Deck 11: Developing Job Application Materials

Question 1

Annika has one full year to go before she graduates and begins interviewing. Which of the following steps should Annika take toward her formal preparation for job hunting?

A) Select course projects and paper topics that will help her prepare for a job.
B) Attend job seminars and job fairs.
C) Join extracurricular organizations on campus and in the community.
D) Get a co-op job or internship in her field of interest.
E) Check out the services of her college placement and advising offices without enrolling.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to Richard Bolles, which of the following is true of employers?

A) Employers look for employees in the exact opposite way from the way most people look for jobs.
B) Employers are pressed for time, so they rely on simple résumés to choose most of their employees.
C) Employers do not bother going through job portfolios for proof of expertise.
D) Employers prefer not to hire people from within their organization.
E) Employers consider online networks less reliable than ads for finding prospective employees.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

While editing and proofreading your application letter, remember to show gratitude to the reader for reading your letter.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

It is unethical to omit a low GPA on your résumé.

Question 5

A specialized use of the Internet for job searching is ________, which is a popular term that refers to marketing yourself.

A) market building
B) impression management
C) self-improvement
D) market imaging
E) personal branding

Question 6

Which of the following is a way that employers typically use résumés?

A) Employers manually read each line of a résumé carefully and completely to ensure they get all of the facts about a candidate.
B) Employers are aware that a résumé is a very short document that does not necessarily represent a candidate's best work.
C) A single individual within an organization is typically the only one who sees a candidate's résumé and decides on a further course of action.
D) Employers use résumés to decide whom to interview.
E) Only résumés that match key words are further scanned electronically.

Question 7

The secret to successful networking is reciprocity, a two-way relationship.

Question 8

Which of the following is one of the most popular tools for marketing oneself online?

A) IMDB
B) Wikipedia
C) Gmail
D) Windows Messenger
E) Twitter

Question 9

Before sending out an application letter, Fergie ensures that she checks the company website to learn the name and address of the specific individual in the company who will be receiving her letter. This is an effective technique to use while writing a job application letter.

Question 10

If you were laid off from your previous job, you need to explain the layoff in your application materials.

Question 11

If you are sending your résumé in the text of an email, start all lines at the right margin.

Question 12

Résumés should not be more than one page long because readers find them too long to skim.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of online job fairs?

A) They are characterized by a wide geographic range.
B) They have a limited accessibility period.
C) They do not have the feature of applying on the spot.
D) They look like real postings but are not trustworthy.
E) They do not allow browsing through virtual booths.

Question 14

A chronological résumé emphasizes degrees, job titles, and dates.

Question 15

Which of the following is true of successful job searches?

A) They rely less on the Internet.
B) They build relationships through networking.
C) They avoid traditional résumés and cover letters as they are no longer relevant.
D) They accept that companies prefer entry-level recruiting to intern recruiting.
E) They use social media and focus your profiles and posts entirely on getting a job.

Question 16

Which of the following is true of networking?

A) Successful networks are used solely for finding jobs.
B) Good networkers strive to build a "one-way" reputation.
C) Good networkers look for ways to reciprocate.
D) Good networkers network just for themselves.
E) A "two-way" reputation harms further networking.

Question 17

What is an appropriate length for a résumé of a recent college graduate?

A) 1-2 pages
B) 3-4 pages
C) 4-5 pages
D) Not more than 5 pages
E) Less than 1 page

Question 18

Formal preparation for job hunting should begin as soon as you start at university.

Question 19

Terrell, a marketing assistant, does not like his current job because it offers a very limited scope for growth. He is looking for a new job in the same field. Which of the following would be the most professional way for Terrell to look for a new job?

A) He should use the time outside of work hours for his job search.
B) He should ensure that he lets his manager know in advance that he is looking for a new job.
C) He should make sure that he does not spend time on his job hunt during lunch hours.
D) He should not use the reference of his current employer because he does not like it there.
E) He can let his current employer suffer as he is going to find a new job anyway.

Question 20

In your social networking profiles, include only professional interests without mentioning your personal interests.

Question 21

Haruto is a recent college graduate. He is writing a job application letter in response to an advertisement in a job portal. Which of the following should Haruto do while organizing his letter?

A) He should ask someone else to write his letter.
B) He should describe his cultural preferences because they are important in a healthy work environment.
C) He should avoid asking for an interview as this is obvious from his letter.
D) He should include some personal stories that reveal more about his values.
E) He should relate his achievements to the work he would be doing in the new job.

Question 22

Which of the following is the best way to deal with a situation when 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) Never list the name of the company if it contains your family name.
C) List the company you worked for and list a client who can talk about your work.
D) Mention that there is no scope for growth since it is a family business.
E) Avoid mentioning the names of your supervisors.

Question 23

Which of the following can make your résumé look busy?

A) using enough spacing
B) using vertical lists
C) using many fonts
D) using white space to group items
E) using bulleted points

Question 24

A chronological résumé is more appropriate than a skills résumé when

A) you have significant periods of unemployment throughout your career.
B) you want to combine experience from paid jobs, activities or volunteer work, and courses to show the extent of your experience in a particular field.
C) you have humble, unimpressive job titles, offices, or honors.
D) your education and experience are a logical preparation for the position for which you are applying.
E) your education and experience is not the usual route to the position for which you're applying.

Question 25

Use a(n) ________ when you want to combine experience gained in paid jobs, course work, activities, and volunteer work.

A) chronological résumé
B) skills résumé
C) infographic résumé
D) social résumé
E) targeted résumé

Question 26

Which of the following functions do verbs and gerunds generally serve in a résumé?

A) They save space and prevent grammatical errors.
B) They create a lack of parallelism in sentence structure.
C) They allow you to present information more briefly than nouns do.
D) They create a more dynamic image of you than nouns do.
E) They are vital to catch the eye of the employer.

Question 27

Which of the following types of information are employers allowed to gather during a background check?

A) social media passwords
B) credit history
C) medical history
D) relationship status
E) disability status

Question 28

Which of the following is considered an essential in a résumé?

A) career objectives
B) personal interests
C) experience
D) portfolio
E) honors and awards

Question 29

Which of the following is true of inaccuracies on résumés?

A) Background checks are conducted by job candidates to find out about fake employers.
B) Background checks do not have the ability to find out fake Mensa memberships.
C) It is considered unethical to omit a low GPA on your résumé.
D) It is considered acceptable to use inflated job details on your résumé to impress employers.
E) The most frequent inaccuracies on a résumé are incorrect dates of employment.

Question 30

When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer, which of the following is considered a good practice?

A) Write a simple subject line that includes your name and the word "résumé."
B) Use your current employer's email system so that you can immediately see any responses while you are at work.
C) Send several résumés if there are several job openings in the same organization.
D) Overuse important words to create emphasis.
E) Send your résumé from cryptic email addresses.

Question 31

When sending a résumé as an attachment to an email, what should you mention in the body of the email?

A) all of the information that the hiring manager will find in the résumé
B) the reasons why you left your previous job
C) your salary requirements
D) the types of files included in the attachment
E) an unrelated joke to break the ice

Question 32

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

A) The list lacks proper emphatic order.
B) The list lacks details.
C) The list lacks parallel structure.
D) The list uses a complete sentence.
E) The list uses nouns instead of gerunds.

Question 33

Min has written the following description of her work as a receptionist in her résumé: "drafted letters, reorganized filing system, reordered office supplies, interviewed new clients, and answered phones." She considers the task of answering phones the least important. In which of the following positions would the phrase "answered phones" best fit?

A) Keep it precisely where it is.
B) Put first in the series.
C) Put in the middle of the paragraph.
D) Omit it.
E) Combine it with the first item.

Question 34

Which of the following should always stand as separate categories, even if you have only one item under each head?

A) Honors and Awards
B) Activities and Interests
C) Name and Contact Information
D) Campus Activities and Community Service
E) Education and Experience

Question 35

On her résumé, Savita gives basic details about her degree, field of study, date of completion, and the name of the grad school. Further, she considers listing all her courses. While doing so, which of the following is recommended?

A) She should use course numbers to make them chronological.
B) She should use short descriptive titles while listing them.
C) She should classify them under the heading "Relevant Courses."
D) She should avoid using subheads completely.
E) She should consider writing them in paragraphs as listing is an obtrusive way of filling a page.

Question 36

Which of the following is a difference between a solicited letter and a prospecting letter?

A) A solicited letter is similar to a problem-solving persuasive message; a prospecting letter is similar to a direct persuasive request.
B) A solicited letter helps you apply to an advertised opening; a prospecting letter helps you tap into the hidden job market.
C) A solicited letter seeks an interview; a prospecting letter does not.
D) A solicited letter is addressed to a specific person; a prospecting letter is addressed to an organization.
E) A solicited letter allows you to follow-up with a call; a prospecting letter requires that you wait to be contacted.

Question 37

If you are sending your résumé in the text of an email, you should

A) start all lines at the right margin.
B) underline and bold the text.
C) use elements such as boxes and horizontal lines.
D) avoid using keys such as asterisks.
E) shorten line lengths to 65 characters and spaces.

Question 38

Which of the following is a particularly dangerous inaccuracy to have on a résumé?

A) inflated GPA
B) incorrect salary history
C) wrong job duties
D) false language proficiency
E) inaccurate date of hire

Question 39

Anita is preparing to apply for a new job, and the recruiter has requested that she send her résumé via email. Before sending the résumé, she should

A) call the recruiter to inform her that she will be applying.
B) come up with a creative and eye-catching subject line.
C) email the résumé to herself to see how it will look.
D) make sure she is using her employer's email system.
E) print and mail a physical copy to the recruiter as a backup.

Question 40

Which of the following is a helpful way to explain a previous layoff to a prospective employer?

A) expressing self-pity about your current situation
B) expressing bitterness about your past employer
C) expressing too much gratitude for an interview
D) giving a neutral explanation about the layoff
E) avoiding and further evading any question pertaining to it

Question 41

Which of the following examples in a job application letter best demonstrates you-attitude?

A) Your company has recently set up two new offices in Toulouse.
B) A company of your standing could offer me the training and experience I need to excel in my career.
C) My experience in sales has taught me to accurately predict customer demand.
D) Running my own business taught me that you need to manage customer relationships.
E) A proactive and creative individual like me is necessary for the success of your business.

Question 42

Which of the following is recommended in terms of paragraph length for a job application letter?

A) Long paragraphs in the body should cover at least two topics each.
B) All paragraphs should be similar in length to show paragraph unity.
C) If a paragraph covers two or more subjects, it should be divided into two or more paragraphs.
D) The last paragraph should be long since it provides a complete summary.
E) Your first and last paragraphs should be kept fairly long but not more than eight typed lines.

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of a virtual cover letter?

A) an applicant's personal website on an online platform
B) a comment left on a company's web page
C) a hard copy of an applicant's portfolio of work samples
D) a mail enclosure accompanying a résumé
E) an applicant's personal statement enclosed in an email

Question 44

Which of the following statements about you-attitude in a job application letter is true?

A) It must show the employer what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.
B) It must highlight your capabilities and hint at what the employer must do to hire you.
C) It must include fewer "me" and "my" statements by replacing them with "I."
D) It must avoid beginning sentences with prepositional phrases or introductory clauses.
E) It must tell readers information they already know as though they do not know it.

Question 45

List and describe the etiquette for email job-hunting.

Question 46

Which of the following statements about following up after you send a job application letter is true?

A) You can follow up twice after one week to ask if email materials were received.
B) You can follow up with the employer once if you hear nothing after two or three weeks.
C) If your job letter was solicited, it is fine to follow up two or three times.
D) If your job letter was prospecting, you must wait till the employer gets in touch with you.
E) You can follow up once after two or three days to ask if email materials were received.

Question 47

Which of the following sentences best illustrates you-attitude?

A) Your company is planning to acquire Alcove Co., which is into consulting and IT services for healthcare.
B) Working in the same field for so many years has taught me that you should never compromise on quality.
C) A highly regarded company like yours will give me the skills I need to advance my career.
D) My coursework in project management has increased my ability to improve team efficiency.
E) My expertise and experience is vital to the success of your organization.

Question 48

A sentence in a job application letter reads, "You can call my professor to verify whether the recommendation is valid." Which of the following is most likely to be the best revision for this sentence to ensure positive emphasis?

A) My professor is willing to verify the written recommendation over telephone.
B) Professor Jackson can provide more specific information about my coursework and qualifications.
C) Professor Jackson would be happy to confirm your views if you check with him.
D) You can verify the recommendation by calling Professor Jackson.
E) Professor Jackson will help you verify the validity of the recommendation.

Question 49

The ideal profile picture for a job seeker is

A) mysterious and obscure.
B) simple and professional.
C) exciting and outgoing.
D) tough and menacing.
E) detailed and complex.

Question 50

Where should goals and professional interests appear in a social media profile?

A) in a short introductory statement on the main page
B) in a downloadable attachment
C) in the middle of an "about me" page
D) in a scrolling footer across all pages
E) in the comments section of a posted photo

Question 51

Tamra has her professional details updated on various popular sites for software professionals where recruiters can find her. Since she has had little luck recently, she wants to create a virtual cover letter to supplement the information already there. Which of the following should Tamra include in her virtual cover letter?

A) She should use key words and tie them into her experiences.
B) She should use a profile picture that shows her personality in the best way.
C) She should create a personal website that tells a story about her life.
D) She should not mention any personal interests in her profile.
E) She should not use other electronic resources.

Question 52

What should be emphasized in a résumé, and how can you add appropriate emphasis?

Question 53

Dimitri is a recent college graduate. He is eager to impress with his job application letter and wants it to stand out among all the other letters the employers receive. Which of the following could separate him from other applicants applying for the same position?

A) his knowledge of the company
B) a list of his job responsibilities, not accomplishments
C) a generic description of himself
D) an exaggerated discussion of his strengths
E) his "complete" knowledge of the field he is applying to

Question 54

Explain some of the areas where résumés are commonly inaccurate.

Question 55

Which statement about the length of a typical job application letter is true?

A) A short letter is extremely persuasive.
B) A short letter suggests interest and enthusiasm for a job.
C) A letter has to be made short by eliminating content.
D) A letter should consist of at least three paragraphs.
E) A letter over a page is seen as extremely lengthy and wordy.

Question 56

List the precautions you must take if you have a personal blog, web page, or other electronic presence.

Question 57

The closing sentence of an application letter reads, "I want an interview with you." Which of the following is most likely to be the best revision for this sentence?

A) I anxiously await a phone call from you so that we can meet to discuss job opportunities.
B) Please do not hesitate to contact me. I can't wait to hear from you.
C) Thank you for your time. I am grateful to you.
D) I look forward to talking to you about how my qualifications could meet the company's needs.
E) I assure you that you will not be disappointed if you hire me.

Question 58

Which of the following should be included in the first paragraph of a prospecting job application letter?

A) a complete discussion of the applicant's skills and qualifications
B) a statement that announces that the applicant is applying for a particular advertised position
C) a statement of the dates and times that the applicant is available for an interview
D) a statement that will catch the reader's attention
E) a statement of direct request for the job the applicant is applying to

Question 59

What is the best way to give employers a well-rounded picture of who you are via a social networking profile?

A) Post controversial or highly partisan opinions.
B) Discuss both personal and professional interests.
C) Post "aspirational" images of other people in the jobs you want.
D) Always be the first person to respond to the company's social media posts.
E) Discuss even the most private aspects of your personal life.

Question 60

You've been out of the job market for a while after having been laid off. What do you need to do to prove to a potential employer that you're up-to-date and motivated?

Question 61

What do you need to know to best adapt your application letter to a specific organization?

Question 62

Describe the role of a job application letter in the employment-search process.

Question 63

Jorge is writing a job application letter in response to a newspaper advertisement for a business development executive. Jorge has experience in this field because he ran his own small company for some years. In the application letter, Jorge writes "Running my own business taught me that you need to learn to maximize every opportunity that comes your way." To ensure that his letter demonstrates you-attitude, how would you rephrase this sentence?

Question 64

Jamarcus is creating a personal website to help employers find out more about him and contact him for available jobs. What should Jamarcus do to create an effective personal website?

Question 65

How has the Internet changed how employers look for candidates, and what can job-seekers do to respond to these changes?