Deck 13: Writing Job Application Letters

Question 1

Most job openings - particularly those that are higher up the ladder - are advertised extensively in order to reach the most qualified candidates.

Answer 1

False
Explanation: Many jobs are never advertised-and the number rises the higher on the job ladder you go.

Question 2

A job application letter is not required if you apply electronically through a company's website.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: If you get a job through interviews arranged by your campus placement office or through contacts, you may not need to write a letter. Similarly, if you apply electronically through a company's website, a letter may not be part of the materials you submit.

Question 3

The hidden job market may actually include job openings that have been created with specific people in mind for them.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Many new jobs come not from responding to an ad but from networking with personal contacts. Some of these jobs are created especially for a specific person. These unadvertised jobs are called the hidden job market.

Question 4

Referral interviews work only for job candidates who know powerful people very well.

Question 5

Job application letters are prepared and submitted in place of a résumé.

Question 6

The last paragraph of a job application letter should suggest possible days and times for an interview.

Question 7

A résumé usually contains more in-depth details about your experience and activities than an application letter does.

Question 8

The purpose of a job application letter is to get an interview for a job rather than the job itself.

Question 9

It is important to learn the name and correct job title of a specific individual in the company who will be receiving your job application letter.

Question 10

An interview that starts out as an information interview can turn into a referral interview.

Question 11

You should impress the reader by presenting your knowledge of the company as though it were news to him.

Question 12

A solicited letter is written by a job seeker who is trying to tap into the hidden job market.

Question 13

The second paragraph of a prospecting letter should focus on the applicant's skills and experience.

Question 14

A solicited job application letter should be specific about what you've done and relate your achievements to the work you'd be doing in this new job.

Question 15

Application letters should be addressed to the company in general or the personnel office,not to a specific person by name.

Question 16

An information interview can give you facts and insights about a specific type of work that you can use in an application letter.

Question 17

Job letters can be seen as evidence of your written communication skills.

Question 18

The first paragraph of a prospecting letter should say something that intrigues the reader but does not yet reveal that the writer is seeking a job with the company.

Question 19

The résumé uses short,parallel phrases and sentence fragments whereas the letter uses complete sentences in well-written paragraphs.

Question 20

A job application letter will be more effective if it focuses on an applicant's accomplishments rather than the person's job responsibilities.

Question 21

When you submit an e-mail letter with your résumé,it is advised to include your name at the beginning of the message and as part of the subject line.

Question 22

With respect to interviews,it would be inappropriate to:

A) send a note of appreciation to those who met with you after a referral interview.
B) send a letter to the interviewer after a referral interview that includes some specifics about what you discussed.
C) ask if the company is hiring when you talk to the person who could create a job for you.
D) send a copy of a revised resume that reflects some of the interviewer's suggestions after a referral interview.
E) follow up information and referral interviews with personal thank-you letters.

Question 23

Networking would include:

A) responding to a classified advertisement for a job opening in the local newspaper.
B) searching for a position on various job listings, such as CareerBuilder.com, on the Web.
C) calling a company after seeing a "Now Hiring" sign on its premises.
D) talking to an acquaintance that you see repeatedly when you work out at the gym.
E) applying for an opening listed on the company's page on Facebook.

Question 24

A job application letter is relatively ineffective if it shows employers that a candidate:

A) has strong business communication skills.
B) is as qualified as other candidates who are likely to apply.
C) has the ability to work well with people.
D) is knowledgeable about the company's mission and operations.
E) is capable of performing the major requirements of the job.

Question 25

Which of the following should be included in the first paragraph of a prospecting job application letter?

A) A complete discussion of the writer's skills and qualifications
B) A statement that you are applying for a particular advertised position
C) A statement of the dates and times that you are available for an interview
D) A statement that will catch the reader's interest
E) A statement of request for the job one is applying

Question 26

The first paragraph of an application essay should be a summary of the essay to provide a context for what is to come.

Question 27

It is appropriate for an applicant to call the employer after sending a solicited letter,but an applicant should wait to be called after a sending a prospecting letter.

Question 28

A job application letter can be made effective in convincing the reader that an applicant is knowledgeable of the company by:

A) providing relevant evidence from what the applicant has done in the past to support claims that this person can do the job.
B) presenting information about the company as if it will be news to the reader.
C) discussing 10 to 12 specific details to demonstrate the applicant's knowledge.
D) making the job application letter general enough so that it can be sent to a number of different companies.
E) repeating the knowledge learnt from the company website and other sources.

Question 29

"You can call my references if you would like to verify what I have said" is a gracious offer by a job applicant but reveals a negative attitude.

Question 30

Employers don't want longer letters,but they will read them if the letter is well written.

Question 31

If your application is prospecting,you can paste your traditional letter into your e-mail.

Question 32

Which of the following is true of information interviews?

A) It gives you information about the opportunities currently available in the area you're interested in.
B) It puts you face-to-face with someone who has the power to hire you.
C) An interview that starts out as a referral interview can turn into an information interview.
D) One can just walk in and set himself up with an information interview.
E) It gives you information about the area you hope to enter one day.

Question 33

Technical jargon is inappropriate in a job application letter.

Question 34

In a job application letter,a long paragraph should cover only one subject.

Question 35

Detailed financial information about a particular company can be found in:

A) the Wall Street Journal.
B) a directory for the industry.
C) the company's annual report.
D) the company's recruiting brochure.
E) Forbes magazine.

Question 36

Referral interviews:

A) may include asking a person in a position to hire you to review your resume.
B) are easy to arrange since most companies are eager to conduct them.
C) involve talking to someone who works in the area that the candidate hopes to enter.
D) may lead to an information interview if it is successful.
E) are scheduled to learn about future job opportunities in the field of your interest.

Question 37

A job application letter is different from a resume in that:

A) it presents a job candidate's qualifications.
B) it uses short, parallel phrases and sentence fragments.
C) it is adapted to a position rather than to the needs of a particular organization.
D) it explains controversial material in a positive way.
E) it explains how you are equally skillful and capable as other candidates.

Question 38

The hidden job market includes positions that are:

A) currently filled by existing employees who will retire within a few years.
B) advertised on the Web but not in newspapers.
C) unadvertised and therefore require a contact in order to learn about them.
D) those jobs that result from first having worked at a company as an intern.
E) reserved for management experts in case the company faces severe losses.

Question 39

A job application letter conveys the "you-attitude" if it stresses what the applicant can do for the company rather than what the company can do for the applicant.

Question 40

The first and last paragraphs of a job application letter should be relatively long since these are places of emphasis in a business letter.

Question 41

Choose the best revision of this sentence: "You can call my professor to make sure the recommendation is valid."

A) My professor is willing to verify the written recommendation over the phone.
B) Professor Jackson can provide more specific information about my coursework and qualifications.
C) Professor Jackson would love to discuss this recommendation if you call him.
D) You can verify the recommendation by calling Professor Jackson.
E) Professor Jackson will verify the validity of the recommendation.

Question 42

Which of the following statements is true of the "you-attitude"?

A) You must show what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.
B) You must ask what they can do for you not what you can do for them.
C) Reduce the number of "me" and "my" by revising some sentences to "I."
D) Avoid beginning sentences with prepositional phrases or introductory clauses.
E) Tell readers information they already know as though they do not know it.

Question 43

Which of the following statements contains appropriate jargon for a professional application letter?

A) I will be able to commence work any time after April 4^th.
B) This position will allow me to utilize my analytical abilities and experience.
C) I am familiar with the works of absurdists and existentialists, like Camus, Beckett, Sartre, and Heidegger.
D) Based on what transpires in the next few days, I will give you my decision soon.
E) I have been active in campus activities and have enjoyed good relations with my classmates and professors.

Question 44

Which of the following,if included in the application letter,makes it look unprofessional?

A) Creating your letter in a word-processing program
B) Addressing your letter to a specific person
C) Printing on the same paper you used for your résumé
D) Using a computer to print the envelope address
E) Adding personal information

Question 45

Which of the following statements shows a negative connotation,making the writer sound less confident?

A) Courses in European and American literature influenced me to write a thesis on them.
B) Courses in European and American literature have taught me to recognize and to write good copy.
C) Courses in European and American literature helped me realize the recurrence of certain events.
D) Courses in European and American literature helped me understand their significance and influence on contemporary writers.
E) Courses in European and American literature made me learn an excessive amount about writing.

Question 46

_____ is an extended cover letter,but one written in an essay format rather than letter format,that details your strengths for the job and shows why you should be chosen instead of other applicants.

A) A CV
B) A summary essay
C) An application essay
D) A critique essay
E) An essay letter

Question 47

Which of the following statements is true of follow up after you send the job application letter?

A) You can follow up to ask once after one week if e-mail materials were received.
B) You can follow up with the employer once if you hear nothing after two or three days.
C) If your job letter was solicited, it is fine to follow up two or three times.
D) If your job letter was prospecting, you must never follow up.
E) You can follow up to ask once after two or three days if e-mail materials were received.

Question 48

To separate yourself from other job candidates just out of college,______.

A) provide evidence to assure the employer that your claim of having comprehensive knowledge of the field is true
B) stress the responsibilities that you have had rather than accomplishments of the past
C) dedicate several paragraphs of the letter to developing supporting details
D) mention specific tasks and experiences from previous jobs and coursework that will contribute to your success on the job
E) exaggerate your strengths and capabilities to show that you transcend others

Question 49

Which of the following is recommended in terms of paragraph length for a job application letter?

A) Long paragraphs in the body should cover at least two topics each.
B) All paragraphs should be similar in length to show paragraph unity.
C) If a paragraph covers two or more subjects, divide it into two or more paragraphs.
D) The last paragraph should be long since it provides a comprehensive summary.
E) Keep your first and last paragraphs fairly long but not more than eight typed lines.

Question 50

When e-mailing an application letter,______.

A) prepare the letter in a word-processing program and attach it to the e-mail
B) include your name as part of the subject line
C) omit the salutation and closing that are standard in a printed business letter
D) type important sections in all capital letters
E) put the job number or title for which you're applying in the last paragraph

Question 51

Which of the following statements is inappropriate in terms of the "you-attitude"?

A) Under my presidency, the Quiz Club went on to the finals of the World Quizzing Championships.
B) As my résumé shows, I did my BS in MIT and MS in Stanford.
C) Courses in media and advertising management gave me a clear understanding of the current mass media strategies.
D) While I was in Italy, I did a short summer course in film-making.
E) I was solely responsible for MIT's victory in the National Science Expo.

Question 52

Which of the following should be omitted in the application essay?

A) A unifying theme
B) Thesaurus diction
C) First person
D) Vivid details in the body of the essay
E) Topic sentences at the beginnings of your paragraphs

Question 53

A conservative writing style that creates a professional image includes ______.

A) clichés
B) contractions
C) slang
D) complete sentences
E) sentence fragments

Question 54

Which of the following is true of letter length for a job application letter?

A) If your letter is a bit over a page, you cannot use slightly smaller margins to get more on the page.
B) If your letter is a bit over a page, you cannot use a type size that's one point smaller to get more on the page.
C) Employers don't want longer letters, but they will read them if the letter is well written.
D) The letter length should be a minimum of one or two paragraphs.
E) If you have excellent material that will not fit on one page, you can use it as long as you have at least 3-4 lines of body text on the second page.

Question 55

Which of the following is unacceptable when e-mailing a job application letter?

A) Including your name as part of the subject line
B) Putting your name at the end of the message
C) Using line length of 65 characters
D) Including smiley faces and other emoticons
E) Using standard business letter features

Question 56

Choose the best revision of this sentence: "I want an interview with you."

A) I anxiously await a phone call from you so that we can meet to discuss job opportunities.
B) I can't wait to hear from you.
C) Any time at all that you want to call and have me for an interview, I am available.
D) I look forward to talking to you about how my qualifications could meet the company's corporate needs.
E) I assure you will not be disappointed if you hire me.

Question 57

Application essays:

A) should begin with a paragraph that catches the reader's attention.
B) should end with a summary paragraph.
C) should use language that would be appropriate for several different positions within the same company.
D) are formal documents that should not use the first person.
E) use topic sentences at the end of your paragraphs.

Question 58

Which of the following is true of the writing style required in application letters?

A) Use a smooth, concise writing style with technical jargon.
B) Use business words like utilize, commence, and transpire.
C) Do not use the exact language as the job ad.
D) Use words that can be interpreted in more than one way.
E) Do not use a lively, energetic style to avoid giving the wrong impression.

Question 59

To make an application letter professional,______.

A) include personal information
B) use a conservative writing style with no contractions
C) address the letter to the company or department rather than to an individual person by name
D) mention the names of relatives only if they have worked with you professionally
E) print on a paper different from the one you used for your résumé

Question 60

Which of the following sentences demonstrates the "you-attitude"?

A) Your company has recently purchased two large manufacturing plants in Toulouse.
B) A company of your standing could offer me the training and experience I need to excel in my career.
C) My experience in sales has taught me that you can never accurately predict customer demand.
D) I recently closed deals with three major companies and could put my negotiating and sales skills to work for Hudson Company as Director of Contracts.
E) An inventive and improvising individual like me is a necessity in your business.

Question 61

Identify the guidelines you should follow when submitting an e-mail letter with an attached résumé.

Question 62

How can Internet be used to find information about employers and jobs?

Question 63

What should you do in the first paragraph of a job prospecting letter?

Question 64

How can you convey positive emphasis and you-attitude in a job letter?

Question 65

Explain the differences between information and referral interviews.

Question 66

How should you organize a solicited job letter?

Question 67

How should you organize a prospecting job letter?

Question 68

What should you do in both solicited and prospecting job letters?

Question 69

How can you make your application letter professional?

Question 70

How do résumés differ from job application letters?

Question 71

Marcel had finished writing his résumé.He was reading his job application letter over one more time before he put them both in the mail.The letter read as follows:
"Dear Mr.Jenkins:
Enclosed please find my résumé,which I would like you to consider as my official application for the job for which you are currently advertising.I am sure you will find it to your liking."
Marcel thought it sounded pretty good.It was short,yes,but then,the résumé really said it all without wasting anyone's time.
Several days later,Mr.Jenkins's personal secretary brought Marcel's newly arrived letter and résumé into the conference room where the search committee was already reviewing applications.Jenkins picked it up to read.Moments later,he starts laughing."Hey Larry," he said,tossing Marcel's letter over to another member of the committee,"Get a load of this!"
Why do you think Mr.Jenkins reacted this way? What's wrong with Marcel's letter? Is Marcel correct in thinking that his résumé "speaks for itself"? Write an essay in which you explain where Marcel went wrong,what a job application letter should contain,and how job letters differ from résumés.Use specific examples in your discussion.

Question 72

What should you do in the last paragraph of a job letter?

Question 73

What do you need to know to adapt your letter to a specific organization?

Question 74

List four guidelines that will help you choose points to include in a job application letter.

Question 75

How can you demonstrate knowledge of the company in a job letter?