Deck 25: Creating Persuasive Résumés

Question 1

A prospecting letter should explicitly mention when one can begin work.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The summary sentence or paragraph serves as an organizing device for a cover letter.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Catching the reader's interest in the opening paragraph is crucial in a prospecting letter.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Whenever possible,a cover letter must be addressed to a company in general instead of being addressed to a specific person or department.

Question 5

A solicited cover letter will help one tap into the hidden job market.

Question 6

Irrespective of whether a job opportunity has been advertised or not,a generic cover letter fits both situations.

Question 7

Words with negative connotations should be avoided.

Question 8

Good word choices in letters are more likely to receive a positive response.

Question 9

One should ask for a job in the first paragraph of a prospecting letter.

Question 10

An applicant should not demonstrate one's knowledge about the company.

Question 11

A well-worded cover letter will help set one's letter apart from other job applications that a company receives.

Question 12

To make one's cover letter look professional,one should:

A)use the language of the organization and the industry.
B)use contact or employee names irrespective of what they think about the applicant.
C)use a different font style and size from that in one's resumé.
D)use more contractions,sentence fragments,clichés,and slang.

Question 13

Which of the following letters should you write when you've been advised to apply by a professor or friend?

A)Solicited letter
B)Prospecting letter
C)Tracking letter
D)Unsolicited letter

Question 14

If a job description states numerous qualifications,one should make sure that one's application letter addresses each one of them in detail.

Question 15

One should avoid using a you-attitude in an application letter since it makes one sound arrogant.

Question 16

Which of the following situations warrants the use of a prospecting letter?

A)You've been advised by a friend to submit a resumé.
B)You've found a company that works in your field of interest.
C)You've read online that a company is hiring.
D)You've seen the company's job advertised online or in a newspaper.

Question 17

When one must compete against dozens-perhaps hundreds or even thousands-of
applicants for an interview slot,one needs to target one's letter to the specific company.

Question 18

A solicited cover letter should begin with a statement that expresses interest in the available job opportunity.

Question 19

To make one's application letter professional,one should:

A)refrain from using contractions,sentence fragments,clichés,or slang.
B)avoid addressing one's cover letter to a specific person or to Human Resources.
C)avoid using contact names to gain an unfair advantage in one's cover letter.
D)refrain from referring to any previous job experiences,and just focus on the future.

Question 20

Which of the following situations warrants the use of a solicited letter?

A)You've found out that the company you are interested in is not recruiting as of now.
B)You've found a company that does work along the line of your career goals.
C)You've read in a trade journal that a company is expanding.
D)You've read about a company that does remarkable work in your field of interest.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of a prospecting letter?

A)Unsupported claims will help one sound confident and increase one's reader's curiosity.
B)Asking for a job in the first paragraph of a prospecting letter is dangerous.
C)One should end a prospecting letter by mentioning the date when one can join the company.
D)One must wait to be contacted by the prospective employer instead of being assertive.

Question 22

Which of the following is a good opening for a solicited cover letter?

A)"In this technology-centric world,a company that focuses on people is hard to find."
B)"The impact that your organization's green ventures create is incredible."
C)"Delivering information to a reader is relatively easy but captivating a reader requires skill."
D)"I have a good background in human resource management principles and strategies."

Question 23

When one must compete against many other applicants to get an interview slot,_.

A)a one-size-fits-all letter will definitely work
B)one needs to target one's letter to the specific company
C)one must begin sentences with "I" instead of introductory clauses or adverbs
D)one should avoid using sentences that begin with "me" or "my"

Question 24

Which of the following should a solicited letter begin with?

A)A statement indicating that one is applying for the job
B)A list of companies one has worked with in the past
C)A list of qualifications and achievements pertaining to the job
D)A statement of goodwill asking for an interview

Question 25

Which of the following is true of a prospecting letter?

A)After sending the letter,one must call the employer and demonstrate assertiveness by demanding an interview.
B)One or two specific details about one's prospective employer are usually enough to demonstrate one's knowledge.
C)Unsupported claims will help one sound confident and increase one's reader's curiosity.
D)Since the employer is planning to hire,one must wait to be contacted by the prospective employer.

Question 26

Which of the following sentences is likely to help one set one's letter apart from other application letters?

A)"I would like to apply for the position of human resources manager as advertised in the Calgary Sun."
B)"I have excellent communication and people-management skills."
C)"Please consider me for the position of human resources manager."
D)"The role of your company in promoting people-management skills in Canada is unparalleled."

Question 27

Which of the following sentences helps one sound assertive without being arrogant?

A)"Creativity,hard work,and dedication are my strong attributes."
B)"Working as a cartoonist for the Calgary Sun helped me expand my creative talent."
C)"My creativity is exemplified by the popularity of my art website."
D)"Your business would benefit by making use of my talent in sketching."

Question 28

When one knows that a firm is hiring,one should:

A)discuss the date and time for the interview in the first sentence.
B)state that one needs a job in the first sentence.
C)refer to the specific job position in one's first sentence.
D)create an attention-getter as the first sentence.

Question 29

Which of the following must one do in the first paragraphs of a prospecting letter?

A)Indicate when one would be available for an interview
B)Mention that one needs a job
C)Show how one's skills and experience can benefit the employer
D)Show assertiveness by mentioning that one would call the employer

Question 30

Which of the following is an advantage of targeting one's letter to a specific company?

A)It helps one find appropriate contacts in the company.
B)It helps one prepare for the job interview.
C)It helps one project you-attitude and positive emphasis.
D)It lends insight into internal politics of the company.

Question 31

Which of the following is a good ending for a prospecting cover letter?

A)"I will call you tomorrow to arrange a convenient time when we could meet."
B)"If given an opportunity to work in your organization,I am confident of doing well."
C)"I cannot assure you of being better than other candidates,but I promise to do my best."
D)"I am willing to do any job that the organization has to offer."

Question 32

Which of the following should a prospecting letter begin with?

A)A list of qualifications and achievements pertaining to the job
B)A statement indicating that one is applying for the job
C)A statement primarily intended to capture the interest of the reader
D)A statement of goodwill asking for an interview

Question 33

Which of the following helps one tap into the hidden job market?

A)Prospecting letters
B)Online job advertisements
C)Job portal references
D)Solicited letters

Question 34

When one submits an email job application letter,one should:

A)put the job number or title in the subject line.
B)use smileys and emoticons to create a conversational tone.
C)enter one's name and email address in capital letters at the end.
D)include a salutation at the beginning.

Question 35

Which of the following should one be mindful of when writing a prospecting letter?

A)Asking for an interview or telling one's reader when one would be available for interviews is being presumptuous.
B)Focusing on one's skills and how they can benefit one's prospective employer will be construed as I-attitude.
C)Since the employer is not planning to hire,he or she won't be impressed that one is just graduating.
D)Showing one's knowledge about the company doesn't matter to one's reader since he or she works there already.

Question 36

What should one do to reduce the size of a cover letter that is slightly over a page?

A)Vary the font type between serifs and san-serifs depending on the content.
B)Reduce the font size for certain sections.
C)Use smaller margins.
D)Eliminate some content.

Question 37

Which of the following should the summary paragraph of a solicited letter contain?

A)The date when one can join work
B)A bridging statement designed to capture the interest of the reader
C)Everything one will talk about
D)Sentence fragments,clichés,or slangs

Question 38

In which of following should one indicate that one will follow up with the employer?

A)Solicited letters
B)Job portal ads
C)Referrals
D)Prospecting letters

Question 39

Which of the following is a good ending for a solicited cover letter?

A)"If given an opportunity to work in your organization,I am confident of doing well."
B)"I cannot assure you of being better than other candidates,but I promise to do my best."
C)"Please hire me since I have the qualifications and experience required for the job."
D)"Please contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview date and time."

Question 40

List five guidelines to make an application letter professional.

Question 41

Briefly summarize the different ways in which one can separate oneself from other applicants.

Question 42

How does the composition of a cover letter vary according to the situation?

Question 43

Describe the composition of the first paragraph in a solicited letter.

Question 44

Describe the composition of the first paragraphs in a prospecting letter.