Chapter 18 Building Careers and Writing Résumés 1) The best time for college students to begin developing a job-search strategy is A) about six months prior to graduation. B) now—even if they are a year or more away from graduation. C) no earlier than the second semester of their junior year. D) immediately after graduation. Answer: B Explanation: B) The worst thing about delaying your job search is that you will be competing against others who are farther along in the process than you, effectively putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage. 2) The best way to become a valued network member is by A) expecting others in your network to help you. B) emailing your résumé to everyone in your network. C) broadcasting the contact information of everyone you meet. D) none of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) To become a valued network member, you need to be able to help others in some way. 3) By definition, a résumé is a A) personal journal about a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. B) structured summary of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. C) random sample of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. D) comprehensive catalog of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. Answer: B Explanation: B) A résumé is a structured summary of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications. 4) Many companies judge the success of their recruiting efforts by the A) quantity of hire. B) cost-benefit hiring ratio. C) quality of hire. D) social media click-through rate. Answer: C Explanation: C) Employers judge their recruiting success by quality of hire, a measure of how closely new employees meet the needs of the company. 5) Using networking to make informal connections with mutually beneficial business contacts is more important than ever because A) having a social media profile looks good on your résumé. B) most employers prefer to ask current employees for recommendations first. C) the vast majority of jobs are advertised on social networking sites. D) networking is all about finding people who can help you. Answer: B Explanation: B) Networking is more essential than ever because the vast majority of job openings are not advertised to the public. Instead, most companies prefer to ask their employees for recommendations first. 6) When conducting a job search, you can use the Internet to A) look for job openings. B) respond to job openings. C) research various companies. D) do all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) The Internet is also a place to communicate about jobs with potential employers and research employers and job opportunities. 7) Business-related blogs and microblogs A) are generally not very helpful to job applicants. B) can help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords in a particular field. C) can be useful in a job search, but only for those seeking positions in technical fields. D) are very difficult to find online. Answer: B Explanation: B) Reading industry blogs can be extremely helpful in familiarizing yourself with the language, culture, and important issues of an industry. Blogs can give you an "insider's" glimpse of a company or an industry. 8) The best way to find job opportunities is usually A) searching online job boards such as Monster and applying before others get the chance to see the openings. B) looking in the newspaper. C) waiting to hear about them from people you know. D) identifying companies you want to work for and focusing your efforts on them. Answer: D Explanation: D) When job seekers apply on Internet job boards they are competing with thousands of others who view the same jobs. A better strategy is to target single companies and focus on making contacts with HR people or managers within those companies. 9) Starting with your initial contact and continuing throughout the interview process, you should A) stress how much getting the job will mean to you. B) press for a decision because you are scheduled for other interviews. C) let the employer determine how to use your knowledge, skills, and abilities. D) explain how your skills and accomplishments will meet the needs of the employer. Answer: D Explanation: D) An essential task in your job search is presenting your skills and accomplishments in a way that is relevant to the employer's business challenges. 10) Applicant tracking systems help employers by A) charting each applicant's progress through the hiring process. B) mapping out promising career paths for each applicant. C) sifting through the many résumés they receive each year. D) doing all of the above. Answer: C Explanation: C) Applicant tracking systems are databases that help managers and human resource people sort through job applications to find the best fits for jobs and the most promising applicants. 11) The purpose of a résumé is to A) induce the reader to hire you. B) list all your skills and abilities. C) get you an interview. D) take the place of an application letter. Answer: C Explanation: C) You should not expect to land a job on the strength of a résumé alone. The job of a résumé is to pique the interest of the employer, and make him or her want to find out more about you—in other words, to meet you in person in an interview. 12) The best approach to preparing a résumé is to A) spend a lot of time creating it, and then send the same version to all prospective employers. B) learn as much as you can about who may be reading it, and be sure to meet their needs. C) keep it general, brief, and nonspecific. D) none of the above. Answer: B Explanation: B) Résumés should be targeted specifically for the person or company who is intended to receive them. The résumé should show that you have the proper skills and experience to do the job that is being offered. Since different jobs require different skills, you will end up sending a different résumé to almost every employer you apply to. 13) The primary difference between a résumé and a CV is that the CV is likely to be ________ than the résumé. A) shorter B) less formal C) more detailed D) less detailed Answer: C Explanation: C) A CV and a résumé are essentially the same thing. CV's frequently include more detail than a résumé. If an employer asks for a CV rather than a résumé, you can safely change the title of your résumé and submit it as a "Curriculum Vitae" without any negative consequences. 14) The most common way to organize a résumé is A) chronologically. B) functionally. C) geographically. D) alphabetically. Answer: A Explanation: A) A chronological résumé focuses on work experience, which typically is listed in reverse order, with the most recent job listed first. Chronological résumés are popular because they give employers a clear indication of what the applicant can do and what the applicant has done. 15) If you're thinking about using a functional résumé to support your job search, remember that many employers A) are suspicious of them. B) strongly prefer them to chronological résumés. C) view them as a sign of strong communication skills. D) don't know what they are. Answer: A Explanation: A) By not focusing on work experience, some employers view a functional résumé as an attempt to cover up an applicant's lack of work experience—or worse, work experience that ended badly with, for example, the applicant being fired or dismissed. 16) If you are just graduating from college and have little or no professional experience, A) a traditional chronological résumé is your only option. B) a functional résumé is your only option. C) your chronological résumé should probably list educational qualifications first. D) your résumé can be written in a casual, informal tone. Answer: C Explanation: C) Employers understand that recently graduated applicants will not have much to list under work experience, so focusing on education is acceptable. 17) If you are planning a career change and want to deemphasize lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress, the best organizational plan for your résumé would be A) chronological. B) functional. C) targeted. D) indirect. Answer: B Explanation: B) A functional résumé can cover up long periods of unemployment and lack of advancement by focusing on skills and competence. However, the deemphasis of employment usually sends up a red flag to employers, so applicants should expect questions about work experience when using this kind of résumé. 18) A type of résumé that emphasizes a candidate's skills and accomplishments while also including a complete job history is termed A) a chronological résumé. B) a functional résumé. C) a combination résumé. D) an indirect résumé. Answer: C Explanation: C) A combination résumé combines chronological and functional approaches. Using this approach an applicant can emphasize skills and abilities without arousing suspicion about a poor work experience record. 19) The best way to handle frequent job changes on a résumé is to A) avoid any mention of a job you held for less than a year. B) group similar jobs under a single heading. C) provide a detailed explanation of each one. D) do none of the above. Answer: B Explanation: B) For example, an independent contractor may have a number of short-term jobs that lasted only as long as a project lasted. Rather than risk being seen as someone who moves from job to job haphazardly, grouping these jobs under a single "Projects" heading is a good option. 20) According to your textbook, the least desirable way to include keywords in your résumé is in A) an introductory statement. B) a stand-alone keyword summary. C) the work history section. D) the education section. Answer: B Explanation: B) Experts used to advise including keywords in a separate summary; the contemporary trend is to include them in the introductory statement and other sections of your résumé. 21) You can use a ________ to recap your career, with a focus on your increasing levels of responsibility and performance. A) career objective B) qualifications summary C) career summary D) key activity matrix Answer: C Explanation: C) A career summary offers a brief recap of your career, with the goal of presenting increasing levels of achievement and responsibility. 22) When you're preparing an introductory statement for your résumé, all of the following except ________ can be a good choice. A) a career objective B) a qualifications summary C) a personal preferences statement D) a career summary Answer: C Explanation: C) You can open your résumé with a career objective, a qualifications summary, or a career summary. 23) Which of the following would be the best wording to use on a résumé? A) "I was in charge of a staff of six employees." B) "I supervised a full staff of six employees." C) "Was in charge of entire departmental staff." D) "Supervised staff of six employees." Answer: D Explanation: D) Full sentences are not required for a résumé. In a bulleted list of work experience, a short phrase communicates the information best. 24) When you're selecting keywords to include your résumé, you should A) never use more than three of them at one time. B) incorporate them into your introductory statement and other sections. C) place all of them in a keyword summary at the end of the résumé. D) choose strong verbs and colorful adjectives. Answer: B Explanation: B) Keywords are an important part of a résumé because many employers use computer searches to match applicants with keywords. Incorporating keywords into your introductory statement and elsewhere in your résumé can ensure that your keywords get counted in searches. 25) If you choose not to list your GPA in the "Education" section of your résumé, A) most employers will not consider you for an interview. B) employers will generally respect you for being modest and not boasting about your record. C) you should be prepared to answer questions about it during the interview. D) you should always state it in your application letter. Answer: C Explanation: C) There is no requirement with regard to listing your GPA in a résumé. However, if your GPA is not listed your prospective employer is not being unfair in asking you about your grades. 26) When you describe your work experience on your résumé, you should A) start with your most recent job and work back chronologically. B) describe one or two jobs in detail so that employers get an idea of your work ethic. C) list only full-time positions. D) try to come up with fancier titles for the jobs you've held. Answer: A Explanation: A) Jobs and work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order no matter what kind of résumé you are using. Even functional résumés, when they include work experience sections, should list most recent jobs first and work backward. 27) In describing activities and achievements on your résumé, you should A) use mild exaggerations—everyone else does, so you'll be at an unfair disadvantage if you don't. B) limit what you include to what makes you a more attractive job candidate. C) use significant amounts of jargon and technical terms. D) leave out any awards you've won unless they are specifically relevant to your current career objective. Answer: B Explanation: B) The watchword to listing activities and achievements is whether they make you a more attractive candidate for the job you are applying for. Being a volunteer at a local animal shelter, for example, is much more meaningful when you are applying for a veterinary job than it would be in applying for an accounting job. 28) Do not include on your résumé items that could encourage discrimination, such as A) home address. B) hobbies. C) sexual orientation. D) military service. Answer: C Explanation: C) When applying to U.S. companies, no personal data should be included in a résumé. That includes such things as age, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Items such as Social Security numbers and student ID numbers should also be omitted for security reasons. 29) Putting "References available upon request" at the end of your résumé is A) not necessary since the availability of references is usually assumed. B) standard practice, and most employers will expect to see it. C) less effective than listing the names and contact information for all references, even if the employer has not requested them. D) necessary only when applying for government positions. Answer: A Explanation: A) Employers now assume that applicants have references available if they are asked for. What that means is that even before sending out your résumés, you need to have your references contacted and ready to respond. 30) Military service relevant to the position you're seeking should be listed in the ________ section of your résumé. A) Education B) Work Experience C) Education or Work Experience D) None of the above Answer: C Explanation: C) If your military service provided specific skills or training that is relevant to the job you are applying for, place a description of it in the Education section. If your service was not relevant to the job you are applying for, place a reference to it in the Work Experience section. 31) Which of the following is not a common problem that employers see in résumés? A) They are too long. B) They display a weak understanding of the industry. C) They are filled with misspellings and grammatical errors. D) They fail to catch the employer's eye with flashy graphics. Answer: D Explanation: D) Flashy graphics in a résumé are usually not a plus for catching an employer's eye. Most employers see flashy effects as an indication that the applicant is unprofessional and doesn't understand the business world in general. 32) An effective résumé design looks A) cute and clever. B) clean and professional. C) assignable and scalable. D) compressed and thorough. Answer: B Explanation: B) Effective résumé designs are simple, clean, and professional. 33) Your online presence is A) your private property. B) a career-management tool. C) only of interest to your friends. D) unrelated to the job-search process. Answer: B Explanation: B) Remember that your online presence is a career-management tool. 34) Potential employers view your résumé as A) nothing more than a routine employment-related document. B) incidental to your workplace credibility. C) evidence of your attention to detail and quality. D) your opportunity to channel your creative spirit. Answer: C Explanation: C) Employers view your résumé as a concrete example of your attention to quality and detail. 35) An infographic résumé uses ________ to convey a person's career development and skill set. A) storyboarding B) visual metaphors C) pull quotes and boilerplate text D) keyword summaries Answer: B Explanation: B) An infographic résumé attempts to convey a person's career development and skill set graphically through a visual metaphor such as a timeline or poster. 36) You should keep ________ of your résumé on hand, in case a prospective employer wants you to send your résumé in the body of an email message. A) an MS Word version B) a plain-text version C) an RTF version D) a PDF version Answer: B Explanation: B) Include a plain-text version of your résumé in the body of an email message, if an employer wants email delivery but doesn't accept file attachments. 37) To achieve the best physical appearance for your résumé, you should A) have it prepared by a professional artist for esthetic appeal. B) make subheadings easy to find and easy to read. C) use colored paper. D) use a variety of typefaces in various colors. Answer: B Explanation: B) Eye-catching typefaces, colors, and designs are not what employers are looking for. Instead, employers are looking to be able to navigate through your résumé easily and understand its organization. An important way to achieve easy navigation and clear organization is to make sure that subheadings are easy to find, read, and differentiate. 38) The most common problem with résumé design is A) using excessive and distracting design elements. B) settling for an old-fashioned look. C) using the wrong type of paper. D) failing to include at least one graphic. Answer: A Explanation: A) Overdesigned résumés suggest to the reader that the applicant doesn't understand business culture. Businesses are basically conservative organizations that value competence and practicality above everything else. Therefore, the overuse of flashy design elements—as opposed to cool, understated, practical design elements—signals to the employer that the applicant doesn't understand how business works and what business values. 39) Including a photo of yourself with your résumé A) is a great way to personalize your application. B) helps you stand out among other applicants. C) will cause some employers to discard your application immediately. D) is the best way to guard against potential discrimination. Answer: C Explanation: C) Allowing employers to see your race and gender opens the door to charges of discrimination. So employers will not consider résumés that include photos. 40) Creating a plain-text file of your résumé A) is an outdated practice. B) allows you to include your résumé in the body of an email message, instead of as an attachment. C) is helpful, but very difficult to do without expensive software. D) requires that you center all headings instead of left-justifying them. Answer: B Explanation: B) Some employers or job databanks require résumés to be submitted in forms or in the body of an email. This requires that you have a plain-text version of your résumé that is stripped of all formatting but still looks acceptable when printed out. 41) Supplementing a traditional résumé with a PowerPoint presentation A) makes you appear desperate. B) is considered a viable choice in today's job market. C) is limited since it does not offer multimedia capabilities. D) is more convenient for employers than an online résumé. Answer: B Explanation: B) PowerPoint supplements to a résumé allow the reader to view a single table of contents and click to get immediate access to sections of interest. A PowerPoint supplement also enables the résumé to contain hyperlinks and access to external websites. 42) An online résumé A) consists of a PDF version of a traditional chronological résumé and a cover letter. B) lets jobseekers use multimedia to expand on the information in a basic résumé. C) requires a paid subscription to an online hosting service. D) will not be well received outside of technology-related fields. Answer: B Explanation: B) Unlike a conventional résumé, an online résumé can include multimedia and links to projects, publications, and other sites. So, potential employers get a more complete picture of who you are and what you have to offer. 43) The most common file format for uploading résumés directly to websites such as Monster.com is A) WordPerfect. B) PDF. C) Microsoft Word. D) Microsoft Publisher. Answer: C Explanation: C) For posting résumés, MS Word is the industry standard for the moment. Using Word allows you to avoid the trouble of creating a plain text version of your résumé for job boards like Monster.com. 44) When mailing a résumé, it is a good idea to A) have it delivered via Priority Mail. B) use a standard white #10 envelope. C) pay to have it delivered the next day. D) use a large kraft envelope. Answer: A Explanation: A) Using the stiff cardboard mailer that Priority Mail provides can protect your résumé. Priority Mail also gets your résumé to its destination much faster than standard delivery. 45) When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer for a particular job, you should A) never send it as a Microsoft Word attachment. B) make it less formal than you would for other formats. C) include in the subject line the reference number or job ad number. D) use lots of colors to make your résumé stand out. Answer: C Explanation: C) The reference number or job ad number tells the receiver how to categorize and file your application so it doesn't get lost or overlooked. If no reference or job number exists, write something along the lines of "entry-level financial analyst job" on your subject line. 46) Starting to develop a job-search strategy before your senior year of college is a waste of time. Answer: False Explanation: College students should develop a job-search strategy well before their senior year. For example, arrangements for such things as internships can start in the first year of college. 47) To maximize your chances of finding employment, create a single, solid version of your résumé and send it to all prospective employers. Answer: False Explanation: Different jobs and different employers require different versions of your résumé. For example, an applicant applying for a supervisory job might emphasize experience in overseeing employees, while the same person applying for an analyst job would emphasize math and problem-solving skills. 48) As part of your job search, it's essential to stay abreast of business and financial news. Answer: True Explanation: Having knowledge about the business world helps you in two ways. First, it alerts you to where the opportunities and jobs are in the business world. Second, during an interview prospective employers are looking to see if candidates are aware of issues that affect their company and its interests—in other words, if you are knowledgeable about the business world. 49) You can find information about job hunting on the Internet, but it's not a good source for information on specific companies. Answer: False Explanation: The Internet is the best way to learn about a potential employer. Most larger companies have extensive websites from which you can learn an enormous amount about company culture, values, and concerns. Blogs and other secondary sources can also supply valuable information about a company and the people who work for it. 50) Networking involves more than contacting powerful people and asking them for a job. Answer: True Explanation: Networking with powerful people is usually limited to people who are powerful themselves! Less powerful people typically network with those with whom they can form a mutually beneficial relationship. That means both parties benefit from the interaction by receiving advice, information, expertise, and other items of value. 51) A résumé is a persuasive message designed to help you get an interview. Answer: True Explanation: The most you can hope for with a résumé is to catch the eye of an employer who wants to know more about you. To find out more about you, the employer can then schedule an interview. 52) Showing up a few minutes late to an interview sends a strong message that you are a busy person. Answer: False Explanation: Showing up late to an interview is a major mistake. Employers see being late to an interview as unprofessional, disrespectful, and unacceptable. 53) A good résumé is targeted for specific situations and prospective employers. Answer: True Explanation: Job applicants should have a basic résumé that gets modified for each different job or company that they apply to. The modifications emphasize skills and experience that go best with the job being offered. 54) Most employers now prefer functional résumés to chronological ones. Answer: False Explanation: Employers overwhelmingly prefer chronological résumés to functional résumés. Functional résumés are often treated with suspicion as employers suspect that work experience is not being emphasized because the applicant has something to hide in his work experience. 55) A combination résumé combines descriptions of your education and employment background. Answer: False Explanation: A combination résumé combines a functional and a chronological résumé format. A combination résumé emphasizes skills without seeming to conceal work experience. 56) A functional résumé is structured around a list of skills and abilities and focuses on the person's areas of competence. Answer: True Explanation: A functional résumé is organized around skills such as knowledge of database construction or facility with specialized accounting software rather than job experience. 57) Because lying on résumés is rare, employers are seldom on the look-out for it. Answer: False Explanation: Lying has become increasingly common on résumés. As a result, employers are tuned into the problem and aware of almost every "trick" that applicants try to pull. 58) If you have a personal webpage or e-portfolio, you should list it on your résumé under "Contact Information." Answer: True Explanation: Also included under Contact Information are your email address and social media identification. 59) One example of an effective career objective is, "A fulfilling position that provides ample opportunity for career growth and personal satisfaction." Answer: False Explanation: This career objective is far too vague and unspecific to have any impact on an employer. It describes the career path of just about everyone in a typical job pool! 60) If you're still in school, you should present your educational background in depth on your résumé, since that is probably your strongest selling point. Answer: True Explanation: If you have meaningful work and internship experience, that should come first in the résumé. Otherwise, focus on the strong points of your education, especially those that relate to the job at hand. 61) The education section of your résumé should list courses that have directly equipped you for the job you are seeking and indicate any scholarships, awards, or academic honors you have received. Answer: True Explanation: Courses that are relevant to the job you are applying for signal to the employer that you have some knowledge of the job. Awards and honors signal that you are an exceptional and high-achieving person. 62) You should always include your college GPA on your résumé. Answer: False Explanation: Including your GPA is optional on a résumé. However, be prepared to answer questions during an interview about your grades if you do not include them in your résumé. 63) Your résumé should list past jobs in chronological order, with the first job first and the current job last. Answer: False Explanation: Standard form for all résumés is to list jobs in reverse chronological order, with your latest job first. 64) When listing work experience on a résumé, you should emphasize significant achievements in each job. Answer: True Explanation: Including significant achievements is an important part of a résumé. For example, stating that you interned for an environmental organization is helpful. Stating that during your internship you developed a program for testing water quality is something that employers find highly attractive. 65) It would be inappropriate to mention unpaid community service activities on a résumé. Answer: False Explanation: Community service activities are a major plus for applicants and definitely should be included in a résumé. The fact that you didn't receive payment for your efforts is of little or no consequence to most prospective employers. 66) Employers see a one-page résumé as a sign that an applicant is weak. Answer: False Explanation: For applicants who have less than ten years of professional experience, a one-page résumé can be considered a plus. Employers appreciate the ability to be concise, and see a well-written one page résumé as a sign that the applicant is highly focused and tuned in to her audience. 67) Today's employers want all jobseekers to submit video résumés. Answer: False Explanation: Some employers won't view video résumés because they're harder to evaluate than paper or digital résumés and because they fear being accused of employment discrimination. 68) With today's technology, preparing a paper résumé is a waste of time. Answer: False Explanation: Paper résumés are useful for networking purposes. For example, if you meet a prospective employer at a conference, you can hand that person a paper résumé right on the spot. 69) Most employers now conduct online searches to learn more about promising candidates, and many have rejected applicants because of what those searches yield. Answer: True Explanation: Candidates who are found to be lying or grossly exaggerating on their résumés usually pay a heavy price for their actions. More than 90 percent of companies that discover false information in résumés refuse to hire the offending applicants. 70) Although employers expect résumés to be carefully written, most are understanding if candidates fail to correct a few typos. Answer: False Explanation: Leaving a typo in a résumé is an indication that the applicant is sloppy and careless, or even worse, ignorant of correct spelling and grammar. Employers expect all résumés to be error-free. 71) ________ is the process of making informal connections with a broad sphere of mutually beneficial business contacts. Answer: Networking Explanation: Networking includes all kinds of social interactions from every kind of social sphere: meetings, organizations, sports activities, hobby clubs, and social networking such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 72) A(n) ________ is a persuasive message designed to get you an interview. Answer: résumé Explanation: The purpose of a résumé is not to get the applicant a job. It is to get the applicant an interview that can lead to a job. 73) The most common way to organize a résumé is ________. Answer: chronologically Explanation: Employers expect applicants to submit chronological résumés and prefer them to other résumé forms. So unless you have a good reason for using a functional or combination résumé format, organize your résumé chronologically. 74) A(n) ________ résumé is organized around a list of skills and areas of competence. Answer: functional Explanation: A functional résumé focuses on skills that the applicant can provide for the employer, such as knowledge of real estate law, or professional level skill in using CAD drawing programs. 75) A(n) ________ résumé includes key features of the chronological and functional approaches. Answer: combination Explanation: A combination résumé combines a functional and a chronological résumé format. A combination résumé emphasizes skills within a chronological work experience structure. 76) The best résumés are written using short, crisp phrases starting with strong ________ verbs. Answer: action Explanation: Examples of action verbs include such words as: planned, demonstrated, organized, supervised, and created. 77) The ________ section of a résumé states what you wish to accomplish in your work. Answer: Career Objective Explanation: Experts disagree about the usefulness of including a career objective in a résumé. When an applicant decides to include a career objective, it should emphasize specifics and avoid sounding vague or trite. 78) One alternative to putting a Career Objective on your résumé is to include a Summary of ________. Answer: Qualifications Explanation: A Summary of Qualifications is a good option for an applicant who has a clear career path but little professional experience. For example, an aspiring architect can focus on specialized architectural and design skills and qualifications in her Summary of Qualifications section. 79) If you have very little job experience, you may choose to lead off your résumé with a(n) ________ section. Answer: Education Explanation: If you lack job experience but have an excellent and wide-ranging educational experience, you may find it advantageous to focus your résumé on your school experience rather than your work experience. 80) In the ________ section of your résumé you list jobs you've had and responsibilities you've held on those jobs. Answer: Work Experience Explanation: The Work Experience section should list jobs and internships you've had in reverse chronological order. 81) Community service activities should be listed in the ________ and ________ section of your résumé. Answer: Activities, Achievements Explanation: Volunteer activities should be listed in an Activities section unless your duties took on all aspects of a job except payment. In that case, you may consider placing it in the Work Experience section. 82) A ________ file of your résumé is an electronic version that has no formatting. Answer: plain-text Explanation: Plain-text versions of résumés are needed for adding to the message portion of an email or pasting into pre-made forms for various job websites. 83) A(n) ________ résumé provides the opportunity to expand on the information contained in your basic résumé with links. Answer: online Explanation: An online résumé can provide links to projects, publications, screencasts, online videos, and other elements that can supplement a basic résumé in exciting ways. 84) Personal webpage, e-portfolio, social media résumé, and multimedia résumé are all terms used to describe ________ résumés. Answer: online Explanation: "Online résumé" is an umbrella term for such items as a personal webpage, an e-portfolio, a social media résumé, and a multimedia résumé. 85) When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer and you have a specific reference number or job number, you should include it in the ________ of the message. Answer: subject line Explanation: The reference number or job number helps the employer route your résumé to the right place. If no reference or job number exists, write something along the lines of "entry-level accounting job" on your subject line. 86) Briefly explain the best time to begin crafting a personal job-search strategy. Answer: The best time to start is now. Even if you are a year or more away from graduation, it is not too early to start some of the essential research and planning tasks. 87) What is meant by "quality of hire," and how do companies use it? Answer: "Quality of hire" is a measure of how closely new employees meet the company's needs. Many employers use it to judge the success of their recruiting efforts. 88) How can career counseling aid your search for employment? Answer: Career counselors (often available at college career centers) can offer advice on career planning, job search techniques, résumé preparation, interview techniques, self-marketing, and more. 89) Should you use the word "I" in your résumé? Why or why not? Answer: It is best to avoid using "I" in a résumé because it can sound self-involved and repetitious by the time you outline all your skills and accomplishments. A better alternative is to begin phrases with strong action verbs. 90) Rewrite the following to make it a more active statement: "I was in charge of customer complaints and all ordering problems." Answer: Handled all customer complaints and resolved all product order discrepancies. 91) Your work history includes a lengthy gap in employment. How can you handle this challenge when writing a résumé? Answer: When preparing a résumé, the best way to address gaps in work history is to mention relevant experience and education you gained during employment gaps, such as volunteer or community work. 92) In addition to your name, what should be included in the Contact Information section of your résumé? Answer: (1) Physical address, (2) phone number(s), (3) email address, and (4) the URL of your personal webpage, e-portfolio, or social media résumé (if you have one). 93) What potential risk should you consider before including a career objective on your résumé? Answer: Some experts maintain that such a statement can categorize you so narrowly that you miss out on interesting opportunities, and it is essentially about fulfilling your desires, not about meeting the employer's needs. 94) Name at least five types of information that should not be included on résumés when candidates are applying to companies in the U.S. Answer: (Answers may include any five of the following.) In the U.S., résumés should never include information about physical characteristics, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliations, race, national origin, salary history, reasons for leaving jobs, names of previous supervisors, names of references, Social Security number, or student ID number. When applying to companies in the U.S., candidates should avoid including the following types of information on their résumés: 1. Personal Information: Avoid including your social security number, marital status, age, date of birth, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, and nationality. 2. Photographs: Do not include a photograph of yourself. U.S. employers typically do not require or expect photos, and including one can lead to potential biases in the hiring process. 3. Irrelevant Work Experience: Exclude jobs that are not relevant to the position you are applying for, especially if they are outdated or unrelated. 4. Salary Information: Do not include past salary details or salary expectations unless specifically requested by the employer. 5. References: It is generally advised to leave out the names and contact details of references on your résumé. Instead, have a separate list ready to provide upon request. These practices help ensure that your résumé focuses on your qualifications, skills, and experiences relevant to the job you are applying for, while avoiding unnecessary personal information that could lead to bias or discrimination. 95) List at least seven of the nine most common problems with résumés. Answer: (1) Too long or wordy. (2) Too short or sketchy. (3) Difficult to read. (4) Poorly written. (5) Displaying weak understanding of the business world, a particular industry, or company. (6) Poor-quality printing or cheap paper. (7) Full of spelling and grammar errors. (8) Boastful. (9) Gimmicky design. 96) Explain what it means to take the initiative to find job opportunities, and why it is necessary in today's job market. Answer: When it comes to finding the right career opportunities, the easiest ways are not always the most productive. The major job boards such as Monster and classified services such as Craigslist might have thousands of openings—but many thousands of job seekers are looking at and applying for these same openings. Moreover, posting job openings on these sites is often a company's last resort, after it has exhausted other possibilities. Instead of relying on these sources to find openings, identify the companies you want to work for and focus your efforts on them. Get in touch with their human resources departments (or individual managers if possible), describe what you can offer the company, and ask to be considered if any opportunities come up. 97) Explain the importance of networking as part of your career search, and describe how to go about finding helpful networks. Answer: Networking is the process of making informal connections with a broad sphere of mutually beneficial business contacts. Research suggests that it is currently the most common way that employees find jobs. Helpful networks are available in-person and online. You can find them by reading news sites, blogs, and other online sources, by participating in student business organizations, and by visiting trade shows that cater to the industry you're interested in. Volunteering in social, civic, and religious organizations can also help you create a network for yourself. 98) List and describe the three methods for organizing a résumé along with the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Answer: (1) Chronological—lists your employment history starting with the most recent job first. Advantages: employers are familiar with it, it highlights growth and career progression, and it emphasizes continuity and stability. Disadvantages: it draws attention to gaps in your employment history. (2) Functional—lists your skills and accomplishments. Advantages: employers can quickly see what you can do, you can emphasize earlier job experience, and de-emphasize any lack of career progress or lengthy unemployment. Disadvantages: employers tend to assume that you are trying to hide something; it is harder for employers to quickly determine your employment history. (3) Combination—includes features of both chronological and functional approaches. Advantages: you can highlight both your skills and your employment history. Disadvantages: employers are somewhat unfamiliar with it; it can be repetitious and longer than other formats. 99) Describe the main sections or elements that are included on most résumés. Answer: (1) Name and Contact Information—contains any information necessary to contact you including phone numbers, email addresses, etc. (2) Career Objective or Summary of Qualifications—this section is optional. Including it allows you to clearly state your desired goal and to categorize yourself. (3) Education—gives your educational background, degrees earned, where you attended school, the dates attended, and the skills and abilities that you've developed in your course work. (4) Work Experience, Skills, and Accomplishments—list your jobs in chronological order with the current one first. In this section you should provide the name and location of the employer as well as your title and describe your skills and accomplishments and quantify them whenever possible. (5) Activities and Achievements—lists volunteer activities that demonstrate your leadership, organization, teamwork, etc. In this section you should explain how the skills learned there are related to the job you're applying for. Note any awards you've received. (6) Personal Data—like Career Objective, this section is optional. Include information about your interests and hobbies only if they enhance the employer's understanding of why you would be the best candidate for the job. 100) Explain how to include keywords that will attract prospective employers to your résumé, and how to select those keywords. Answer: Although most experts used to advise including a separate keyword summary as a standalone list on your résumé, the current trend is to incorporate your keywords into your introductory statement and other sections of your résumé. To select effective keywords, study job descriptions carefully to gain an understanding of your target audience's needs. Look for nouns that describe the specific skills, attributes, and experiences employers look for in candidates. Keywords can include the business and technical terms associated with a specific profession, industry-specific jargon, names or types of products or systems used in a profession, job titles, and college degrees. Avoid including terms and phrases used on so many résumés and social media profiles that they have probably lost most of their impact. Examples include "results-oriented," "proven track record," and "team player." Test Bank for Business Communication Today Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill 9780132971294, 9780134562186, 9780135900239, 9780132539555
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