Test Item File for Excellence in Business Communication, Fourth Canadian Edition
Chapter 16
1) Most employers interview an applicant two or three times before deciding whether to
offer a person a job.
A) True
B) False
2) Preliminary screening interviews tend to be structured, with each applicant being
asked the same questions.
A) True
B) False
3) A screening interview is usually used to gauge a job candidate’s personality and
personal qualities.
A) True
B) False
4) During a screening interview, it’s best to emphasize the “theme” you used in your
résumé.
A) True
B) False
5) An open-ended interview tends to be formal and highly structured.
A) True
B) False
6) During a stress interview, you might be asked pointed questions designed to anger or
unsettle you.
A) True
B) False
7) You prepare for a video interview the same way you would prepare for an in-person
interview.
A) True
B) False
8) An important purpose of the final job interview is to determine whether there is a good
psychological fit between you and the job.
A) True
B) False
9) A personal interview will provide an employer with more information about your
suitability for a specific job.
A) True
B) False
10) You can prepare for a job interview by anticipating the questions that will be asked
and rehearsing answers to each one.
A) True
B) False
11) Job applicants don’t ask questions during an interview; they are there to answer
questions, not to ask them.
A) True
B) False
12) As you ask questions during a job interview, keep a notepad handy so that you can
record the interviewer’s answers exactly and make full notes about other information you
want to remember.
A) True
B) False
13) It’s only natural to be self-conscious in interviews, since interviewers will be
hyperaware of your weaknesses.
A) True
B) False
14) Staging mock interviews can help you identify self-defeating nonverbal behaviours
and speech mannerisms.
A) True
B) False
15) Part of your preparation for job interviews is an evaluation of your voice tone and
speaking habits.
A) True
B) False
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16) The appropriate clothing for most job interviews is something conservative and
businesslike, such as a dark blue suit.
A) True
B) False
17) Because a job interview is a serious situation, you try to smile as little as possible.
A) True
B) False
18) It’s a good idea to take extra copies of your résumé with you to an interview, as well
as a list of questions to ask and any past correspondence about the position.
A) True
Correct: Correct
B) False
Incorrect: Incorrect
19) Most interviewers expect applicants to be a few minutes late for their appointment.
A) True
B) False
20) Of the three stages of a job interview, the close is the most important.
A) True
B) False
21) Body language is particularly important during the warm-up phase of a job interview.
A) True
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B) False
22) During the question-and-answer phase of an interview, try to keep your answers
short; usually just a yes or no will do.
A) True
B) False
23) It is illegal for an interviewer to ask about your religious affiliation, your marital
status, or how many children you have.
A) True
B) False
24) If you are asked an unlawful question during a job interview, you should always
refuse to answer.
A) True
B) False
25) At the close of an interview, you can impress the interviewer with your assertiveness
by pressing for an immediate decision.
A) True
B) False
26) A job interviewer will expect you to be the one who raises the issue of salary.
A) True
B) False
27) Once an interviewer states the salary for a job offer, you never try to negotiate it.
A) True
B) False
28) Negotiating benefits may be one way to get more value from an employment
package.
A) True
B) False
29) Immediately after a job interview, it’s a good idea to record the answers you received
to your questions and an evaluation of your performance during the interview.
A) True
B) False
30) After an interview you should never follow up with a phone call; use regular mail or
email.
A) True
B) False
31) Even if you feel that you have little chance for the job, you should still send a thank-
you message.
A) True
B) False
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32) When inquiring about a hiring decision as a follow-up to a job interview, you use the
general plan for a direct request.
A) True
B) False
33) It is risky to ask an employer for a time extension to consider a job offer because
most employers want an immediate answer.
A) True
B) False
34) A letter accepting a job is legally binding.
A) True
B) False
35) When declining a job offer or resigning, your letter follows the direct plan.
A) True
B) False
36) Unsolicited application letters are those sent in response to want ads for job openings.
A) True
B) False
37) An application letter should not volunteer salary information unless an employer asks
for it.
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A) True
B) False
38) The opening paragraph of an unsolicited application letter needs to grab the reader’s
attention and interest.
A) True
B) False
39) The opening of an application letter states one’s reason for writing.
A) True
B) False
40) In the middle part of an application letter, you spell out your “selling points” and
other potential benefits to your employer.
A) True
B) False
41) In the final paragraph of your application letter, you should forcefully demand an
interview.
A) True
B) False
42) If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a month or so,
you can assume that the company is not interested and cross it off your list.
A) True
Incorrect: Correct
B) False
Correct: Incorrect
43) In situational interviews, various on-the-job scenarios are described, and candidates
are asked how they would respond.
A) True
B) False
44) Employers use preliminary screening interviews to __________________
A) find out as much as possible about each job candidate.
B) give employment tests.
C) narrow the field of applicants.
D) offer jobs to the best candidates.
45) During a screening interview, your best approach is to __________________
A) ask as many questions as possible.
B) follow the interviewer’s lead.
C) expand on your answers as much as possible so that the interviewer knows you are at
ease.
D) keep as low a profile as you can; this is not the time to try to differentiate yourself
from other candidates.
46) In the second round of interviews, your best approach is to __________________
A) stick to brief, yes and no answers to the interview questions.
B) relate your training and experience to the organization’s needs.
C) inquire about salary and benefits.
D) do all the above.
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47) An interview in which a job candidate is criticized or provoked is a type of
__________________
A) stress interview.
B) structured interview.
C) screening interview.
D) situational interview.
48) An interview in which a job candidate is placed in a hands-on situation and asked to
do job-related tasks is a type of __________________
A) stress interview.
B) structured interview.
C) screening interview.
D) situational interview.
49) In general, employers are looking for two things: proof that a candidate can handle a
specific job and __________________
A) excellent references.
B) high employment test scores.
C) evidence that the person will fit in with the organization.
D) long-term commitment to the organization.
50) Planning for a successful job interview includes ___________________
A) sticking to neutral topics such as the weather.
B) learning about the organization.
C) bringing a companion to the interview with you for support.
D) completing a few pre-employment tests and bringing the results with you.
51) When asking questions during a job interview, you should __________________
A) stick to neutral topics such as the weather.
B) probe for what the company is looking for in its new employees.
C) stick to questions that elicit simple yes or no answers.
D) put as much pressure on the interviewer as possible.
52) Which of the following is an example of a warm-up question you might ask a job
interviewer?
A) “What departments here at your company usually hire new graduates?“
B) “What kind of salary are you offering?”
C) “Does your company have a pension plan?”
D) “How soon would the job start?”
53) When going in for a job interview, it’s best to take __________________
A) a list of questions to ask the interviewer.
B) some kind of object to occupy your hands, such as a pen or a key ring.
C) a tape recorder.
D) all of the above.
54) The best way to counteract feelings of shyness or self-consciousness about job
interviews is to __________________
A) remove its source.
B) use humour to mask these feelings.
C) act overly confident to counteract these feelings.
D) see a psychotherapist, since you obviously can’t deal with such a serious problem on
your own.
55) You are more likely to have a successful interview if you __________________
A) refrain from smiling.
B) maintain eye contact with the interviewer.
C) avoid using hand gestures.
D) do all of the above.
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56) When choosing the clothing you will wear for an interview, the best policy is to
__________________
A) pick something that will make you stand out from the crowd.
B) wear only dark colours.
C) dress as you expect your interviewer to be dressed.
D) dress conservatively.
57) When going to a job interview, __________________
A) take along samples of your work.
B) don’t bring copies of your résumé; you can assume the interviewer already has one.
C) try not to be more than five or ten minutes late.
D) do all of the above.
58) If you are a smoker and must go to a job interview __________________
A) ask the interviewer politely if you can smoke.
B) smoke only if the interviewer smokes.
C) refrain from smoking.
D) smoke just prior to the interview to calm yourself.
59) The three steps of a successful employment interview are __________________
A) screening, selection, offer.
B) warm-up, question-and-answer, close.
C) questions, conclusion, follow-up.
D) none of the above apply.
60) Most interviewers begin making a decision about the applicant __________________
A) within the first minute.