question

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

answer

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

question

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

answer

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

question

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

answer

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

question

Creating a traditional paper résumé is

answer

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

question

The purpose of a résumé is to

answer

get you an interview

question

In composing a résumé, it is best to avoid

answer

using the word I.

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

answer

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

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

answer

start with your most recent job and work back chronologically.

question

Do not include on your résumé items that could encourage discrimination, such as

answer

marital status

question

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

answer

not necessary since the availability of references is usually assumed.

question

The most common problem with résumé design is

answer

using excessive and distracting design elements.

question

When you're preparing an introductory statement for your résumé, all of the following except a ________ can be a good choice

answer

personality profile

question

Potential employers view your résumé as

answer

evidence of your attention to quality and detail.

question

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

answer

true

question

The best approach for an application letter depends on

answer

whether you are sending a solicited letter or an unsolicited letter

question

When you're writing an application letter to accompany your résumé,

answer

treat it with same care that you took with your résumé.

question

You'll impress prospective employers with your application letter if you

answer

show that you know something about the company and its marketplace.

question

The best salutation for an application letter is

answer

one that addresses a specific individual by name.

question

When it comes to length, an application letter should

answer

be short no more than three paragraphs.

question

Which of the following would be the best opening sentence for a solicited application letter?

answer

Based on your company's remarkable growth over the past three years, I can appreciate your need for highly qualified and experienced sales personnel."

question

In the middle section of a job application letter, you should

answer

present your strongest selling points in terms of their potential benefit to the organization.

question

In the final paragraph of your application letter you should

answer

request an interview and provide contact information.

question

In general, employers are looking for two things: proof that a candidate can handle the responsibilities of the position and

answer

evidence that the person will fit in with the organization.

question

When going to a job interview

answer

take along samples of your work; recruiters are impressed by tangible evidence of job-related accomplishments.

question

The longest phase of a job interview is usually

answer

the question-and-answer stage.

question

When a job interviewer indicates the interview is coming to a close, you should

answer

prepare to leave but (if possible) try to pin down what will happen next.

question

Within two days after an employment interview, you should

answer

follow-up with a short note of thanks, using a tone that's positive but not overconfident.

question

An unsolicited job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the reader's attention.

answer

true

question

The appropriate clothing for most job interviews is something conservative, such as a dark blue suit.

answer

true

question

The term groupthink refers to

answer

the willingness of individual group members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions, even when those objections are legitimate, and to go along with majority opinion.

question

A hidden agenda refers to

answer

individuals' private, counterproductive motives.

question

The primary difference between constructive feedback and destructive feedback is

answer

destructive feedback delivers criticism with no guidance for improvement.

question

The best time to distribute an agenda for a meeting is

answer

before the meeting begins.

question

Parliamentary procedure.

answer

helps meetings run more smoothly.

question

If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to

answer

evaluate the logic and validity of the message.

question

Selective listening refers to

answer

letting one's mind wander until something personally relevant is said.

question

In part, poor listening occurs because listeners

answer

can think faster than speakers can speak.

question

Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is false?

answer

Nonverbal signals will allow you to "read someone like a book."

question

When working in teams, getting your point across

answer

is easier when you wait until others are ready to hear your arguments.

question

Active listening involves

answer

making a conscious effort to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying.

question

Nonverbal signals play a vital role in communication because they can ________ a verbal message.

answer

all of the above

question

Cross-functional teams perform several roles, but contain employees from the same department or division.

answer

False

question

In the phenomenon of groupthink, the team may arrive at poor-quality decisions and even act unethically.

answer

True

question

Conflict between persons or groups in an organization is always destructive and must be avoided at all costs.

answer

False

question

Diversity in the workplace can be based on differences in

answer

All of these.

question

As it pertains to communication, culture influences

answer

all of these

question

Xenophobia is the fear of

answer

strangers and foreigners

question

The term ________ describes the practice of accepting multiple cultures on their own terms.

answer

cultural pluralism

question

To convey meaning in a low-context culture such as the one existing in Germany, people rely more on

answer

explicit verbal communication.

question

When adapting to other cultures, the "Golden Rule" is

answer

less effective than treating others the way they want to be treated.

question

When writing for multicultural audiences, it is often helpful to

answer

use simple sentences and short paragraphs

question

Which of the following sentences contains an idiomatic expression?

answer

Making our monthly sales quota will be a piece of cake.

question

During conversations with non-native English speakers, you should

answer

do none of these

question

Cultural competency refers to

answer

the ability to adjust one's communication style to accommodate cultural differences.

question

When it comes to core values,

answer

many cultures have very little (or nothing) in common with others.

question

Openness and inclusiveness

answer

are not characteristics of many cultures, whose members display a general unwillingness to accommodate outsiders.

question

Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages between people whose cultural backgrounds

answer

could lead them to interpret verbal and nonverbal signs differently.

question

The term ________ includes an appreciation for cultural differences that affect communication and the ability to adjust one's style when communicating across cultures.

answer

cultural competency

question

Most people belong to only one culture

answer

false

question

Culture is inborn, not learned.

answer

false

question

Evidence suggests that whatever the culture, men and women tend to have slightly different communication styles.

answer

true

question

In general, when writing to someone in another country, U.S. businesspeople should be a bit more formal than they would be otherwise.

answer

true

question

The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are

answer

planning, writing, and completing.

question

The primary audience for your message consists of

answer

the key decision makers in the audience.

question

Forecasting your audience's probable reaction to your message is

answer

vital, because potential audience reaction affects message organization.

question

A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it for

answer

the who, what, when, where, why, and how.

question

Using oral media for business communication

answer

can lead to awkward conversations, but also help you earn a reputation as an honest, caring manager.

question

In general, traditional business messages rely

answer

primarily on text, with occasional support from graphical elements. (such as charts and diagrams).

question

Which of the following media would be best for sending a brief internal message (requiring no response from your audience) about an upcoming software update?

answer

email

question

A key advantage of oral communication is

answer

the opportunity to get immediate feedback.

question

Organizing messages effectively helps readers by

answer

all of these

question

Planning is essential when writing business messages because it

answer

all of these

question

Use ________ to organize a message if you believe your audience will be receptive to what you have to say.

answer

the direct approach

question

No one has time to plan messages anymore, so when you need to create one it is best to simply dive right in and begin writing.

answer

False

question

Social media empower stakeholders to participate in the communication process by allowing them to

answer

All of these

question

Even though you've sent numerous emails and left voicemail messages, a normally dependable vendor has not responded to your important question. Which of the following would be a sensible next step?

answer

consider sending a printed message

question

When selecting the appropriate compositional mode for a communication task using electronic media, the central factor to consider is

answer

what kind of information audience members are likely to need.

question

Thanks to Facebook, you've recently connected with an old friend who lives in another state. She emails you frequently at work, often sharing racially charged jokes that you find offensive. Concerned about what would happen if your boss or coworkers saw her emails, you should

answer

politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and then speak privately with your boss about the problem and how you have addressed it.

question

You should plan for important business exchanges via IM by viewing them as

answer

conversations with specific goals in mind.

question

When you're applying the three-step writing process to blogging, the planning step will include

answer

all of these

question

Business people can use text messaging for

answer

all of these

question

In the social media landscape, companies that ________ are likely to be ignored.

answer

take a "we talk, you listen" approach

question

Each social network is a unique environment with its own communication norms. As you're adapting to the expectations of each network, be sure to Question options:

answer

maintain a consistent personality across all networks in which you're active.

question

Twitter is one example of a microblogging system.

answer

true

question

Creating effective social media content in business means taking every opportunity to promote your company's products.

answer

False

question

It is illegal for your company to open and read email you send and receive at work.

answer

False

question

Spelling, punctuation, and grammar do not matter in email; getting your message out quickly should be your only concern.

answer

False

question

Blogs are useful tools for crisis communication

answer

True

question

When making a routine request, you should begin with

answer

a clear statement of the main idea or request.

question

When making a routine request, you should

answer

assume the audience will comply

question

When asking multiple questions in a request message,

answer

begin with the most important question

question

When closing a direct request, you should

answer

request a specific response and mention the time limits.

question

When responding to a customer's request for an adjustment, it is usually reasonable to assume that

answer

If you handle the situation well, the customer will be even more loyal than before.

question

When responding to a claim when your company is at fault, it is best to

answer

take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight.

question

For serious problems that go beyond routine errors, your company should have ________ that outlines communication, both inside and outside the organization.

answer

a crisis management plan

question

In today's electronic media environment, handwritten thank-you notes

answer

are often particularly appreciated by the recipient.

question

When making an unusual or complex request, it is best to

answer

break it down into specific, individual questions.

question

When asking for information and action, explaining why you're making the request

answer

is part of an effective strategy for getting what you want.

question

Most simple requests can be handled by explaining

answer

all of these

question

In business communication, good etiquette

answer

indicates respect for the audience and minimizes negative emotional reaction.

question

In part because of limited opportunities for feedback, written communication and most forms of electronic communication require ________ than oral communication.

answer

more tact

question

Select the sentence with the most positive emphasis.

answer

We will complete the process audit by Friday.

question

When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to

answer

focus on what the audience members can do to improve.

question

A euphemism is a word or phrase that is

answer

a milder term for one with negative connotations.

question

Using the term crippled in business communication is an example of

answer

disability bias.

question

The best tone for most business messages is

answer

conversational

question

Plain language is a style of writing

answer

designed to make information more understandable to the audience.

question

Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording?

answer

We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will plummet.

question

You can emphasize key points by

answer

doing all of these

question

A typical paragraph contains the three basic elements of

answer

a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases.

question

Words such as nevertheless, however, but, and therefore

answer

are useful for making transitions

question

Most business communication should aim for a ________ tone.

answer

conversational

question

As you create and refine your messages, evaluate your writing at all of the following levels except

answer

multimedia enhancements

question

If you must deliver a negative message, ask ________ to help you choose the direct or indirect approach for delivering the message.

answer

all of these

question

Consider the following statements. Which one of them is phrased in a negative way?

answer

your payment is late

question

When using the direct approach to deliver negative messages, you

answer

should end the message on a respectful note.

question

One important goal of a buffer is to

answer

establish common ground with your reader.

question

In a negative message organized using the indirect approach, the reasons for the decision should

answer

come directly after the buffer and follow naturally from it.

question

As a rule, managers should use ________ to deliver bad news to employees.

answer

the indirect approach

question

In general, the best persuasive messages ________ the audience's potential resistance.

answer

anticipate and address

question

Which of the following is not an example of demographic information?

answer

lifestyle

question

Regarding the three-step writing process, all of the following except ________ are important elements of the completing step.

answer

forecasting the message

question

Which one of the following questions will not help you evaluate the way a business message is organized?

answer

Have you achieved the right tone for your audience?

question

All of the following except ________ will make a business message easier to read or skim

answer

presenting ideas in lengthy paragraphs

question

Skilled business writers

answer

vary the length of their sentences to maintain reader interest and convey information effectively.

question

Informative headings and subheadings

answer

guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered.

question

Which of the following is an example of a hedging sentence?

answer

The employee's performance appears to be less than satisfactory.

question

As you're in the process of editing your document for clarity, remember to

answer

keep the subject and predicate of a sentence as close together as possible.

question

For effective document design, you should

answer

balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.

question

When using graphics, photos, video clips and other online content in multimedia documents,

answer

it is vital to make sure you can legally use them.

question

When you're writing a business message, use headings and subheadings to

answer

all of these

Business Comm Test 1 – Flashcards

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