Deck 28: Job Application Letters

Question 1

Writing a job application letter is a good way to help you prepare for a job interview.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In a job application letter, you should include personal information about yourself because even if not directly relevant, the information can show you to be well rounded.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The conservative style for job application letters includes using contractions.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Palatino is a common typeface for a job application letter.

Question 5

Job hunting in the U.S. may be different than in other parts of the world, so determine what the best kind of letter to send based on the local culture.

Question 6

Employers want businesslike employees who understand professionalism, so demonstrate that quality in your letter.

Question 7

Write a solicited letter when you know the company is hiring.

Question 8

Developing your qualifications in detail makes little sense in the letter, as your résumé will detail that information.

Question 9

Always ask for an interview at the conclusion of the letter-getting an interview is the primary purpose of the letter.

Question 10

When you know that a company is hiring, announcing that you are applying for a specific job in the first paragraph of your letter makes sense.

Question 11

Good word choices can help set your letter apart from the others the company is likely to read.

Question 12

In a prospecting letter, asking for a job in the first paragraph is dangerous because the company hasn't announced it's looking for anyone.

Question 13

Always wait for the employer to call you after you've sent the job application letter.

Question 14

In a solicited job application letter, it's OK to wait for the employer to contact you unless you're applying for a job that favors initiative, such as one in sales.

Question 15

In both solicited and prospecting letters, you should show what separates you from other applicants.

Question 16

A T-letter is essentially another kind of rèsumè.

Question 17

Some employers prefer T-letters; if you know that's the case, it's okay to use them.

Question 18

You can create good tone in your job application letter by using you-attitude and positive emphasis.

Question 19

Job-hunting in the U.S. is the same as elsewhere, so use the techniques described in the text anywhere you go.

Question 20

For your job application letter, it's OK to include information about your religious beliefs or ethnic community activities even if that information is not relevant to the job.

Question 21

If you're writing a prospecting letter to a firm that's more than a few hours away by car, it's okay to say that you'll be in the area during a certain time and can meet for an interview.

Question 22

"I really want to work for you-when can I start?"is a great way to open a prospecting letter because it is both a bold and a startling statement.

Question 23

You should address your solicited letter to a specific person but not the prospecting letter, as you don't yet know if the company is hiring.

Question 24

Most employers today don't want T-letters, so don't use them.

Question 25

To create the most effective T-letter, start by listing all of the accomplishments that give you the most pride.

Question 26

Your job application letter should be as long as it needs to be in order to present you persuasively but concisely to the reader.

Question 27

Use you-attitude in your job application letter, but be sure to support claims to avoid sounding overconfident or selfish.

Question 28

If the company wants an e-mail application, there's no reason to specify the word-processing program your scannable résumé is in because everyone uses Microsoft Word today.

Question 29

The primary purpose of a job application letter is to

A) Get you the job.
B) Get you an interview.
C) Get you noticed.
D) Get you a referral.
E) None of the above.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a way to make your job application letter look professional?

A) Create your letter on a computer.
B) Address your letter to the department you're applying to.
C) Don't mention relatives' names
D) Omit personal information not related to the job.
E) All of the above will make your letter look professional.

Question 31

In your job application letter, focus on all of the following EXCEPT

A) Major requirements for the job.
B) Minor requirements for the job.
C) Points that separate you from other applicants.
D) Qualities that every employee is likely to value.
E) All of the above are qualities to focus on.

Question 32

When creating your job application, can you use block format?

A) Yes, because it is a standard business format.
B) Yes, because modified block is never used for job application letters.
C) No, because readers prefer a more casual style.
D) No, because it does not allow you to get as much information on the page as would modified block.
E) None of the above.

Question 33

Can you create a personal letterhead for your job application letter?

A) Yes, so long as it harmonizes with your résumé.
B) Yes, so long as you get it done by a professional other than yourself, such as a graphic designer.
C) No, because doing so will seem pretentious.
D) No, because even with the help of a computer, it will look amateurish.
E) None of the above.

Question 34

Choose the alternative that indicates in which kind(s) of job application letters, if any, you should show what separates you from other applicants.

A) Solicited letters.
B) Prospecting letters.
C) Both solicited and prospecting letters.
D) Neither solicited nor prospecting letters.
E) You should never show what separates you from other applicants.

Question 35

Choose the alternative that indicates in which kind(s) of job application letters, if any, you should tell where you learned about the job.

A) Solicited letters.
B) Prospecting letters.
C) Both solicited and prospecting letters.
D) Neither solicited nor prospecting letters.
E) You should never tell where you learned about the job.

Question 36

Choose the alternative that indicates which kind(s) of job application letters, if any, must begin by catching the reader's interest.

A) Solicited letters.
B) Prospecting letters.
C) Both solicited and prospecting letters.
D) Neither solicited nor prospecting letters.
E) You should never try to capture the reader's interest.

Question 37

Choose the alternative that indicates in which kind(s) of job application letters, if any, you should discuss your leadership experience.

A) Solicited letters.
B) Prospecting letters.
C) Both solicited and prospecting letters.
D) Neither solicited nor prospecting letters.
E) You should never discuss leadership experience.

Question 38

Choose the alternative that indicates the kind(s) of job application letters, if any, in which you must show knowledge of the organization.

A) Solicited letters.
B) Prospecting letters.
C) Both solicited and prospecting letters.
D) Neither solicited nor prospecting letters.
E) You should never show knowledge of the organization.

Question 39

All of the following are good qualities of a T-letter EXCEPT

A) Create a two-column lists to show the job requirements and how you meet them.
B) Use bullets and organize your lists.
C) Use active verbs or gerunds.
D) Keep descriptions to a minimum.
E) All of the above are good qualities.

Question 40

Explain how you should organize an unsolicited job letter.

Question 41

Explain how you should create a T-letter.

Question 42

List the parts that are the same in both solicited and prospecting letters.

Question 43

In a prospecting letter, create a _________ between the attention-getter and your qualifications

Question 44

If you have several important qualifications for a job, you can summarize them in the order in which you plan to discuss them in a _________ sentence or paragraph.

Question 45

A cross between a traditional job application letter and a résumé is called a _________.