Business Communication Today, 14e (Bovee/Thill)
Chapter 19 Applying and Interviewing for Employment
1) Which of the following takes place when you apply to a company that has not announced a
job opening that is a good fit for you?
A) Building interest
B) Prospecting
C) Closing
D) Interviewing
E) Screening
2) Why is writing a prospecting letter more challenging than a solicited letter when sending a
résumé?
A) You have less research on the company
B) You don’t know what skills the company is most interested in
C) You don’t have a clear target as you have with a solicited letter
D) It is hard to find the name of a person to send the letter to
E) You have no common ground with the reader
3) The ________ must clearly state your reason for writing and give the recipient a compelling
reason to keep reading.
A) career summary on your résumé
B) opening paragraph of your application letter
C) word cloud in your employment portfolio
D) keyword cluster included in your résumé
4) Which of the following should be in the middle section of an application letter that follows the
AIDA plan to build interest in you?
A) Your strongest selling points that will benefit the organization
B) Information about your academic performance
C) Areas of business that you are passionate about
D) Which specific skills the employer is asking for and how you can meet those skills
E) Information on salary history and availability
5) Which of the following is one of the functions of the final paragraph of an application letter?
A) To remind the reader why you are the right candidate for the position
B) To resell one critical skill that you possess
C) To ask for a specific action
D) To explain how you heard about the available position
E) To introduce the attached résumé
6) The approach you take for an application letter depends on whether
A) you’re looking for other career opportunities.
B) you’re presenting your résumé in a chronological or a functional format.
C) you think the salary requirements of the job are appropriate.
D) you’re applying for an identified job opening or whether you’re prospecting.
E) you have the required skills asked for or you have many, but not all requested.
7) Accompany your résumé with ________ when you’re responding to an identified job opening.
A) a message of inquiry
B) an unsolicited follow-up letter
C) a solicited application letter
D) a letter of intent
E) a direct format letter
8) Prospecting application letters to prospective employers
A) requires more research than solicited letters.
B) irritate the personnel office staff.
C) are never read.
D) must include a specific job applying for along with salary requirements.
E) are more specific and detailed.
9) You’ll impress prospective employers with your application letter if you
A) use a flashy, eye-catching layout that demonstrates how you might be able to upgrade the
company’s correspondence.
B) show that you know something about the company and its place in the market.
C) use a personal, “chummy” tone.
D) include a list of your skills and abilities.
E) specifically demand an interview.
10) Because application letters are ________ messages, the AIDA approach is ideally suited for
them.
A) positive
B) negative
C) persuasive
D) routine
E) direct
11) Which of the following would be the best way to open a solicited application letter?
A) Mention the name of a person that your reader knows and regards highly
B) Use a question to demonstrate your understanding of the needs of the organization
C) Describe your understanding of the job’s requirements and show how well your qualifications
fit them
D) Identify where you discovered the job opening and describe what you have to offer
E) Describe your life-long desire to work at that organization
12) In the middle section of a job application letter
A) present your strongest selling points in terms of their potential benefit to the organization.
B) include your entire work history, in case the employer doesn’t have time to review your
résumé.
C) address your shortcomings but stress that you’re willing to learn.
D) ask for an interview and include your contact information.
E) tell the reader when you expect their call.
13) Whenever you submit your résumé to an employer, you should include an application letter
to
A) identify what you’re sending (your résumé).
B) explain why you’re sending your résumé.
C) explain how they can benefit from reading your résumé.
D) all of the above.
14) In the final paragraph of your application letter, you should
A) show the reader you mean business and demand an interview.
B) say something philosophical.
C) request an interview and provide contact information.
D) cover your bases by saying something like, “If I‘ve left anything important out, I’m sorry.”
E) let the reader know they are making a mistake if they don’t call immediately.
15) When writing an application letter in response to a job posting what should be included in
the letter?
A) The types of research done on the organization
B) Areas where the organization excels in the industry
C) What excites you about working for the organization
D) The specific qualification you have that were identified in the posting
E) An explanation of what you understand the company to be looking for
16) Which of the following should be done before writing a prospecting letter to make sure you
understand the qualities the company looks for in the position you are applying for?
A) Show the company you understand what is going on in their industry
B) Use color and creative fonts to detract from your lack of knowledge
C) Email a specific individual in the organization and ask questions about what is typically
preferred
D) Write about the organization’s role in the marketplace and how you can improve it
E) Research the company and the person you are writing to
17) Which of the following will make an application letter more effective?
A) Knowledge and professionalism
B) Creative graphics and design elements
C) Bold, bright colors
D) Salary history
E) A firm belief that no one will do the job as well as you
18) In the final paragraph of an application letter, be sure to inject additional evidence of your
knowledge, skills, and abilities.
19) If you’re responding to an advertised job opening, your application letter only needs to
rehash the information from your résumé.
20) A prospecting job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the
reader’s attention.
21) An application letter can follow the AIDA format for persuasive messages.
22) Briefly explain the primary differences between solicited application letters and prospecting
application letters.
23) What is the difference in an application letter when you are prospecting and when a letter is
solicited by the organization?
24) Discuss the type of information that should be in each section of an application letter if you
were using the AIDA plan.
25) Explain the function of each phase of an application letter written in the AIDA format.
26) Which of the following should be the candidate’s goal during the interview process?
A) Find the right match for his or her goals and capabilities
B) Find a position that offers more salary and benefits than currently receiving
C) Find a position that will allow them to express themselves
D) Find an organization that will train them to be successful
E) Find an organization that will hire them
27) Which of the following is the first stage of the interview process and is designed to eliminate
those who are not a good fit for the position?
A) Offer
B) Screening
C) Final
D) Selection
E) Open-ended
28) Which stage of the interview process helps the organization determine who the top
candidates are for the open position?
A) Offer
B) Screening
C) Final
D) Selection
E) Open-ended
29) Which type of interview requires the interviewer to adapt their line of questioning based on
previous responses?
A) Open-ended
B) Stress
C) Group
D) Working
E) Situational
30) Which type of interview requires an individual candidate to meet with several interviewers at
once?
A) Group
B) Panel
C) Open-ended
D) Situational
E) Working
31) Which type of interview includes one or more interviewers and several candidates who all
meet at the same time?
A) Working
B) Stress
C) Group
D) Panel
E) Situational
32) Which type of interview requires the candidate to relate specific incidents and experiences
from their past?
A) Unstructured
B) Working
C) Open-ended
D) Situational
E) Behavioral
33) Which type of interview has been found to be the most effective predictor of success on the
job?
A) Behavioral
B) Traditional
C) Extemporaneous
D) Long-distance
E) Stress
34) Which type of interview requires the candidate to actually perform some job-related tasks?
A) Stress
B) Unstructured
C) Working
D) Situational
E) Group
35) An employment interview is
A) an unplanned dialogue with a representative from a potential employer.
B) a monologue about your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
C) a formal meeting during which you and the interviewer ask questions and exchange
information.
D) a one-way communication pipeline in which the interviewer asks questions and you answer
them.
36) Why is it vital to have a positive, alert tone when being interviewed over the phone?
A) You don’t want to sound like you are reading prepared notes
B) Reception is often poor or there is a delay
C) You won’t know if the interviewer has a copy of your résumé
D) You won’t have nonverbal cues to help create a good impression
E) You don’t want to sound overly interested
37) Which of the following is an advantage for the candidate when using email or instant
messaging during the screening interview?
A) It is easier to maintain a professional style
B) A more casual, relaxed response is expected
C) There is a greater opportunity to send nonverbal signals
D) Short, direct responses are expected
E) Each response can be reviewed and edited before it is sent
38) Which of the following is one of the key questions employers attempt to answer during an
interview?
A) Is the candidate a good fit for the organization and the position?
B) Can the organization afford the candidate?
C) Can the candidate learn new skills for future use?
D) Is the candidate going to be able to fulfill his or her personal goals?
E) Will the candidate be able to pass a background check?
39) Which type of pre-employment test attempts to measure how truthful and trustworthy a
candidate is?
A) Personality
B) Integrity
C) Cognitive
D) Substance
E) Skills
40) Which of the following is one of the key questions employers attempt to answer during an
interview?
A) Can the candidate handle the responsibilities of the position?
B) Can the organization afford the candidate?
C) Does the candidate fully understand the demands of the position?
D) Is the candidate going to be able to fulfill his or her personal goals?
E) Is there a better candidate somewhere?
41) Which type of pre-employment test can be used to verify interest, potential, dependability
and commitment to the work and the organization?
A) Job knowledge
B) Substance
C) Personality
D) Cognitive
E) Job skills
42) Most employers interview an applicant ________ before deciding to make a job offer.
A) once
B) multiple times
C) over the phone
D) in a team interview
E) as a group