Communication Essentials REVIEW for Final Exam Chapters 7, 8, 13, & 14

On average in the U.S., how many employers will employees between the ages of 18 and 38 have over the course of their careers?

10

If you cannot find the name of a person to address your cover message to, which of the following is the most suitable replacement?

A descriptive subject line such as Marketing Specialist Position

Global Connections Inc. is interviewing several candidates for a leadership position requiring strong communication skills. What form of interview will most likely be used for this interview?

A group interview of several candidates at one time

What is the most accurate statement about plain-text résumés?

A plain-text format is widely used for posting to online job boards and for applying by e-mail.

which of the following illustrates a testimonial?

After completing your training, I received job offers from three employers in one week!

Which of the following is the best advice when answering interview questions?

Aim answers at the key characteristics needed, such as expertise, motivation, and a pleasant personality.

Persuasive claims are often written when

All answer choices are correct.

When developing a claim message, you should

All answer choices are correct.

When presenting the reasons for bad news, you should

All answer choices are correct.

When writing a resignation letter to your employer, you should

All answer choices are correct.

Which of the following is considered unethical on a résumé?

All answer choices are unethical.

Which of the following would be an effective way to begin a bad-news message using the indirect strategy?

All answer choices would be effective techniques to open a bad-news message using the indirect strategy.

Which of the following is an acceptable reason for following up with an employer in writin

All of these are acceptable reasons to follow up with an employer in writing.

Which of the following is an advantage of building a LinkedIn résumé to have in addition to your print résumé?

All of these are advantages to building a resume on LinkedIn.

Learning the techniques of sales writing can help you

All of these are benefits of learning sales writing techniques.

Which of the following is true of sales messages sent through direct mail?

All of these are true of sales messages sent via direct mail.

When bad news must be given to large groups of employees, which of the following digital media would be appropriate for management to use?

All of these would be appropriate forms.

Which of the following best presents the bad news in a message refusing a customer's claim?

Although a full refund cannot be issued, we would be happy to repair your DVD player for a nominal fee.

Allison is declining a request for a monetary contribution from a charitable organization to which her employer, BMI Industries, usually donates. Which of the following most effectively implies the refusal?

Although our profits are being reinvested in BMI Industries this year, we hope to be able to contribute next year.

Which of the following statements about screening interviews is most accurate?

Companies use screening interviews to save time and money.

How should you respond if an interviewer asks, Why should we hire you when other applicants have better credentials?

Confidently explain your strengths such as your openness to new ideas and knowledge of the latest methods and equipment.

You want to propose a workplace change to your employer. Which of these is the best advice for you?

Focus on how much money the proposed change will save the company.

Krista receives an unexpected phone call from a potential employer. Which of the following should she do?

If she feels caught off guard by the call, ask whether she may call back in a few minutes.

Which of the following is the best advice when traveling to and arriving at your interview?

If something unexpected happens causing you to be late, immediately call the interviewer to explain what is happening.

Which of the following most effectively reduces resistance and builds desire?

If you are worried about booking a tour with us, please know that our European walking tours were rated the safest and best planned in the industry.

What is the most effective way to handle an illegal or inappropriate question during an interview?

If you find the question harmless and you want the job, go ahead and answer it.

Which of the following is an example of a situational question?

If you were aware that a coworker submitted false data, what would you do?

Which of the following will not help you reduce your fears about interviews?

Let the interviewer have complete charge of the entire interview.

Which online source is used most for job searching and recruiting?

LinkedIn

Which of the following statements about today's job market is most accurate?

Personal networking and referrals continue to be the primary route to hiring.

Which statement about persuasion in business communication today is most accurate?

Persuasive tactics are more impersonal today than they were many years ago.

As a Human Resources representative, Laura must inform Matt that his vacation request for August is not approved. Which of the following should she do?

Plan the message strategically

What is the best advice for presenting the bad-news portion of your negative message to employees?

Position the bad news so that it does not stand out.

Which of the following telephone tips should you follow during your job search?

Prepare others who live with you to speak professionally and take complete messages.

What statement best describes the summary of qualifications portion of a résumé?

Smart job seekers add a summary of their most impressive qualifications to their résumés to save the time of recruiters and hiring managers.

Which of these is the most effective response to the question, What do you think is your greatest weakness?

Some people complain that I'm a workaholic with nearly too much passion for this field.

Which of the following is the most effective emotional appeal?

Surround yourself in the uncompromising safety and luxury of a Lincoln because you've earned it.

Will has just driven home following an interview. What is the first thing he should do?

Take notes about the interview.

Which of the following is the best advice to follow for a cover message accompanying a résumé sent by e-mail or fax?

Take the time to prepare a customized cover message to accompany your résumé sent electronically.

You can send positive nonverbal messages during your interview by dressing professionally, controlling your body movements, making eye contact, and

arriving on time.

When interviewing for high-pressure positions, companies may use stress interview techniques, which include being

asked rapid-fire questions by members of a team.

When using the indirect strategy in a persuasive message, you should place the reasons and explanations

before the main idea.

A device to reduce the shock or pain of bad news is called a(n)

buffer

Most recruiters favor a

chronological résumé.

Which of the following is true about short persuasive messages submitted online?

Tweets and other online posts can be used to project a professional, positive image.

Constructing messages saying no to emotionally involved receivers is a challenging communication task. Which of the following is the best advice for this task?

Use neutral, objective language to explain the reason the claim is refused.

In deciding to share negative information about another employee to your supervisor, what question should you consider first?

Was the act criminal or hostile behavior or just a one-time mistake?

Maya has decided to apologize briefly in the buffer of her bad-news message to a client. Which of the following is the best apology?

We sincerely apologize for the problems you experienced with your espresso machine. To prevent recurrence of this problem, we will recalibrate the heating element at no charge to you.

Matt must send a refusal letter to Ryan, who recently interviewed for a job. Which of the following will be the best closing?

We wish you all the best in your job search.

Which of these messages most effectively conveys empathy in a bad-news message?

You have every right to be disappointed. I am truly sorry that our product failed to perform as expected.

You must decline an employee's request to telecommute three days per week. Which of the following statements best explains why this bad news is necessary?

Your daily presence in the office is important to ensure regular customer contact.

Select the most effective opening for a persuasive request that invites a state representative to speak at your organization's Flag Day celebration.

Your patriotism and leadership in the House of Representatives have improved the quality of life across our state.

You can effectively build interest in a sales message by

emphasizing central selling points identified in the prewriting analysis.

The purposes of sending an application or résumé follow-up message to an employer include jogging the memory of the hiring manager, showing your serious interest in the position, and

emphasizing your qualifications or adding new information.

The primary difference between ethical and unethical communicators is that unethical communicators

intend to deceive.

When you enter the office for an interview,

introduce yourself to the receptionist, and wait to be invited to sit.

The bad feelings associated with disappointing news can be reduced if the receiver feels that the news was revealed sensitively, believes that the matter was treated seriously and fairly, and

knows the reasons for the rejection clearly.

Effective interview-preparation techniques include practicing answers to possible questions, preparing to explain problem areas on your résumé, deciding on professional attire, and

preparing success stories.

Effective persuasive claim messages

present a logical case with clear facts.

An effective direct-mail sales letter

presents information completely, using a personalized tone.

Use an emotional appeal when the

product is inexpensive, short-lived, or nonessential.

The closing of a bad-news message may do all of the following except

restate the bad news.

The ability to understand and enter into the feelings of another is called

empathy.

Which of the following is an example of a niche website?

Advance Healthcare Network

Braden is preparing several success stories prior to his job interview for a sales representative position. Which of the following scenarios would result in the best success story for this position?

A story about developing a new sales technique that increased his customer sales by 30 percent over a six-month period

Which of the following statements uses an action verb to highlight an aptitude?

Ability to develop innovative and interactive Web pages

Which of the following statements describing employment achievements would be most effective on a résumé?

Achieved 125 percent of production goal for three consecutive quarters

In which part of the STAR technique for answering behavioral interview questions should you focus on yourself (rather than a group or team)?

Action

Which of the following sentences presents the reason for denying a customer's request for credit most effectively?

Although your credit rating does not meet our minimum standards, we would be happy to reconsider your application if you add a cosigner.

Which of the following is the best career objective for a résumé?

An accounting position in which 10 years' experience and a license as a CPA will allow me to assist your company with payroll, employee benefits, and governmental tax and records reporting

Which of the following bad-news messages should be organized using the direct strategy?

An announcement of changes in business services

Which of the following is the most important part of a negative message?

An explanation of the reasons for the bad news

Opinions on the use of a career objective are mixed. Which of the following is the best reason for candidates to add a career objective to their résumés?

An objective can tell the prospective employer that this candidate is sure about what he or she wants to do.

Taylor must send a bad-news message to a client and indicate to her that he will be unable to meet a delivery deadline. What should Taylor do first?

Analyze the bad news to see how it will affect his reader.

Mikhail's claim has been denied once. Now, he is writing a second persuasive claim message to his digital media services company asking for a promised rebate package. Because he expects resistance, what should he do?

Appeal to the receiver's sense of responsibility and pride in the company's good name.

Which of following is a legal interview question?

Are you authorized to work in the United States?

Which of the following statements most accurately describes a sequential interview?

As sequential interviews progress, interviews become more in-depth, which means that you need to know even more about the company.

which of the following situations would most likely require persuasion within an organization?

Asking employees to accept a pay cut to avoid layoffs or plant closings

As a manager, Corbin must inform his staff that all employees must now contribute more to their health insurance premiums. What advice should Corbin follow when delivering his message?

Be honest and provide the important reasons for the increase in individual contributions.

Which of the following sentences to employees best explains the reasons for a reduction in a company workfor

Because of a decrease in sales, the number of employees will need to be reduced, which we know will affect all of you.

Which of the following is the best advice about résumé length?

Because recruiters and hiring managers want to know your skills, make it as long as needed to sell yourself.

If an interviewer says Tell me about yourself, what is the best way to respond?

Briefly discuss educational, professional, or business-related strengths.

How should you close an interview?

Briefly review your strengths, thank the interviewer, and ask what action will follow.

Corbin must inform employees that overtime pay will be reduced from the current 2.0 factor to a 1.5 factor. Because he anticipates a hostile reaction, which of the following sequences should Corbin use for the parts of his message?

Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing

Sammie is planning a persuasive request. What advice should she follow for the opening of her request?

Capture the reader's attention and interest.

Which of the following tips will best help you protect yourself when posting at online job boards?

Consider omitting your home address and home phone number.

Choose the best closing for a message requesting the receiver's support for a proposed change in a benefits plan.

Contacting me by December 1 about your support of this new benefits plan will allow me to present this proposal at the next strategic planning session.

Which of the following should you do during a panel interview?

Demonstrate active listening skills by leaning slightly forward and maintaining eye contact will all panel members.

Business communicators have many goals in conveying negative news. Which of the following is not a goal in communicating negative news?

Demonstrating the company's superiority in the global marketplace

When you use the AIDA persuasive approach, your first task is to gain the reader's attention (A). Which of the following represents your second step, or "I" tasks, of AIDA?

Describe the benefits a product or service offers and make rational or emotional appeals.

Which statement about direct-mail messages is most accurate?

Direct mail is an effective channel for personalized, tangible, three-dimensional messages that are less invasive than telephone solicitations.

Which of the following would help an individual assess his or her employment qualifications

Do I speak, write, or understand another language?

An important question to be asking yourself during a job interview is

Do I want to work for this organization?

Which statement represents the best advice on the use of references?

Do not include personal or character references.

Theresa decides to follow up with an employer a few days after her interview. Which communication channel is safest for her to use if she does not want to appear too intrusive?

E-mail

Which of these is the best tip for organizing the parts of a résumé?

Emphasize your skills and achievements aimed at a particular job or company

Which of the following statements about writing negative messages is most accurate?

Even experienced communicators are sometimes unsuccessful in meeting the goals related to negative messages.

Which of the following is the best advice about conducting company research?

Examine the company's ads and promotional materials.

Which statement about today's organizations and their employees is most accurate?

Executives today rely on persuasion to achieve buy-in from subordinates.

Research shows that readers of online résumés approach them using which letter as a pattern?

F

ome of today's employers often use applicant tracking software to sort and evaluate résumés. Which of these steps will maximize the "hits" your résumé receives from this kind of software?

Focus on nouns that describe your skills and qualifications.

Which of the following is not a helpful tip for apologizing in a negative-news message?

Focus on your regret.

Graciella is making a persuasive complaint at work. Which of these sentences will be most effective in achieving her goal?

For the past two weeks, fax machine No. 223- 51 has been unavailable to complete essential business for 25 of our employees due to incomplete service. Please ensure our equipment is repaired by Friday.

You are just graduating from college and have little employment experience. What would be the best résumé style to use?

Functional résumé

Porter Grace, RN, is declining an invitation to speak about the health benefits of juice bars at the fall conference of the Health and Fitness Trainers Association (HAFTA). Which of the following is the most effective buffer?

HAFTA members must be looking forward to the annual fall conference in Phoenix this year.

Which of the following is most accurate about the use of persuasion in business?

Honesty is not just the best policy; it's the only policy.

Which of the following is the most effective closing for a sales message?

If your sales don't increase at least 10 percent after your salespeople complete our "Closing the Deal" training, you get a full refund. Use our toll-free number to call me by August 1 and begin training on September 1.

Which of these résumé tips is most accurate?

Improve the visual impact of your résumé by placing your employment achievements and relevant job duties in an easy-to-read bulleted list.

What kind of résumé uses colorful charts, graphics, and time lines to illustrate a candidate's work history and experience?

Infographic résumé

Kenesha must respond to a negative comment written by a customer on Twitter. What advice should she follow?

Kenesha should follow all these tips.

Which of the following is the best tip for creating a successful cover message?

Make activities and outcomes, not yourself, the subject of sentences to reduce overuse of "I."

When an interviewer asks you a challenging question about a weakness, what is the best way to respond?

Mention a previous weakness and the way you have corrected it.

You must write a sales message to prospective customers. What should you do in the opening of your sales message?

Offer something valuable, promise a benefit to the reader, or use some other technique to gain your reader's attention.

Each of the following represents effective phrasing of a reason for leaving a previous position on an application form except

Quit

Recommended guidelines for completing application forms include which of the following?

Read the entire form before beginning to complete it.

Rebecca has an interview with a large company in a nearby city. What information should she learn about the company before her interview?

Rebecca should find out all this information about the prospective employer.

Which of the following messages would most likely require the indirect strategy to persuade an audience?

Requesting favors and action from coworkers

Which of the following statements about personal data on a résumé is most accurate?

Résumés in the United States should omit personal data.

Which of the following will increase the effectiveness of an online sales message?

Sending it only to receivers who have given you permission to send them e-mail marketing messages.

Which of the following statements about interview thank-you messages is most accurate?

Separate thank-you messages should be sent to each interviewer.

Byron has ended a sales message with the sentence Book your vacation by May 15 to receive our reduced rate. What technique is he using to motivate action?

Setting a deadline

Which of the following is the best nonverbal behavior to display during an interview?

Sit erect, leaning forward slightly to show interest and confidence.

Which of the following is an example of a behavioral interview questions

Tell me about a time when you solved a difficult problem.

In announcing negative news to employees, where should you place an alternative, when one exists?

The closing

Which of the following statements about today's job search is most accurate?

The emphasis of today's job search is on the needs of the employer.

Which of the following statements about the ethics of delivering bad news is most accurate?

The indirect strategy is unethical only if the writer intends to deceive the reader.

Which of the following statements about video résumés is most accurate?

They allow candidates to demonstrate their public speaking, interpersonal, and technical skills more impressively than in print résumés.

Choose the best closing sentence for a cover message.

To add to your team an experienced systems analyst with proven analytical and troubleshooting skills, call me at (555) 555-4321 to arrange an interview.

Which of these is the best statement to present a job candidate's information in the body of a cover message?

Your posting description closely matches my experiences assisting dysfunctional families in crisis, and recently I've taken seminars in family dynamics to develop the additional skills that your ad indicates are essential.

An e-portfolio is

a collection of digital files that can be accessed with the use of menus and hyperlinks.

Positive phrasing is important in bad-news messages because it

accomplishes all of thes

After writing a follow-up letter to thank your interviewer, your next step should be

alerting your references that they may be contacted by the employ

Which statement best demonstrates the use of positive wording?

although the warranty will not be extended, we are happy to replace your item with a similar product at no charge.

The first step in the job-search process is to

analyze individual interests and goals and evaluate personal qualifications.

In the body of a persuasive request, you can reduce resistance by

anticipating objections and offering counterarguments.

Techniques to elicit audience desire and overcome reader resistance in a marketing message include all of the following except

application forms.

Persuasive claim messages are also called

complaint messages.

Because your résumé is probably the most important document you will ever write, you should

consider having a knowledgeable friend or relative proofread it.

The buffer in a bad-news message should

contain information that encourages the receiver to continue reading.

To project a professional image when sending a negative message, you should

control your emotions.

All of the following are ways you can develop a personal brand except

creating an attractive résumé.

Purposes of e-mail marketing include attracting new customers, keeping existing customers, encouraging future sales, cross-selling, and

cutting costs.

When you must deliver bad news to one person or a small group, you should usually

deliver the message in person.

In the body of a cover message, you should

demonstrate your qualifications and show how they fit the targeted job.

AIDA, the indirect strategy for persuasive messages, seeks to gain the attention, interest, ________, and action of the audience.

desire

Because many companies now use social networking sites to screen job candidates, you should do each of the following except

discuss your current job and your search frequently on social media so that friends and family will know.

The primary channel that consumers use to interact with brands today is

e-mail.

A 30-second pitch describing who you are and what you can offer to a company or industry is called a(n)

elevator speech.

The primary benefit of using the indirect strategy to communicate bad news is that it

ensures that your reasoning will be read while the receiver is still receptive.

You will use the direct strategy for your message when the bad news is not damaging, when the receiver might overlook the bad news, when directness is preferred, and when

firmness is necessary.

Emotional appeals

focus on status, ego, and sensual feelings.

All of the following are helpful tips to deliver a bad-news message personally in the workplace except

focus on the future and avoid discussing the past or the present.

When calling a customer by phone to address a problem or disappointment, you should describe the problem and apologize, offer an explanation and resolution, and

follow up with a written message that documents the phone call and promotes goodwill.

Your primary goal in writing a sales or marketing message is t

get your audience to devote a few moments of attention to your message.

A bad-news message, whether delivered in person or in writing, is usually better received when you

give the reasons before the bad news.

Using the indirect strategy to prepare the reader in a bad-news message

helps you keep the reader's attention until you can explain the reasons for the bad news.

In the opening of an unsolicited cover message, you should aim to be more persuasive by

implementing all of these strategies.

You can soften the blow of the bad news in refusing a typical request or claim by

implying the refusal.

In the education section of your résumé, you should

include relevant seminars attended and workshops completed.

On behalf of your civic organization, you are inviting a motivational speaker to your semiannual meeting. In your request you guarantee the speaker an enthusiastic audience and a positive impact on the community, both of which emphasize

indirect benefits to the reader.

Most persuasive requests should be organized

indirectly.

Effective persuasion has the aim of __________________ others

influencing

persuasion in today's businesses focuses on

influencing other

All of the following messages to subordinates would use the indirect strategy except

instructions to operate the new phone system installed in all offices

Human Resource Specialist Julie Woodard must inform employees of a major reduction in health care benefits. When delivering this announcement, she should apply all the following techniques except

let the employees find out through the office grapevine.

Rational appeals focus on making or saving money, increasing efficiency, and

making good use of resources.

The biggest error most applicants make when writing a cover message is

making the letter too generic.

A job interview provides an opportunity for you to do all of the following excep

meet with all the company's employees.

The closing of a persuasive request should

motivate action.

If an interviewer asks if you have any questions at the end of an interview, which of the following is an inappropriate response?

no, I have no questions right now; you have shared all the information I need.

An applicant tracking systems (ATS) is most likely to select your résumé if it focuses on

nouns.

Although you can't expect to be perfect in an employment interview, you can do your best by

occasionally refocusing and clarifying vague questions by asking Do you mean...?

As a persuasive writer, you should practice all of the following except

offering a bribe or kickback to ensure that you win over your audience.

The primary route to hiring today continues to be

personal networking.

All of the following are effective techniques for softening bad news except

positioning the bad news at the beginning or end of a paragraph.

Panel interviews are typically conducted by people who will be your supervisors and colleagues. An important advantage of the panel interview is

saving company money on repeated interviews and related costs.

When you apply for a position but are rejected, employment experts recommend that you

send a rejection follow-up message indicating you are disappointed but will contact the company again in a month in case a job opens up.

When the interviewer asks you questions about the future, you should provide answers that

show ambition and interest in succeeding with the company.

If an interviewer says Why do you want to work for us?, you should

show what you know about the interviewer's company and how your goals match the company and its culture.

Kendra is searching for a job and wants to use electronic sources. Which of the following will probably be her best source of online job listings?

specific company websites

When the interviewer says Describe a time when you worked successfully as a member of a team, your best response will be to

tell a success story about a specific group project, your contributions, and the results.

If you must turn down a job offer, employment experts suggest you should send the employer a letter

thanking the employer for the offer and briefly declining the position.

The indirect strategy works best when the bad news is personally upsetting, when the news will prompt a hostile reaction, and when

the message arrives unexpected

Readers are more likely to accept negative news when

they feel that the decision was fair, impartial, and rational.

Personally delivering bad news is sometimes recommended, but written messages are important to establish a record of the incident, to formally confirm follow-up procedures, and

to promote good relations.

When writers must convey bad news, they must carefully consider all of the following except the

total number of words they use.

When writing persuasive claim or complaint messages, you should

use a moderate tone.

To help you develop your personal network, you should do all of the following except

use only online resources to help you connect with others.

When creating a plain-text résumé,

use white space or a line of hyphens or equal signs to separate sections.

When you must refuse typical requests, you should first think about how the receiver will react to your refusal and decide

whether to use the direct or the indirect strategy.

Persuasion is necessary when

your audience may have resistance about your idea.

In crafting e-mail sales messages, the term above the fold refers to

your primary points appearing early in the message.

The purpose of a cover message is to​

​ ​introduce the résumé.

Many job candidates use LinkedIn to​

​All answer choices are ways that LinkedIn can help candidates locate jobs.

Which type of hiring/placement interview is the most common

​One-on-one interview

Which of ​the following statements about online interviews is most accurate?

​Online interviews save job applicants and companies time and money.

Which statement about open and hidden job markets is most accurate?​

​The open job market consists of jobs that are advertised or listed.

What information should you provide your references so that they can write a recommendation?

​You should provide all this information to your references.

The most popular résumé format is the​

​chronological format.

​A large part of your job-search strategy should be deciding what makes you special and desirable in the job market. This introspective process is called

​personal branding.