Deck 15: The Job Search and Résumés

Question 1

Which of the following is your first step in a job search in the digital age?

A)developing a search strategy focused on the open job market
B)analyzing your interests and goals and evaluating your qualifications
C)understanding the hiring process
D)creating a customized résumé and tailoring it to the kind of job you want

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is the best way to learn about a specific career?

A)Search the Web for career-planning information and resources.
B)Take a summer job, internship, or part-time position in the field.
C)Monitor the classified ads to find out qualifications sought, duties, and salary range.
D)Visit your campus career centre.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Franav will be graduating soon and wants to use the Web to conduct his job search. What will probably be his best source for finding a job online?

A)websites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com
B)social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook
C)specific corporate websites
D)general search sites such as Google.com and Yahoo.com

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is the best way to use LinkedIn?

A)Update your LinkedIn status hourly.
B)Search for a company in which you are interested.
C)Pay someone to monitor LinkedIn for you.
D)Do not clutter your mailbox with job alerts.

Question 5

Erin will be searching for a job online and wants to make sure she doesn't waste her time. What is the best advice you can give her?

A)Pick one online job-search site and use it exclusively.
B)Search late at night when the Web isn't as busy.
C)Avoid the big job boards altogether.
D)Stay focused on a specific goal.

Question 6

Which statement best describes the "hidden" job market?

A)accounts for a small number of jobs and should, therefore, be considered a secondary resource
B)accounts for up to 80 percent of all positions available at any given time
C)has become unimportant since online job boards provide millions of job listings
D)makes it difficult to find a job because companies keep job openings a secret

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a niche employment website?

A)CollegeGrad.com
B)HealthCareersWeb.com
C)indeed.com
D)torontojobshop.com

Question 8

Evani will be using online job boards during her job search. Which of the following is an effective way to make sure her search is safe and effective?

A)Look for sites that charge a fee to post a résumé because these sites are generally more reputable.
B)Respond to "blind" job postings because they tend to be safer.
C)Remove all posted résumés at the end of her job search.
D)Include references with contact information.

Question 9

Which of the following should Antonio do to create his LinkedIn profile?

A)He should use keywords and phrases that might appear in job descriptions.
B)He should use community URLs to drive his name to the top of a Google search.
C)He should include qualitative achievements that reveal his skills.
D)He should remember that LinkedIn is a network only for established employees.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about searching for a job online is NOT accurate?

A)Searching for a job online has completely replaced traditional methods.
B)Many online job listings are outdated and fail to produce leads.
C)Applicants must be careful with the information they post on big job boards to avoid identity theft.
D)Corporate recruiters say that the big job boards bring a flood of candidates, many of whom are not suited for the listed jobs.

Question 11

Madison will graduate from college soon and is beginning the job search process. What should her first step in a job search be?

A)to research salary, benefits, and job stability in a chosen field
B)to develop an effective résumé to be sent to prospective employers
C)to locate a specific job opening at a desirable company
D)to analyze her interests and goals and evaluate her qualifications

Question 12

Why should job seekers ask themselves questions such as What am I passionate about?, How can I turn that passion into a career?, and Do I enjoy working with people, data, or things?

A)to help them identify their interests and goals so that they can choose an ultimately satisfying career
B)to assess their qualifications and determine whether they need more schooling
C)to help them decide how much they are worth in the job market, which is important to know during the job interview
D)to research the hidden job market where the majority of jobs can be found

Question 13

Harrison wants to use social media in his job search for a professional position. What will likely be his best tool?

A)Facebook.com
B)Twitter.com
C)YouTube.com
D)LinkedIn.com

Question 14

In which of the following places do most job seekers start looking for a position?

A)in the hidden job market
B)on social networking sites
C)in the open job market
D)in the classified section of the local newspaper

Question 15

More jobs today are found through referrals and person-to-person contacts than through any other method. Why is this?

A)because people hired through referrals tend to demand lower salaries
B)because using online sources to search for job candidates is completely worthless
C)because people trust what they know and want to hire known quantities
D)because companies like to openly advertise to get more candidates

Question 16

Why should job seekers should ask themselves questions such as Do I communicate well in speech and in writing? and Do I work well with people and enjoy teamwork?

A)to identify their interests and goals
B)to assess their qualifications
C)to select a specific career path
D)to research the hidden job market

Question 17

Hal will be graduating soon and wants to decide on a career path. Which of the following should he do?

A)He should avoid taking a part-time job offer in a related field since it will make him less employable.
B)He should interview someone in his chosen field.
C)He should wait until he has a job to join a professional organization in his field.
D)He should disregard classified ads since most companies advertise only online.

Question 18

Which of the following is an essential, early step in creating your personal brand?

A)deciding what makes you special and desirable in the job market
B)deciding how to hide your weaknesses in your résumé
C)preparing a 5-minute elevator speech describing your skills
D)using a designer to create a professional logo for your letterhead

Question 19

What can the average Canadian worker expect of the job market and his or her career today?

A)to make at least three to four career changes in a lifetime
B)to have the same type of job as was available 10 to 15 years ago
C)to find a good job and rise steadily through the ranks
D)to create one good résumé that works for all job applications.

Question 20

Which of the following statements best describes today's job market?

A)Today the emphasis is on what the applicant wants.
B)Career paths today tend to be linear, which means that new hires will start in a job and steadily rise through the ranks.
C)Employers are most interested in how a candidate will add value to the hiring organization.
D)Résumés and cover letters are still read in print rather than digitally.

Question 21

Samuel is developing a list of references for his job search. Whom should he include on this list?

A)friends
B)family friends
C)neighbours
D)instructors

Question 22

Kenichi has just finished university and has limited work and internship experience. Which résumé style should he consider?

A)functional résumé
B)chronological résumé
C)scannable résumé
D)online résumé

Question 23

Ildiko is starting a new job search. What is the best advice you can give her about preparing her résumé?

A)Tell her to save time by preparing an all-purpose résumé that can be used to apply for any position.
B)Tell her to make sure that her résumé focuses on what she wants in a position.
C)Tell her to prepare a customized résumé to fit each company and position.
D)Tell her to make sure that her résumé is no longer than one page.

Question 24

Gabriella achieved high grades in her major, but a few low grades in her elective courses brought down her GPA (grade point average). The employer is requesting her GPA in her résumé. Which of the following should she do?

A)She can enhance her GPA by calculating it in her major courses only.
B)Include a list of college courses she has taken instead.
C)Round her GPA up to a higher number.
D)Omit her GPA and hope for the best.

Question 25

Which of the following statements about polishing and proofreading your résumé is correct?

A)Using as many headings as possible makes your résumé easier to read.
B)Seeking the help of a résumé-writing service will create a résumé that will stand out in a competitive job market.
C)Using wordy phrases and complex words as often as possible to makes your résumé look longer and more important.
D)Because it's probably the most important message you'll ever write, your résumé must be perfect.

Question 26

Which statement best describes a step in creating a customized résumé?

A)Begin with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
B)Always include a specific career objective.
C)Place the most important information last where it can leave a lasting impression.
D)Replace your education details with a summary of qualifications.

Question 27

Which of the following statements best describes the importance of a career objective portion of a résumé?

A)Your career objective should focus on your professional needs.
B)A well-written career objective will add value only to functional résumés.
C)A career objective should be customized for the job opening.
D)Using phrases such as entry-level will show that you're honest and humble.

Question 28

For which of the following candidates would a chronological résumé style be best?

A)Emma, who has worked for years in the retail industry and who is now pursuing a career in health care
B)Griffin, who has held five different positions with four different companies over the past three years
C)Roxanne, who has advanced from an entry-level position to department manager for her current employer
D)Huseyin, who is afraid he will appear overqualified for the target position

Question 29

Which of the following job-duty statements will be most effective on a résumé?

A)responsible for daily account reconciliation
B)reconciled general ledger accounts daily
C)reconciled general ledger accounts daily with 100 percent accuracy
D)responsible for reconciling general ledger accounts daily

Question 30

Narantuya has decided to add a bulleted list of her most impressive qualifications to her résumé. What is this list called?

A)summary of qualifications
B)overall qualifications
C)main heading
D)personal qualifications

Question 31

Which of the following is the best career objective for a résumé?

A)an entry-level job with the opportunity for promotions
B)a challenging position with a company pushing the envelope in electronic surveillance
C)work as a team player for a company that values independent thinking
D)a human resources position assisting your company with employee recruitment, selection, background checks, and in-house training

Question 32

Which of the following statements uses an action verb to highlight an aptitude?

A)competent in development of innovative and interactive websites across different browsers
B)developed innovative and interactive websites that increased traffic by 150 percent
C)ability to develop innovative and interactive websites
D)able to adapt quickly to changing work environments

Question 33

Which of the following statements is the best recommendation for writing the work experience section of a résumé?

A)List only jobs that you think will help you win the targeted position.
B)Place your work history in chronological order by date.
C)Always place the work experience section after the education section.
D)Place your employment achievements and job duties in paragraph format.

Question 34

Which of the following statements best describes the summary of qualifications portion of a résumé?

A)The summary of qualifications goes at the bottom of your résumé to give it a strong ending.
B)A summary of qualifications makes your résumé easier to read.
C)Recruiters and hiring managers dislike the summary of qualification section because it adds to reading time.
D)The summary of qualifications section should be formatted as one or two concise paragraphs.

Question 35

Which of the following statements about preparing résumé content is the best advice?

A)Awards and honours should not be listed on a résumé because listing them will sound as if you are bragging.
B)School and community activities should be omitted from your résumé because they are not related to your work experience.
C)You should include personal information such as height, weight, and marital status, to give a potential employer a complete picture.
D)You should consider including hobbies or interests, such as skiing or photography, because they may catch the employer's attention or serve as conversation starters.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is best advice for preparing the employment references section of a résumé?

A)Include a list of references directly on the résumé.
B)Do not include personal or character references.
C)References are essential to obtain interviews and should be added on a separate page in your cover letter.
D)Be sure to add the statement References furnished upon request at the bottom of your résumé.

Question 37

Because it quickly reveals a candidate's education and experience, what kind of résumé do most recruiters favour?

A)a scannable résumé
B)a functional résumé
C)a chronological résumé
D)an online résumé

Question 38

Laura, after many years of staying home and raising her children, wants to return to the workplace. Because she has some significant experience in the accounting field from many years ago, what kind of résumé should she prepare?

A)a chronological résumé
B)a scannable résumé
C)an online résumé
D)a functional résumé

Question 39

Which statement best describes what should be included in the main heading portion of a résumé?

A)The first line of your résumé should always be the word Résumé.
B)Including a cell phone number will make your résumé look unprofessional; therefore, omit it.
C)If you have a website where an e-portfolio or samples of your work can be viewed, include the address in the main heading of your résumé.
D)Include your work e-mail address so that you can be contacted more easily.

Question 40

Which candidate would most likely have a résumé that is longer than one page?

A)a candidate with fewer than ten years of experience
B)a person with one or two previous employers
C)a person making a major career change
D)a senior-level manager with many major accomplishments

Question 41

Personal networking and referrals are the primary routes to hiring in today's digital age.

Question 42

Which of the following statements in a cover message best refers the reader to your résumé?

A)Enclosed herewith please find my résumé which highlights my education and experience.
B)As you will notice from my enclosed résumé, I have over five years of customer service experience.
C)Please see find my enclosed résumé which demonstrates how my résumé and work experience will benefit your company.
D)My résumé is enclosed and details my education, work experience and skills.

Question 43

Winston has been asked to submit a plain-text résumé. Which of the following formatting suggestions should Winston NOT follow?

A)Use a basic font such as Arial.
B)Use italics for all headings.
C)Replace boldface type with capital letters.
D)Ensure that punctuation and capitalization are correct.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is good advice about preparing your résumé?

A)Use personal pronouns such as I to describe your experiences on a résumé.
B)Seek the help of a résumé-writing service for a résumé that will stand out in a competitive job market.
C)Adding a touch of humour to your résumé is an effective way to demonstrate your personality to a potential employer.
D)Because it's probably the most important message you'll ever write, your résumé must be perfect.

Question 45

The first step in the job-search process is writing your résumé.

Question 46

What is the most important purpose of the body of your cover letter?

A)to promote your qualifications and strengths
B)to motivate action
C)to tell the reader how you learned of the position
D)to ask for an interview

Question 47

Which of the following is a purpose of a customized cover message?

A)to introduce your résumé
B)to learn more about the employer
C)to win a job offer
D)to take the place of a formal résumé

Question 48

Caden is creating a career e-portfolio for his job search. What should he NOT include in his e-portfolio?

A)copies of his résumé and reference letters
B)commendations for special achievements, awards, and certificates
C)work samples
D)personal character references with contact details

Question 49

Which of the following is the best advice for a cover message that accompanies a résumé sent via e-mail?

A)Take the time to prepare a professional cover message to accompany your résumé sent electronically.
B)Mail the cover message separately from the résumé sent via e-mail.
C)Shorten your e-mail cover message to a brief statement such as Please consider the attached résumé for your opening.
D)Skip the cover message as it is unnecessary to introduce yourself because the e-mail includes your name.

Question 50

Simin knows that her résumé will be read by an applicant tracking system (ATS). What should she do to maximize "hits" as her résumé is scanned?

A)Focus on verbs in three categories: objectives, awards, and honours.
B)Incorporate specific keywords from the advertisement or job description.
C)Use interesting formatting and include her personal logo.
D)Focus her keyword nouns in the Qualifications section of the résumé

Question 51

What is the biggest mistake job seekers make when writing cover messages?

A)making them too long
B)making them too short
C)making them sound too generic
D)not referring to an enclosed résumé

Question 52

What is the best way to address a cover message?

A)Begin by addressing the reader by name.
B)Be general and address it To Whom It May Concern.
C)Address it to a job title such as Hiring Manager or to a department such as Human Resources Department.
D)Omit the salutation altogether.

Question 53

Which of the following statements describes your first step in preparing to create and submit a customized résumé?

A)Research all the companies to which you want to apply.
B)Create business cards and set up a LinkedIn account.
C)Analyze your strengths to learn how you can benefit an employer.
D)Prepare a summary of your technology skills.

Question 54

Which statement best describes an appropriate opening for an unsolicited cover letter?

A)If you are unsure whether a position exists, use a more persuasive opening.
B)Avoid mentioning the company by name so that you can send your cover letter to numerous companies.
C)Make cover letters for unsolicited jobs longer than those for solicited jobs because you will have to provide more information about yourself.
D)Be vague about the type of position you're seeking so that you might be considered for a variety of jobs.

Question 55

What is the best opening for a solicited cover message?

A)Please consider this letter an application for the payroll manager position.
B)I am interested in applying for the payroll manager position.
C)Beneva Schulte of your accounting department suggested that I apply for the payroll manager position that is currently vacant.
D)I happened to run across your online ad for a payroll manager position and would like to apply.

Question 56

Which of the following is the best statement to include in the body of a cover message?

A)I have completed courses in cost accounting, auditing, and financial statement analysis that will be useful to your organization.
B)I have excellent communication, organizational, and teamwork skills that will contribute to the success of your organization.
C)In my certificate program, I have learned the listening, conflict resolution, and communication skills that will make me immediately effective as one of your customer service reps.
D)I am the perfect person to hire for this position because I have the skills, education, and background experience required to do this job successfully.

Question 57

Probably the best way to find a job online is to visit a large job board such as CareerBuilder.com or Monster.com.

Question 58

What is a career e-portfolio?

A)an electronic copy of your résumé recorded on a CD, DVD, or flash drive
B)the addition of work samples and personal information as an attachment to your e-mail résumé
C)a collection of digital files that can be navigated with the help of menus and hyperlinks, much like a personal website
D)the name given to résumés posted on job-search websites such as Monster.com

Question 59

Which of the following statements does NOT represent good advice for preparing a e-portfolio?

A)Omit references and contact information.
B)Dress professionally in business attire, just as you would for an in-person interview.
C)Keep the video to three minutes or less.
D)Use video résumés exclusively to show off your talents.

Question 60

To conduct a safe, effective online job search, keep a careful record of each site on which you post your résumé.

Question 61

Successfully managed a marketing department that achieved its sales goals all four quarters of the past fiscal year uses an action verb.

Question 62

Items in the Work Experience section of a résumé should be listed in reverse chronological order on a résumé, starting with your current or most recent position.

Question 63

It is illegal for employers to check the Facebook pages or Twitter feed of job applicants.

Question 64

To make your résumé look more professional, include your work e-mail address in the main heading.

Question 65

Video résumés are appropriate for all career fields.

Question 66

A résumé should always be one page in length.

Question 67

The most popular résumé format among recruiters is the functional résumé.

Question 68

To be competitive during the job search, prepare a tailored résumé that is customized for every position you seek.

Question 69

People who have changed jobs frequently or who have gaps in their employment should probably prepare a résumé using the functional format.

Question 70

Your list of references should include both professional and personal references.

Question 71

Gordana is creating a contact list of her personal network. She should include only professional contacts on her list.

Question 72

Don't include any information about hobbies or interests on your résumé because doing so is too personal.

Question 73

Proofread your résumé carefully, but realize that it's okay to have one or two spelling or grammatical errors.

Question 74

Most organizations will specify the submission format they require when you are submitting your application.

Question 75

The first line of the main heading of your résumé should always be your name.

Question 76

You should always include both high school and postsecondary information in the education section of your résumé.

Question 77

The summary of qualifications section that lists your most impressive accomplishments and qualifications replaces the education and experience sections.

Question 78

To obtain a position as an administrative assistant, clerk or coordinator is an example of an effective career objective.

Question 79

Prepare a résumé only when you're actively in the job market.

Question 80

In addition to your résumé, reference letters, and work samples, your career e-portfolio may also contain such items as photographs, multimedia files, and blog entries.