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Chapter 8 Interviewing 8.1 Multiple Choice Questions 1) "Tell me about a time when you cheated in school.” This type of interview question is a) neutral. b) open. c) leading. d) secondary. Answer: c Rationale: This question is leading because it implies that the interviewee has cheated in school and is asking for a specific example, which could potentially make the interviewee feel pressured to disclose such information even if it's not true. 2) Sarah took a political survey while at the grocery store. One of the questions asked, “Do you support raising taxes on those who earn $250,000 a year or more?” This is an example of a ___ question. a) closed b) open c) primary d) secondary Answer: a Rationale: This is a closed question because it offers a specific set of answer choices (supporting or not supporting raising taxes on high earners) and does not allow for a wide range of answers. 3) Whether it is just one person or a group of board members, the person or party asking questions during a planned and purposeful setting is called the a) discloser. b) respondent. c) interviewee. d) interviewer. Answer: d Rationale: The interviewer is the person or party asking questions during an interview, regardless of whether it is a one-on-one interview or a group interview setting. 4) An interview is a) an impromptu interaction of two or more parties where questions are asked and answers are given. b) an informal exchange between two individuals in which questions are asked and answered. c) a planned and purposeful interaction between two parties in which questions are asked and answers are given. d) a highly structured set of questions asked by the interviewer to the interviewee. Answer: c Rationale: An interview is a planned and purposeful interaction between two parties where questions are asked and answers are given, typically for the purpose of gathering information or assessing qualifications. 5) Nonrestrictive questions designed to give the respondent maximum latitude in formulating an answer are known as what kind of questions? Choose the BEST answer. a) Primary b) Open c) Secondary d) Closed Answer: b Rationale: Open questions are nonrestrictive and allow the respondent to provide a wide range of answers, giving them maximum latitude in formulating their response. 6) “Why?” “What happened next?” and “How would you describe that?” are all considered _____ questions. a) primary b) secondary c) closed d) leading Answer: b Rationale: These are considered secondary questions because they typically follow up on primary questions, seeking additional information or clarification from the respondent. 7) Questions that reveal nothing of the interviewer’s biases, preferences, or expectations are called a) leading questions. b) neutral questions. c) open questions. d) closed questions. Answer: b Rationale: Neutral questions are designed to reveal nothing of the interviewer's biases, preferences, or expectations, allowing the respondent to answer without influence. 8) Mel offers the prospective employee he’s interviewing an opportunity to ask him questions about the position, company, etc. Mel is in the _________ segment of the interview. a) opening b) closing c) body d) negotiation Answer: b Rationale: Mel is in the closing segment of the interview, where he gives the interviewee an opportunity to ask questions and concludes the interview. 9) The campus newspaper’s editor-in-chief told Emma, a staff reporter, that she had an opportunity to interview the city’s mayor about the new initiative called, “Scholarships for Volunteerism.” The mayor happened to be on campus, but not for much longer. Because Emma had little time to prepare formal questions, she prepared an outline of topics instead. What type of interview is this? a) Nonscheduled. b) Highly scheduled. c) Moderately scheduled. d) Spontaneously scheduled. Answer: a Rationale: This is a nonscheduled interview because it was not planned in advance and Emma had little time to prepare formal questions. 10) The ________ begins the interview. a) ice-breaker b) body c) opening d) primary question Answer: c Rationale: The opening segment begins the interview and sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. It may include an ice-breaker question to establish rapport. 11) Choose the BEST example of a neutral question. A) “What book are you reading right now?” B) “Don’t you agree that Allen’s book portrays a negative image of women?” C) “Why don’t you enjoy reading?” D) “Do you think that cyber-books are the wave of the future?” Answer: a Rationale: Option A is a neutral question because it asks about the book the person is currently reading without implying any judgment or opinion. 12) Basil is angry. He feels that Rick is asking ________ questions. As a result, Basil does not think that his answers truly represent his views. a) open b) closed c) neutral d) leading Answer: d Rationale: Leading questions are designed to guide the respondent toward a particular answer, which can lead Basil to feel that his answers are not accurately representing his views. 13) Skilled interviewers like Bill Moyers and Diane Sawyer often ask follow-up questions based on the interviewee’s responses to their primary questions. Although they have prepared initial questions, there is still flexibility and a sense of naturalness to the body of their questions. This is representative of a ________ body. a) radically scheduled b) highly scheduled c) nonscheduled d) moderately scheduled Answer: d Rationale: A moderately scheduled body allows for flexibility and naturalness in the interview process, with prepared initial questions but also room for follow-up based on the interviewee's responses. 14) The major part of the interview occurs during the part known as what? a) Body b) Conclusion c) Introduction d) Preface Answer: a Rationale: The body of the interview is where the major part of the interaction and questioning takes place, where the interviewer gathers information and the interviewee provides responses. 15) While discussing the last batch of job candidates, Kailey asked Mike what he thought of the “smart looking woman in the blue suit.” Mike replied, “I don’t know. She said all the right things, communicated big plans, yet, she would not look me in the eyes and she rocked back and forth in her seat.” In order for that candidate to get the job offer, the job candidate needed to consider a) setting realistic goals. b) dress down for the setting. c) that nonverbal communication must match what is being said. d) starring the interviewer down, to show him whose boss. Answer: c Rationale: Nonverbal communication, such as making eye contact and sitting confidently, is important in interviews as it can affect the interviewer's perception of the candidate's confidence and sincerity. 16) Whenever the interviewer summarizes one area of discussion and moves on to another topic, the question they ask at that point is known as the _____________ question. a) primary b) open c) closed d) closing Answer: a Rationale: A primary question is used to summarize one area of discussion and transition to another topic during an interview. 17) The clerical supervisor asked Amber to interview candidates for the secretary’s position. Being a floor supervisor, Amber is uncomfortable with this assignment. She does not have secretarial experience and is not familiar with the position. To control her nervousness, Amber writes down a detailed and specific list of questions for the candidates to answer. Amber plans to stick with this list and not stray off the topic. What type of interview is Amber planning on using? a) Loosely scheduled body b) Moderately scheduled body c) Highly scheduled body d) Vastly scheduled body Answer: c Rationale: Amber is planning to use a highly scheduled body for the interview, where she has a detailed list of specific questions and plans to stick to the list without straying off topic. 18) Why am I interested in this position? How important is my work to me? Do I have the necessary background for this job? Could I grow into the position? When starting a job search, you should ask yourself these types of questions during (the) a) resume building. b) employment interview. c) closing. d) self-assessment. Answer: d Rationale: These types of questions should be asked during a self-assessment when starting a job search to evaluate one's interest, importance of work, background for the job, and potential for growth in the position. 19) Abe is concerned that when he reveals he was fired from his last job he won’t be considered for the job he really wants, a project manager at a local construction firm. What advice from the textbook should Abe take when tackling a difficult issue, such as job loss, during an interview? a) Evade the issue and hope it does not come up during the interview. b) Offer a straightforward response to the firing, without placing blame on others. c) Respectfully decline to answer the question, citing confidentiality. d) Refrain from adding that job on the resume, so it will not come up during the interview. Answer: b Rationale: The best advice for tackling a difficult issue like job loss during an interview is to offer a straightforward response without placing blame on others, as honesty and transparency are valued in interviews. 20) What document should job candidates send to their prospective employers introducing themselves, explaining their interest in the posted position, describing their qualifications, and trying to create a positive first impression? a) Career summary b) Resume c) Self-assessment d) Cover letter Answer: d Rationale: A cover letter is a document that job candidates should send to their prospective employers to introduce themselves, explain their interest in the posted position, describe their qualifications, and try to create a positive first impression. 8.2 Short Answer Questions 1) A(n) ________ is a planned and purposeful interaction between two parties in which questions are asked and answers are given. Answer: interview 2) During an interview, “What do you mean?” is an example of a ________ question. Answer: secondary 3) The attorney was getting frustrated with Mary’s long-winded and evasive answers to her interview questions. In order to get the more precise answers she anticipated, the attorney could have asked ________ questions instead of ________ questions. Answer: closed/open 4) _____ questions introduce a major area of discussion. Answer: Primary 5) One interview objective is to present an honest picture of ourselves during the interview. What is this interviewing skill? Answer: ethics 6) Adding hand gestures, increasing your rate of speech, and increasing the pitch of your voice while speaking enthusiastically about your career goals is part of _____ communication. Answer: nonverbal 7) _____ questions are designed to move the interview in a specific direction. Answer: Leading 8) Before asking the difficult questions, Kenji spends several minutes during the opening portion of the interview chitchatting with Alejandro in hopes of finding a shared interest, value, or past experience. Kenji is establishing __________, an interviewing technique that helps create a positive communication climate. Answer: common ground 9) Stewart and Cash describe several methods to organize questions in the body of an interview. Name the three most important types, and give a brief explanation of each. Answer: The three types are known as highly scheduled body, moderately scheduled body, and nonscheduled body. The highly scheduled body includes all the questions the interviewer plans on asking. The moderately scheduled body includes primary questions but leaves room for secondary questions during the actual interview process. The nonscheduled body includes only topics but no actual questions. 10) Your __________ is a short account of your qualifications and includes your objective, education and training, and professional experience. Answer: resume 8.3 True/False Questions 1) An interview is a planned and purposeful interaction between two parties in which questions are asked and answers are given. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. An interview is typically a structured interaction where questions are asked by the interviewer and answers are given by the interviewee, with the goal of gathering information or assessing qualifications. 2) “What are the upcoming fashion trends that we will see this season?” This is an example of a closed question. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. The question is open-ended because it allows for a wide range of answers and does not limit the respondent to a specific set of choices or a yes/no answer. 3) The “interviewee” can be more than one person like a committee or panel. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. The interviewee refers to the individual or individuals being interviewed, not the interviewers. A committee or panel would be conducting the interview, not being interviewed. 4) Listening plays a crucial role in the interviewing process for both the interviewer and the interviewee. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. Active listening is important for both parties in an interview. The interviewer needs to understand the interviewee's responses, while the interviewee needs to listen carefully to the questions being asked. 5) Leading questions can increase the level of tension in an interview because the interviewee isn’t allowed to see any of the interviewer’s biases, preferences, or expectations. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. Leading questions can increase tension because they suggest a particular answer or point of view, potentially influencing the interviewee's responses. The tension may arise from the interviewee feeling pressured to agree with the implied direction of the question. 6) A clearly established objective forces the interviewer to focus on the intent of the interview, and helps keep the interview time frame reasonable for the interviewee. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. A clearly established objective helps both the interviewer and the interviewee stay focused and ensures that the interview stays on track and within the allotted time frame. 7) The purpose of an informational interview is to acquire facts about a specific topic. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. An informational interview is typically conducted to gather information or insights about a specific topic or industry, rather than to assess qualifications for a job or position. 8) In an interview, the general function of an opening is to establish rapport between the two parties and to clarify the interview’s purpose. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. The opening of an interview is often used to establish a positive tone, build rapport, and clarify the purpose of the interview for both parties. 9) Open questions are nonrestrictive questions designed to give the respondent maximum latitude in formulating an answer. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. Open questions are designed to encourage the respondent to provide a detailed and unrestricted response, allowing for a wide range of possible answers. 10) The interviewee’s response to a closed question should be as elaborate as possible in order to give the interviewer the needed information. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. Closed questions typically require short, specific answers, so the interviewee's response should be concise and to the point. Elaborating too much on a closed question can lead to unnecessary information and may not be what the interviewer is looking for. 11) Primary questions are nonrestrictive questions designed to give the respondent maximum latitude in formulating an answer. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. Primary questions are typically broad, open-ended questions that allow the respondent to provide detailed answers. They are not necessarily nonrestrictive, as they can sometimes be focused and specific. 12) Nonverbal behavior, such as a raised eyebrow or a searching look, can function as secondary questions. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. Nonverbal behavior can sometimes prompt the respondent to provide more information or clarify their response, similar to how a secondary question would function. 13) Carl is applying for a job at a local university. He is required to submit his resume online. At the end of the process, he is required to take a skills survey, which asks him to check the boxes of the computer skills he is proficient in. Carl knows some of these skills, but not all of them. Still, he clicks on all of the boxes, figuring he can learn those skills later. Carl is acting ethically. Answer: False Rationale: This is false. Carl is not acting ethically by indicating proficiency in skills he does not possess. Misrepresenting skills on a job application or resume is dishonest and can have negative consequences. 14) When we are nervous during an interview, one technique to combat this feeling is to take the focus off of ourselves and direct our focus to the interviewer’s message. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. Focusing on the interviewer's message can help redirect nervous energy and anxiety, allowing the interviewee to listen more attentively and respond more effectively. 15) Closed questions are not meant to probe or explore another person’s feelings or values; rather, the intent of a closed question is to gather facts. Answer: True Rationale: This is true. Closed questions typically seek specific information and are not intended to delve into the interviewee's emotions or beliefs. They are used to gather factual information in a concise manner. 8.4 Matching Questions For the questions that follow, match the word or phrase with its meaning. a) Includes all the questions that the interviewer plans to ask b) Designed to gain additional information c) Introduces a major area of discussion d) Provides maximum flexibility for both the interviewer and interviewee e) Designed to move the interview in a specific direction f) Nonrestrictive questions g) Questions that reveal nothing about the interviewee’s biases h) The types of questions the interviewee asks the interviewer i) Interviewer determines the primary questions ahead of time for the rest of the interview j) Designed to elicit specific feedback k) Where the major part of the interview occurs 1) Closed questions 2) Body 3) Highly scheduled body 4) Leading questions 5) Moderately scheduled body 6) Nonscheduled body 7) Neutral questions 8) Open question 9) Primary questions 10) Secondary questions Answers: 1) j 2) k 3) a 4) e 5) i 6) d 7) g 8) f 9) c 10) b 8.5 Essay Questions 1) Define and differentiate between open and closed questions. Give an example of each. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using each type of question? Answer: Open questions are nonrestrictive questions designed to give the respondent maximum latitude in formulating an answer. Example: “What steps do you plan to take to attend school full-time?” Using open questions allows each participant to freely exchange thoughts and ideas with each other. One advantage of using open questions during an interview is the flexibility this type of question gives both the interviewer and the interviewee. The disadvantage of using open questions, however, is that the interviewee can control the direction of the interview. Closed questions are designed to elicit specific feedback from the respondent. Example: “Do you like your class schedule?” Closed questions are useful when the interviewer wants statistical information. Since this type of question is not designed to probe into a person’s feelings or values, closed questions are not appropriate when a more elaborate answer is desired. 2) Define and differentiate between primary and secondary questions. Give an example of each. Explain the function of these two questions. Answer: Primary questions introduce a major area of discussion. Once the interviewer wraps up a section of an interview and begins another, the first question he or she asks about the new topic is the primary question. Interviewers usually prepare primary questions ahead of time. Example: “What car make and model are you planning on purchasing after you secure financing?” Secondary questions gain additional information from the interviewee after the primary question is asked. Example: “Why?” Secondary questions provide both the interviewer and the interviewee the opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings about statements made earlier in the interview. They allow us to check our perceptions. 3) Define, give an example, and differentiate between neutral and leading questions. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using each type of question? Answer: Neutral questions reveal nothing of the interviewer’s biases, preferences, or expectations. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer. Example: “How do you feel about the upcoming election?” Neutral questions do not make the interviewee feel defensive, because no judgment is involved. Leading questions, on the other hand, are designed to move the interview in a specific direction. These types of questions can be problematic, however, because the interviewee can feel defensive if they feel forced to give responses that do not represent their views. Example: “You will vote on Tuesday, won’t you?” Leading questions can increase the level of tension within the interview. 4) You are assigned to conduct an informational interview with the faculty advisor of any oncampus club, organization, or sport. The purpose of this interview is to gain knowledge about the extra-curricular opportunities on campus for students. Create five open-ended, primary, neutral questions that will fulfill this objective. Answer: Example (student government) 1. What is the student government’s purpose from the student’s point of view? 2. What is the student government’s purpose from the university’s point of view? 3. What are your personal goals while serving as the faculty advisor of the student government? 4. Why should students consider joining student government? 5. What are some major accomplishments that your organization achieved? 5) Think about an employment interview. What are some questions you can ask yourself in preparation for the interview in the form of a self-assessment? List several of these general questions to evaluate your suitability for a particular career. Answer: Students should list several questions. Some examples follow. Why am I interested in this position? How important is my work to me? Do I have the necessary background for this job? Could I grow into the position? Do any of my personal accomplishments make me a viable candidate for this particular position? Test Bank for Communication: Embracing Difference Daniel M. Dunn, Lisa J. Goodnight 9780205943661, 9780205865635, 9781269602877
