interviewing for a position as a medical assistant, an applicant should focus primarily on describing his or her clinical and administrative skills and try to give an impression of being "all business."

Question 37

If the interviewer says, "Tell me about yourself," how should a job applicant answer?

A) By telling the interviewer about his or her family
B) By telling the interviewer that he or she has some weaknesses
C) By telling the interviewer about his or her education and previous work experience
D) By telling the interviewer about character traits and skills that will help him or her do the job

Question 38

After 5 years of employment at a family practice facility, Margaret decided that she would like to upgrade her administrative skills and enrolled in a health care management program. What type of position might Margaret be hoping to obtain?

A) Coding specialist
B) Clinical supervisor
C) Laboratory supervisor
D) Office manager or practice manager

Question 39

What term used to describe the situation of an employee who has become disillusioned with his or her work and has lost interest in and enthusiasm about the job?

A) Conceit
B) Burnout
C) Boredom
D) Self-actualization

Question 40

A targeted résumé usually begins with a specific employment objective that describes the type of position the applicant is seeking.