Bcom ch. 15

Which of the following would be the best wording to use on a résumé?

"Supervised staff of six employees."

List and describe the three methods for organizing a résumé along with the advantages and disadvantages of each one.

(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, and it is harder for employers to 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. The chronological format is most commonly used. A functional résumé may be looked upon with suspicion. A combination résumé may be a better choice for those who do not have much work experience but want to avoid the functional format.

Describe the main sections or elements that are included on most résumés.

(1) Name and Contact Information—contains any information necessary to contact you including phone numbers, email addresses, etc. (2) Introductory Statement—this can include a career objective, a qualifications summary or a career summary. (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. Provide the name and location of the employer, your title, and your specific skills and accomplishments. (5) Activities and Achievements—list volunteer activities that demonstrate leadership, organization, teamwork, etc. Explain how those outcomes relate to the job for which you're applying. Note any awards you've received. (6) Personal Data—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.

In what ways does a scannable résumé differ from the traditional format?

A scannable résumé differs from the traditional format in two major ways: it always includes a keyword summary, and it avoids underlining, special characters, and other elements that can confuse the scanning system. Software programs "read" scannable résumés, so they must include keyword summaries and must avoid formatting that may "confuse" the software program.

One of your first steps in preparing to seek employment should be to

A) write the story of you, including what you're passionate about, your abilities, and so forth.

Résumés and curriculum vitaes, or CVs, are essentially the same, except

CVs are more detailed and include personal information.

List at least five common mistakes that can severely hinder your job search.

Common mistakes related to the job search include the following: not catching mistakes in your résumé, misspelling the name of a manager you're writing to, and showing up late for an interview. Other common mistakes include tweeting something unprofessional, leaving embarrassing images or messages open to public view on your social media accounts, failing to complete application forms correctly, and asking for information that you can easily find yourself on a company's website. Make sure you carefully proofread your résumé and have multiple people read it over. Double-check all of your business correspondence, and follow instructions carefully. Remember that your online presence reflects on your in-person presence and is available for potential employers to view.

Military service relevant to the position you're seeking should be listed in the ________ section of your résumé.

Education or Work Experience

With so many opportunities to apply for jobs online, is it still worthwhile to prepare a traditional paper résumé? Why or why not?

Even if most of all of your application efforts take place online, starting with a traditional paper résumé is still useful. In the process, you'll organize your background information and identify your unique strengths. In addition, planning and writing a traditional résumé will help you generate blocks of text you can reuse throughout the job process. Finally, you never know when someone might ask for your résumé during a networking event or other in-person encounter, and that person's interest may wane in the time it takes for him or her to get your information online.

A combination résumé combines descriptions of your education and employment background under a single heading.

False

In the work experience section of your résumé, you should leave out any jobs that do not relate directly to your career objective.

False

Should you use the word I in your résumé? Why or why not?

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.

The most common file format for uploading résumés directly to websites such as Monster.com is

Microsoft Word.

What is meant by quality of hire, and how do companies use it?

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. You can increase your chances of being hired by presenting yourself as a low-risk, high-reward candidate when you are applying for a job.

What potential risk should you consider before including a career objective on your résumé?

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. Make sure you maintain an others-focused approach when designing your résumé. Because a career objective can sound too self-serving and may limit your potential areas of employment, it may be better to use something like a skills summary.

Briefly explain the best time to begin designing a personal job-search strategy.

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. A job search can take many months, and there are many opportunities for college students to take steps toward building their résumés while they are still in school, so it is best for them to begin the search now.

Explain what it means to take the initiative to find job opportunities, and why it is necessary in today's job market.

The easiest ways are not always the most productive means of finding career opportunities. 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. Don't hesitate to contact interesting companies even if they haven't advertised job openings to the public yet—they might be looking for somebody just like you.

A good résumé is targeted for specific situations and prospective employers.

True

A résumé is a persuasive message designed to help you get an interview.

True

Because the competition for most jobs is so great, even a seemingly minor mistake (such as a typo on a résumé) can eliminate your chances of success.

True

Most employers now conduct online searches about promising candidates, and many have rejected applicants because of what those searches have revealed.

True

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.

True

Creating a plain-text file of your résumé

allows you to include your résumé in the body of an email message, instead of as an attachment.

Customizing your résumé for each job opening is

an important step in showing each employer that you will be a good fit.

When you're evaluating a functional résumé as a way to present your qualifications, don't forget that many employers

are suspicious of them.

Business-related blogs and microblogs

can help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords in a particular field.

For someone who's involved in the job search process, volunteer work

can highlight problem-solving and leadership skills.

When you're preparing an introductory statement for your résumé, using a ________ can limit your consideration for interesting opportunities.

career objective

You can use a ________ to recap your career, with a focus on your increasing levels of responsibility and performance.

career summary

The most common way to organize a résumé is

chronologically.

An effective résumé design looks

clean and professional.

The résumé format that allows you to highlight your capabilities and education when you don't have a long work history is the

combination résumé.

If you have limited work experience, ________ could be used to indicate leadership, teamwork, or other valuable attributes.

community service

If you do not have a lot of relevant work experience,

emphasize volunteer work and membership in professional groups, or relevant coursework.

Supplementing a traditional résumé with a PowerPoint presentation

enables potential employers to click through to sections of interest.

Potential employers view your résumé as

evidence of your attention to quality and detail.

Starting with your initial contact and continuing throughout the interview process, you should

explain how your skills and accomplishments will meet the needs of the employer.

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

functional

The purpose of a résumé is to

get you an interview.

The best way to handle frequent job changes on a résumé is to

group similar jobs under a single heading.

When mailing a résumé, it is a good idea to

have it delivered via Priority Mail in a cardboard mailer.

The best way to become a valued network member is by

helping others in some way.

The best way to find job opportunities is usually

identifying the companies you want to work for and focusing your efforts on them.

When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer, you should

include in the subject line the reference number or job ad number.

In describing activities and achievements on your résumé, you should

include only what makes you a more attractive job candidate.

Contacting people in a job candidate's online network for background information

is becoming more common among employers.

Learning which keywords will be most effective on your résumé

is easy when you access leading business publications, blogs, and other sources.

Using your résumé to tell employers you are detail oriented, a team player, and a hard worker

is generally not helpful unless you also include concrete proof and evidence to support your claims.

A scannable résumé differs from the traditional format in that

it always includes a keyword summary.

When developing the experience section of the résumé, the most space should be devoted to

jobs that closely relate to the targeted position.

The best approach to preparing a résumé is to

learn as much as you can about who may be reading it, and be sure to meet their needs.

An online résumé

lets jobseekers use multimedia to expand on the information in a basic résumé.

To achieve the best physical appearance for your résumé, you should

make subheadings easy to find and easy to read.

The vast majority of all job openings in the United States are

never advertised to the general public.

Putting "References available upon request" at the end of your résumé is

not necessary since the availability of references is usually assumed.

The best time for college students to begin developing a job-search strategy is

now—even if they are a year or more away from graduation.

As a general guideline the length of the résumé should be

one page for every five years of experience.

Your ________ is an essential part of your potential quality as a new hire.

perceived ability

Effective keywords to list on your résumé include

position applying for and skills needed for the position.

When preparing your list of references,

prepare a reference sheet using the same layout as the résumé.

Many companies judge the success of their recruiting efforts by the

quality of hire.

Applicant tracking systems use keyword filters to

rank desirability of incoming résumés for current openings.

Regardless of a candidate's work experience, the prime source of jobs in general appears to be

recommendations from current employees.

When employers find lies on an applicant's résumé, most will

refuse to hire the applicant, even if it means withdrawing a formal job offer.

Applicant tracking systems help employers by

sifting through the content of the résumés received.

When you describe your work experience on your résumé, you should

start with your most recent job and work back chronologically.

Creating a traditional paper résumé is

still useful, even if most or all of your application efforts take place online.

By definition, a résumé is a

structured summary of a person's education, employment background, and job qualifications.

To incorporate the best keywords in your résumé,

study relevant job descriptions and seek to understand your target audience's needs.

When developing a chronological résumé, the experience section should include

the employer's name, your job title and the dates you held the position.

It is acceptable and expected to include photographs if

the résumé is a social media résumé and is not being submitted to one employer.

When determining the best method to use in developing your résumé, remember

to adapt the résumé to meet the needs of your audience.

Your mobile device should be used as a

tool to enhance your personal brand and online portfolio.

If you have frequent job changes, minimize the negative impression by

trying to group them under a single heading.

To ensure your message is clear and immediate,

use carefully selected evidence that is compelling.

When writing your résumé,

use strong action verbs.

In composing a résumé, it is best to avoid

using the word "I".

An infographic résumé uses ________ to convey a person's career development and skill set.

visual metaphors

In the experience section of the résumé, the focus should be on

what you accomplished in each position.

On your résumé, do not include items that could encourage discrimination, such as

when you graduated from high school.

Including a photo of yourself with your résumé

will cause some employers to discard your application immediately.

A résumé should be written

with simplicity, using a direct style.

When you're selecting keywords to include your résumé, you should

work them into your introductory statement and other résumé sections.

If you choose not to list your GPA in the "Education" section of your résumé,

you should be prepared to answer questions about it during the interview.

If you are just graduating from college and have limited professional experience,

your chronological résumé should probably list educational qualifications before listing experience.

In most cases

your résumé will be screened by a computer before a human ever looks at it.

Name at least five types of information that should not be included on résumés when candidates are applying to companies in the U.S.

(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. You are not obligated to include any sensitive personal information on your résumé, and employers should not expect such information on a résumé.

One example of an effective career objective is, "A fulfilling position that provides ample opportunity for career growth and personal satisfaction."

False

Some examples of effective descriptors to include in your résumé would be "works hard," "knows foreign languages," and "gets along well with others."

False

The main purpose of a résumé is to list all your skills and abilities.

False

How can reading business-related blogs, microblogs, and podcasts help you prepare to seek employment?

In addition to learning more about professions and opportunities, reading these materials will help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords currently in use in a particular field-including essential keywords to use in your résumé. Publications and media related to your chosen field of endeavor can help you to understand industry trends/issues and to learn keywords that you can use in your résumés and applications.

Explain the importance of networking as part of your career search, and describe how to go about finding helpful networks.

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. Because networking is a mutually beneficial activity, look for opportunities to help others in some way when you are trying to make business connections. Focusing on relationships that benefit both you and the other person are more likely to be effective.

List at least seven of the nine most common problems with résumés.

The following are common résumé problems: (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) spelling and grammar errors; (8) boastful tone; and (9) gimmicky design. An effective résumé has a clean, professional appearance that conveys your message clearly and persuasively. A résumé is a persuasive document, and by perfecting it, you greatly increase your chances of landing an interview.

Your work history includes a lengthy gap in employment. How can you handle this challenge when writing a résumé?

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. By including volunteer and community work, you indicate that you were using your time in a productive manner, even if you were not employed. Showing that you are involved in your community may appeal to a variety of potential employers.

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 Plain-Text version

Your online presence is

a career-management tool.

A type of résumé that emphasizes a candidate's skills and accomplishments while also including a complete job history is termed

a combination résumé.

Posting a job opening on a major job board such as Monster is often

a company's last resort, after it has exhausted other possibilities for finding desirable candidates.

The best email address to include on a résumé is

a free personal address from one of the many services that offer them.

According to your textbook, the least desirable way to include keywords in a résumé is in

a standalone keyword summary.