Deck 19: Applying and Interviewing for Employment

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

B
Explanation:B)You may feel awkward in contacting the recipient, but it is important to push ahead if you haven't heard a response after a reasonable amount of time. Keep in mind that most employers are extremely busy and may have intended to respond to you but just haven't gotten around to it. In that case, you are doing the recipient a favor with your follow-up. Remember-the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the attention.

Question 2

During ________ the interviewer will adapt the line of questioning according to the answers you give and the questions you ask.

A)a stress interview
B)a behavioral interview
C)a situational interview
D)an open-ended interview

Answer 2

D
Explanation:D)In an open-ended interview, the interviewer adapts his or her questions based on the answers you give and the questions you ask.

Question 3

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.

Answer 3

A
Explanation:A)In the middle section, build interest in you as a job candidate. Present what you can do to benefit the company, and support your assertions with strong reasoning and details.

Question 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.

Question 5

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.

Question 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."

Question 7

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.

Question 8

During a behavioral interview, you'll be asked to

A)answer a specific sequence of questions.
B)deal with questions that are intended to upset you.
C)relate specific incidents or experiences from your past.
D)perform a number of work-related tasks.

Question 9

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

Question 10

Because application letters are ________ messages, the AIDA approach is ideally suited for them.

A)positive
B)negative
C)persuasive
D)routine

Question 11

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.

Question 12

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

Question 13

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.

Question 14

Most employers interview an applicant ________ before deciding to make a job offer.

A)once
B)multiple times
C)via email
D)anonymously

Question 15

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.

Question 16

During the selection stage of the interview processes, you should

A)ask the interviewer when you can start the job.
B)differentiate yourself from the other candidates.
C)use short answers to respond to the interviewer's questions.
D)relate your knowledge, skills, and experience to the organizations' needs.

Question 17

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.

Question 18

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.

Question 19

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.

Question 20

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."

Question 21

When you're responding to questions during an interview, you're more likely to answer them successfully if you

A)begin speaking before the employer finishes asking the question.
B)reply in a terse, matter-of-fact style throughout the interview.
C)pause for a moment before answering each question.
D)treat all questions as an opportunity to clarify your personal preferences.

Question 22

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.

Question 23

If you're asked to submit to alcohol testing and drug screening during the hiring process, remember that

A)only government agencies can require those tests.
B)a majority of companies require all applicants to submit to such tests.
C)what you do in your free time will not affect how you'll perform on the job.
D)the Supreme Court has determined that those tests violate workplace privacy laws.

Question 24

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.

Question 25

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.

Question 26

When you're participating in a video interview with a prospective employer

A)focus on your computer screen.
B)read from a prepared script.
C)speak to the camera.
D)multitask via Twitter and Facebook.

Question 27

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

Question 28

During the question-and-answer stage of an interview

A)control the conversation and stress your achievements.
B)let the interviewer lead the conversation.
C)respond to all questions without hesitation.
D)don't ask any questions of your own.

Question 29

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.

Question 30

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.

Question 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.

Question 32

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.

Question 33

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.

Question 34

When you're staging mock interviews to polish your interview style, pay attention to

A)your nonverbal behavior.
B)the quality of your voice.
C)the length and clarity of your answers.
D)all of the above.

Question 35

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.

Question 36

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.

Question 37

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.

Question 38

The employer should not ask you questions about

A)your marital status.
B)your ethnicity.
C)your religion.
D)any of the above.

Question 39

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.

Question 40

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

Question 41

During a stress interview, you might be asked pointed questions designed to anger or unsettle you.

Question 42

Use the model for positive messages when you write a

A)letter of resignation.
B)letter of acceptance.
C)letter declining a job offer.
D)none of the above.

Question 43

One challenge in a screening interview is to keep your answers short while distinguishing yourself from other candidates.

Question 44

Preliminary screening interviews are often conducted via telephone or Skype.

Question 45

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.

Question 46

Part of preparing for a job interview involves anticipating the questions that will be asked and rehearsing answers to each one.

Question 47

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.

Question 48

You could send ________ after an interview if you haven't received the interviewer's decision by the promised date or within two weeks.

A)a thank-you note
B)another version of your résumé
C)a message of inquiry
D)a message of intent

Question 49

An unsolicited job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the reader's attention.

Question 50

An application letter can follow the AIDA format for persuasive messages.

Question 51

In application letters it is acceptable to mention that you will follow up with a phone call in a few days.

Question 52

During the question-and-answer phase of an interview, keep your answers short and to the point.

Question 53

Unsolicited application letters are sent in response to advertised job openings.

Question 54

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.

Question 55

When applying for jobs, you should assume that every interested employer will conduct a general online search on you.

Question 56

Many employers interview an applicant multiple times before deciding whether to offer a person a job.

Question 57

In the middle part of an application letter, you should spell out your "selling points" and other potential benefits to your employer.

Question 58

In the final paragraph of your application letter, you should forcefully demand an interview.

Question 59

Staging mock interviews can help you identify undesirable nonverbal behaviors and speech mannerisms.

Question 60

You should prepare for a video interview in much the same way you would prepare for an in-person interview.

Question 61

Following a job interview, you should send a(n)________-________ message even if you feel you have little chance of landing the job.

Question 62

In ________ interviews, candidates are asked how they would handle hypothetical work problems.

Question 63

________ language is especially crucial during the warm-up stage of an employment interview.

Question 64

A job interviewer will expect you to raise the issue of salary.

Question 65

In ________ interviews, several candidates are interviewed simultaneously.

Question 66

________ interviews, such as those on college campuses, are a means of eliminating unqualified applicants and identifying promising candidates.

Question 67

At the close of an interview, you should impress the interviewer with your assertiveness by pressing for an immediate decision.

Question 68

In ________ interviews, candidates are asked pointed questions designed to upset or unsettle them.

Question 69

In ________-________ interviews, the interviewer poses broad questions and encourages the applicant to talk freely.

Question 70

If you get off to a bad start in a job interview, you can usually turn things around with an impressive close.

Question 71

Body language is particularly important during the warm-up phase of a job interview.

Question 72

You've just finished a job interview, and you know that you're not going to get the job. So, don't worry about sending a thank-you message to the interviewer.

Question 73

Inquiries about an applicant's religious affiliation, national origin, marital status, and so on are considered to be potentially ________ interview questions.

Question 74

Most interviewers will make allowances for applicants to be a few minutes late for their appointment.

Question 75

Part of your preparation for job interviews is an evaluation of your vocal tone and speaking habits.

Question 76

The appropriate clothing for most job interviews is something conservative, such as a dark blue suit.

Question 77

In ________ interviews, candidates are asked to describe real situations in the past and explain how they responded.

Question 78

It's a good idea to take extra copies of your résumé with you to an interview.

Question 79

In ________ interviews, the interviewer controls the situation by asking a series of prepared questions in a predetermined order.

Question 80

It is potentially illegal for an interviewer to ask about your religious affiliation or marital status.