Deck 12: Building Resumes

Question 1

Employers review résumés and cover letters knowing that the applicants can probably do much better than what appears in the résumé.

Answer 1

False
Explanation: Employers assume that your letter and résumé represent your best work. Neatness, accuracy, and freedom from typographical errors are essential. Spelling errors will probably cost you your chance at a job, so proofread carefully.

Question 2

It is preferred to have a job offer lined up before you graduate.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: Try to have a job offer lined up before you get the degree. People who don't need jobs immediately are more confident in interviews and usually get better job offers. If you have to job-hunt after graduation, plan to spend at least 30 hours a week on your job search. The time will pay off in a better job that you find more quickly.

Question 3

Résumés are skimmed by employers to determine whether to discard it or whether to further scan it electronically.

Answer 3

False
Explanation: Résumés are scanned or skimmed. At many companies, résumés are scanned electronically. Only résumés that match key words are skimmed by a human being. A human may give a résumé 10 to 30 seconds before deciding to keep or toss it. You must design your résumé to pass both the "scan test" and the "skim test" by emphasizing crucial qualifications.

Question 4

Effective communication skills rank at the top of the list of important qualities and skills that an employee should possess.

Question 5

You should use a separate piece of paper for a two-page résumé,rather than printing on the back side of a single page.

Question 6

Résumés should not be more than one page long because readers find them too long to skim.

Question 7

If you take your blog off-line while you are job searching,then employers won't be able to find it.

Question 8

Many employers consider blog as an extended writing sample of potential candidates.

Question 9

Using gerunds is preferable to using nouns in a job description on a résumé because they create a more dynamic image of the applicant.

Question 10

Informal preparation for job hunting should start soon after you arrive on campus.

Question 11

There is no need to have a résumé once you are employed.

Question 12

Job duties get more emphasis in a vertical list than in a paragraph.

Question 13

Personality and aptitude tests can ascertain all of your strengths and tell you exactly what job best suits you.

Question 14

If you have very little to say about yourself in terms of experience and education,it is acceptable to fill only part of one page of your résumé.

Question 15

LinkedIn is a site that allows you to include useful information beyond your résumé.

Question 16

Details that add nothing to the title and are less impressive than the title must be omitted.

Question 17

Many Internet sites are not current or accurate,so it is wise to avoid using the Internet in the job search process.

Question 18

The use of "I" in a résumé is recommended because it personalizes the document and makes it less wordy.

Question 19

It is not necessary to use prescribed forms,layouts,or wording in job communications since they should be tailored to your unique qualifications and reflect on you as an individual.

Question 20

The secret to successful networking is reciprocity.

Question 21

Use all present tense verbs in your résumé,when describing all the jobs and positions you have held.

Question 22

A person who has an advanced degree,such as an MBA or JD,may use the headings "Professional Affiliations" and "Community Service" instead of "Activities."

Question 23

You must use key words very carefully in your Summary of Qualifications section.

Question 24

You will need a minimum of six references for the job search process.

Question 25

A skills résumé is usually best when your education and experience are not the usual route to the position for which you are applying.

Question 26

"SLC,Utah" is an example of the proper way to present the city and state as part of your address in a résumé.

Question 27

In case you were laid off from your previous job,you need to point out the layoff in your application materials.

Question 28

"Education" and "Experience" always stand as separate categories on a résumé,even if you only have one item under each of the headings.

Question 29

It is acceptable to mention on your résumé that summer employment and scholarships paid for a substantial portion of your undergraduate college expenses.

Question 30

If you use a separate heading for a career objective,put it immediately after your address,before the first major heading.

Question 31

Omitting a low GPA score on a résumé is allowed and is not a cause for termination even if a company does find out after hiring.

Question 32

Using four or five fonts in a résumé adds tasteful variety and professionalism to the document.

Question 33

You should not include study abroad experience on a résumé if you did not earn college credit for it.

Question 34

If you are sending your résumé in the text of an e-mail,start all lines at the right margin.

Question 35

If you have been fired from your previous job,you should be prepared to show during an interview that you've learned from the experience.

Question 36

Informal preparation for job hunting should begin:

A) a full year before you begin interviewing.
B) the year you interview.
C) before you get the degree.
D) once you have selected a major.
E) as soon as you arrive on campus.

Question 37

The information included on a chronological and skills résumé is the same; how that information is organized is different.

Question 38

You have one full year to go before you graduate and begin interviewing.Which of the following is the most important step for you to take right row?

A) Select course projects and paper topics that will help you prepare for a job.
B) Attend job seminars and job fairs.
C) Join extracurricular organizations on campus and in the community.
D) Get a job or co-op or internship in your field of interest.
E) Check out the services of your college placement and advising offices.

Question 39

It is best to post your résumé on as many Web sites as possible to get the maximum exposure to different employers.

Question 40

If all your work experience is in your family business,for reference,you can use a family member who can talk about your work.

Question 41

_____ are ploys from identity thieves seeking your personal information.

A) Virus
B) Phishing ads
C) Trojans
D) Pop-ups
E) Ponzi schemes

Question 42

Which of the following is true of networking?

A) Successful networks are used solely for finding jobs.
B) Good networkers work for a "one-way" reputation.
C) Good networkers look for ways to reciprocate.
D) Good networkers network just for themselves.
E) A "two-way" reputation hurts further networking.

Question 43

A chronological résumé is more appropriate than a skills résumé when:

A) you have significant periods of unemployment throughout your career.
B) you want to combine experience from paid jobs, activities or volunteer work, and courses to show the extent of your experience in a particular field.
C) you have humble, unimpressive job titles, offices, or honors.
D) your education and experience are a logical preparation for the position for which you are applying.
E) your education and experience are not the usual route to the position for which you're applying.

Question 44

Which is an appropriate length for a résumé of a recent college graduate?

A) 1-2 pages
B) 2-3 pages
C) 3-4 pages
D) Not more than 5 pages
E) Less than 1 page

Question 45

Which of the following should always stand as separate categories,even if you have only one item under each head?

A) Honors and Awards
B) Education and Experience
C) Name and Contact Information
D) Campus Activities and Community Service
E) Activities and Achievements

Question 46

Which of the following is one of the most popular tools for personal branding?

A) IMDB
B) Wikipedia
C) Gmail
D) Windows Messenger
E) Twitter

Question 47

A _____ must be used when you want to combine experience gained in paid jobs,course work,activities,and volunteer work.

A) Chronological résumé
B) Skills résumé
C) Key word
D) Noun
E) Gerund

Question 48

Angie has written the following description of her work as a receptionist: "drafted letters,reorganized filing system,reordered office supplies,interviewed new clients,and answered phones." On Angie's résumé,the phrase,"answered phones" should be:

A) kept precisely where it is to emphasize it.
B) put first in the series to emphasize it.
C) put in the middle of the paragraph to deemphasize it.
D) omitted to deemphasize it.
E) put in the end to deemphasize it.

Question 49

Which of the following statements is true of formatting the Experience section of your résumé?

A) Block format shouldn't be used if your work history has gaps.
B) In block format, items that are logically equivalent begin at the same space.
C) Indented format does not emphasize job titles.
D) Indented format can be used to emphasize when you worked, if you've held only low-level jobs.
E) Block format provides work information in the order of job title, name of organization, city, state, and dates.

Question 50

You create a résumé and fill only three-fourths of the page.Your best alternative is to:

A) move the text to the middle of the page, so there is not a huge bottom margin.
B) leave it as is; it is what appears on the page that counts, not what is missing.
C) list several relevant courses you have taken and your references to fill the page.
D) put your picture at the top right-hand corner of the résumé to fill space.
E) increase the font size to make it seem like a full page.

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true of references included on résumés?

A) Résumés no longer include references but mention that they are available on request.
B) At least five, but never more than ten, references are required.
C) Include personal and character references to elaborate on your behavioral traits.
D) Permission is not required to use a person as a reference.
E) Relatives and friends, even if you've worked for them, should not be given as references.

Question 52

Which of the following is recommended when including a career objective on the résumé of a recent college graduate?

A) Career objectives should be elaborate - six lines at most.
B) Career objectives should be clarified at the top of the résumé rather than in the cover letter.
C) Make it clear that an entry-level position is unacceptable.
D) Tailor the career objective to a specific job.
E) Write the career objective statement by putting the job title or field under your name.

Question 53

You are helping your friend Catherine create a résumé for a law-related position.She has many qualifications in both her work history and her education.She has been working for three years part time and worked for two years before that full time.Which one of the following five things should Catherine omit from her résumé?

A) Law clerk two summers ago
B) Crowned homecoming queen in junior year
C) Regional winner of a math contest in high school
D) Passed the CPA exam four years ago
E) National finalist of the North American Debating Championship

Question 54

Which of the following should not be included in a résumé?

A) The word "I"
B) Gerunds
C) Verbs
D) Details in numbers
E) Key words

Question 55

Which of the following is a way that employers typically use résumés?

A) Employers read each line of a résumé carefully and completely to ensure they get all of the facts about a candidate.
B) Employers are aware that a résumé is a very short document that does not necessarily represent a candidate's best work.
C) A single individual within an organization is typically the only one who sees a candidate's résumé.
D) Employers use résumés to screen applicants in order to eliminate some candidates from further consideration.
E) Only résumés that match key words are further scanned electronically.

Question 56

_____ is the first step in producing a good résumé.

A) Personal branding
B) A self-assessment
C) Networking
D) Internship
E) Phishing

Question 57

Which of the following is inappropriate to mention on a résumé?

A) Sex
B) Self-employment
C) Entry-level positions
D) Marital status
E) Educational background

Question 58

Choose the best rewrite of this career objective: "To use my four-year degree,education certification courses,and experience to effectively manage a classroom of adolescent students."

A) To use my education and experience to cleverly manage a group of adolescents
B) To use my four-year degree, education courses, and experience to teach adolescents in a classroom
C) To use my four-year degree, education courses, and experience to enlighten and edify the students
D) High school teaching position for a four-year college graduate with education courses and experience in the classroom who can improve classroom management techniques
E) High school teaching position requiring a four-year degree, certification, and experience

Question 59

Identify the error in the following list of job duties: "Recruited seventeen volunteers,designing of brochures,and spoke to five community groups."

A) The list lacks proper emphatic order.
B) The list lacks details.
C) The list lacks parallel structure.
D) The list uses a complete sentence.
E) The list uses nouns instead of gerunds.

Question 60

Which of the following should NOT be included as part of the contact information in a résumé?

A) More than one address
B) E-mail address
C) The applicant's nickname
D) State abbreviations
E) Phone number

Question 61

Explain some of the areas where résumés are commonly inaccurate.

Question 62

What can you do to improve your chances if you want to change fields?

Question 63

What precautions must one take if he/she has a personal blog,web page,or other electronic presence?

Question 64

Explain the different ways that employers use résumés.

Question 65

Explain the two ways to set up the Experience section of a résumé.

Question 66

What writing style should you use in résumés?

Question 67

What sections do résumés commonly include?

Question 68

You are currently looking for a job in the field of media or journalism.You want to post your résumé online.How would you select the sites you want to post? What guidelines should you follow and what precautions would you take?

Question 69

Describe some of the tools used for personal branding.

Question 70

How and when should you start preparing yourself for job hunting?

Question 71

Which of the following is the best way to handle the situation when all your work experience is in your family's business?

A) List your family members as references, but in your letter of application stress that they were just as hard on you as they would have been if you had not been related.
B) Do not list the name of the company if it contains your family name.
C) List the company you worked for on the résumé; name as a reference a supervisor, client, or vendor who can talk knowledgeably about your work; and be prepared to answer questions about why you are now leaving the company.
D) Proceed as you would even if you were not related since it does not matter that you worked with relatives.
E) Do not mention that the company you worked for was a family business.

Question 72

Which of the following is a good practice when e-mailing your résumé to a prospective employer?

A) Send several résumés if there are several job openings at the same organization.
B) Use your current employer's e-mail system so that you can immediately see any responses, while you are at work.
C) Write a simple subject line that includes your name and the word "résumé."
D) Write a subject line that includes the position you are applying.
E) Send your résumé from your e-mail address:[e-mail].

Question 73

Which of the following is considered ethical when submitting a résumé to a potential employer?

A) Omitting your low GPA score
B) Inflating your GPA score
C) Including a mailing address of a friend in the local area when you live out of town
D) listing your degree from Hogwarts University, a nonexistent school
E) listing fake Mensa memberships

Question 74

If you are sending your résumé in the text of an e-mail:

A) start all lines at the right margin.
B) underline and bold the text.
C) do not put any of the headings in capital letters.
D) do not use keys such as asterisks.
E) shorten line lengths to 65 characters and spaces.

Question 75

What are the three criteria for determining which things you should emphasize on your résumé?

Question 76

Posting your résumé widely on the web is known as _____.

A) P2P résumé sharing
B) résumé blasting
C) résumé diversifying
D) résumé waging
E) open source résumés

Question 77

Describe the etiquette of e-mail job-hunting etiquette.

Question 78

When should one use a chronological résumé and a skills résumé?

Question 79

You've been out of the job market for a while after having been laid off.What do you need to do to prove to a potential employer that you're up-to-date and motivated?

Question 80

List out questions to ask yourself,that will help you evaluate your strengths and interests,as a step in helping you decide what you really want to do.