Business Communication Today, 11e (Bovee/Thill)
Chapter 19 Applying and Interviewing for Employment
1) The approach you take for an application letter depends on
A) how badly you want the job.
B) whether or not your résumé is up to date.
C) how long you have been on the job market.
D) whether it is a solicited letter or an unsolicited letter.
2) Unsolicited application letters to prospective employers
A) require more research than solicited letters.
B) irritate the personnel office staff.
C) are never read.
D) are none of the above.
3) 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) do all of the above.
4) The best salutation for an application letter is
A) “Dear Hiring Manager.”
B) “To Whom It May Concern.”
C) one that addresses a specific individual by name.
D) one that addresses a specific individual by first name only.
5) Because application letters are ________ messages, the AIDA approach is ideally suited for
them.
A) positive
B) negative
C) persuasive
D) routine
6) Which of the following would be the best opening sentence for a solicited application letter?
A) “I am clearly the best person for the job you’ve advertised.”
B) “I’m sure you get these letters all the time, but I hope you’ll read mine carefully.”
C) “I need a job, and I am very hard worker, so in my opinion you can’t go wrong in hiring me
for any number of different positions.”
D) “Based on my extensive training in forensic accounting, I think I may be of help to your
rapidly expanding forensic department.”
7) In the middle section of a job application letter, you should
A) present your strongest selling points in terms of their potential benefit to the organization.
B) give your entire work history, in case the employer doesn’t read your résumé.
C) mention any ways in which you do not meet the job qualifications but point out that you are
willing to learn.
D) do all of the above.
8) 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.”
9) If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a week or so after the
position close date,
A) call the highest-ranking employee at the company and complain that you are being
mistreated.
B) follow up by email or telephone.
C) cross this particular job possibility off your list.
D) send another copy of your application letter and résumé.
10) Most employers interview an applicant ________ before deciding to make a job offer.
A) once
B) multiple times
C) via email
D) anonymously
11) Employers use preliminary screening interviews to
A) find out as much as possible about each job candidate just in case the person they are
interested in turns them down.
B) give employment tests.
C) filter out applicants who are unqualified or otherwise not a good fit for the organization.
D) offer jobs to the best candidates.
12) During a screening interview, your best approach is to
A) ask as many questions as possible.
B) keep your answers short, providing a few key details to distinguish you from other candidates.
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.
13) Your goal in the initial screening interview is to
A) explain your greatest strengths in depth.
B) distinguish yourself from other candidates.
C) clinch the deal.
D) show the interviewer that your personality fits well with the job.
14) In the second stage 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.
15) If you are asked back for a final job interview, you should expect the interviewer to focus on
A) your previous job experience.
B) selling you on the advantages of joining the organization.
C) your educational background.
D) checking your references.
16) Interviews in which job candidates are asked how they would respond to various
hypothetical situations on the job are known as ________ interviews.
A) stress
B) structured
C) screening
D) situational
17) Which type of interview would be likely to include a question such as, “You seem wholly
unqualified for this job, and your answers so far have been terrible. Why should we continue
with this?”
A) Stress
B) Structured
C) Screening
D) Situational
18) Preparing for a video interview is generally
A) the same as preparing for a face-to-face interview.
B) not necessary.
C) similar to preparing for a face-to-face interview, but requires familiarizing yourself with the
equipment and process.
D) virtually impossible to do effectively.
19) In general, employers are looking for two things: proof that a candidate can handle the
responsibilities of the position 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.
20) When it comes to drug and alcohol tests,
A) by law only government agencies can require them.
B) a majority of companies require them of all applicants.
C) only a few companies now require them.
D) the Supreme Court has declared them unconstitutional.
21) When responding to questions during a job interview, you should
A) stick to neutral topics such as the weather.
B) look for opportunities to frame your answers as brief stories rather than simple declarative
answers.
C) limit yourself to yes or no answers only.
D) not be afraid to ask, “Could we move on?” if the employer asks a question you don’t like.
22) For most interviews, asking your own questions is
A) necessary only if you are interviewing for a management position.
B) risky and a bad idea unless you are certain the interview is going well.
C) just as important as answering the employer’s questions effectively.
D) usually viewed as a sign of arrogance—after all, the employer is in charge.
23) You are more likely to have a successful interview if you
A) begin speaking immediately after the employer finishes asking the question, even if you
haven’t formed an answer in your mind yet.
B) speak as quickly as possible throughout.
C) pause for a moment before answering each question.
D) do none of the above.
24) 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 bright colors.
C) dress as comfortably as possible.
D) dress conservatively.
25) A recent survey of hiring professionals revealed that
A) most employers understand that candidates may need to answer their mobile phones during
the interview, and that doing so has no effect on the outcome.
B) candidates who answer mobile phone calls during interviews are more likely to get the job
because they are perceived as busy and important.
C) answering mobile phone calls or texting in the middle of an interview is the most common
mistake candidates make during their interviews.
D) candidates who warn the interviewer ahead of time that they might have to answer a call
during the interview have a better chance of getting the job than those who do not.
26) When going to a job interview for a graphic artist job, you may choose
A) to take along samples of your work.
B) not to bring copies of your résumé; you can assume the interviewer already has one.
C) not to be more than five or ten minutes late.
D) do all of the above.
27) 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 before the interview.
D) smoke just prior to the interview to calm yourself.
28) Many interviewers begin making a decision about the applicant
A) within the first 20 seconds of the interview.
B) during the question-and-answer stage.
C) during the final minutes of the interview.
D) after the candidate has left.
29) The longest phase of a job interview is usually
A) the warm-up.
B) the question-and-answer stage.
C) the close.
D) none; all are about the same length.
30) The employer should not ask you questions about
A) your marital status.
B) your ethnicity.
C) your religion.
D) any of the above.
31) If your interviewer asks you a potentially unlawful question,
A) you are required by law to end the interview and report it to the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
B) it is often a sign that the interview is going well.
C) you may choose to answer or not to answer.
D) you should ignore it unless it happens more than once.
32) When a job interviewer indicates the interview is coming to a close, you should
A) try to prolong the interview, since the more the interviewer interacts with you, the better
impression you’ll make.
B) leave as quickly as possible.
C) find out what will happen next.
D) press for an immediate decision on whether or not you got the job.
33) When the interviewer makes an offer to you
A) you need to decide whether or not to accept the offer immediately.
B) say yes immediately no matter how much she offers.
C) thank the interviewer and inform her that you will take some time to make your decision.
D) hold out for more money, no matter how much she offers.
34) If the interviewer makes you a job offer and you begin to discuss salary you should
A) be sure to raise the topic before the interviewer.
B) pick a salary number that is 20 percent higher than the industry standard.
C) say that your salary requirements are negotiable.
D) do all of the above.
35) Within two days after an employment interview, you should
A) have a friend call to see whether you got the job.
B) write a follow-up letter (using the format for persuasive messages) and include another copy
of your résumé.
C) send the interviewer a short note of thanks.
D) assume that you didn’t get the job if you haven’t heard anything.
36) Unsolicited application letters are those sent in response to want ads for job openings.
37) An unsolicited job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the
reader’s attention.
38) The difference between solicited and unsolicited application letters is similar to the
difference between solicited and unsolicited proposals.
39) The opening paragraph of an application letter states the reason for writing and gives the
recipient a reason to keep reading.
40) An application letter can follow the AIDA format for persuasive messages.
41) In the middle part of an application letter, you should spell out your “selling points” and
other potential benefits to your employer.
42) In the final paragraph of your application letter, you should forcefully demand an interview.
43) In application letters it is acceptable to mention that you will follow up with a phone call in a
few days.
44) Many employers interview an applicant multiple times before deciding whether to offer a
person a job.