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1. What will a good cover letter get you?
   a document to go with your resume
   a job
   lots of praise
   an interview
   

    

2. Which of the following is NOT a function of a cover letter?
   To tell the employer what kind of job you seek
   To show how well you write or express yourself
   To inform the reader of what you expect to get out of the job you're applying for
   To entice the reader to want to get to know you better by interviewing you
   

    

3. When should you send a cover letter?
   Only when an ad specifically requests it
   Every time you send out your resume
   When you need to list your salary requirement
   When you need to list references
   

    

4. Which of the following is NOT one of the 3 types of cover letters?
   The Referral Cover Letter
   The Uninvited/Cold Contact Cover Letter
   The Hot Prospect Cover Letter
   The Invited Cover Letter
   

    

5. Why is the Uninvited/Cold Contact Cover Letter the most common type?
   Because it's better to catch employers by surprise
   Because most people don't know any better
   Because employers prefer them
   Because 75-95 percent of jobs are not advertised
   

    

6. What job-hunting technique does the highly effective Referral Cover Letter spring from?
   Networking
   Prospecting
   Cold-canvassing
   Interviewing
   

    

7. Other than getting attention by name-dropping, how can the Referral Cover Letter help you get interviews?
   It contains a special paragraph that employers find hard to resist
   It does a better job of highlighting your resume than other types of cover letters.
   Since it mentions the name of a mutual acquaintance between the writer and recipient, it would be rude for the recipient not to interview the person referred to him/her by the mutual friend.
   It contains more ways to get in touch with you than other cover letters do.
   

    

8. The Self-referral Cover Letter. . .
   Reminds an acquaintance of your previous association
   Tends to be very boastful
   Is generally a mistake
   Shows off your marketability
   

    

9. Which of the following is NOT something that a cover letter writer should always do in his or her opening paragraph?
   Tell why he or she is writing
   Flatter the employer with knowledge of the company
   Be specific about the position sought and what the job-seeker can offer.
   Attempt to arouse the employer's interest.
   

    

10. True or False: The effectiveness of taking risks with the opening paragraph of your letter depends greatly on the field in which you are are seeking a job.
    True
    False
    

     

11. Which of the following is NOT something that a cover letter should always contain in its closing paragraph?
    Suggestion/request for an interview.
    Statement that the letter-writer will follow up with a phone call to arrange the interview.
    Statement that the letter-writer looks forward to hearing from the recipient.
    Statement thanking the employer for considering the letter-writer.
    

     

12. Which of the following is NOT one of the 3 most common cover letter mistakes?
    Leaving out salary requirements
    Not addressing the letter to a named individual
    Failing to be proactive; leaving the ball in the employer's court.
    Telling what the employer should do for you rather than what you can do for the employer.

     

13. True or False: It is wise to include phrases such as "I feel" and "I believe" in cover letters.
    True
    False

     

14. What's the best way to make value judgments or claims of personal attributes more credible in a cover letter?
    Use very positive language in making the claims
    Substantiate the claims by attributing them to a third party
    There is no good way to make such claims, so omit them
    Refer the reader to your resume

     

15. How could you rewrite this passage so that the writer takes credit for himself/herself instead of crediting others? "I was placed in a management position and received the Employee of the Month Award. My supervisor required me to oversee five employees and be accountable for their performance."
    

     

16. How could you rewrite this sentence so that it doesn't contain a negative qualifier? "Although I am not very familiar with Lotus, I am experienced in other spreadsheet programs."
    

     

17. True or False: Employers like candidates to express a willingness to perform any available job.
    True
    False

     

18. True or False: If you are not fully qualified, it's always a good idea to state in your cover letter that you are a fast learner.
    True
    False

     

19. An "Autobiography Letter . . ."
    is the best kind of cover letter to write
    should be used when you don't have a lot of work experience
    is generally rambling and unfocused
    is a good choice for college students
    

     

20. The best way to fix a "Kitchen Sink" paragraph is:
    break it into smaller paragraphs and relate each one to the job sought
    omit it altogether
    add more adjectives
    make sure it is the first paragraph in the letter

     

21. True or False: It's OK to mention skills gained in school even if they have nothing to do with the job sought.
    True
    False

     

22. How can you make the most of your college experience in your cover letter?
    describe skills gained in the classroom
    describe sports and extracurricular activities
    discuss hands-on projects
    all of the above

     

23. True or False: Transferable skills should be portrayed in the resume only, NOT in the cover letter.
    True
    False

     

24. The fact that very few jobseekers demonstrate their knowledge of the company in their cover letters means that:
    it's an incorrect practice
    it's hard to research companies
    you will stand out if you do demonstrate such knowledge
    they are not really interested in the job
    

     

25. The best way to tailor your cover letter to a want ad is to:
    avoid the keywords and buzzwords in the ad because that's plagiarism
    tell the employer that your resume is scannable
    use keywords and buzzwords from the ad
    try to sound a little overqualified

     

26. True or False: The tone of your letter should align with the type of job you're applying for.
    True
    False

     

27. True or False: It's a bad idea to include bullets in your cover letter because it makes the letter too much like a resume.
    True
    False

     

28. True or False: Keywords can be used as a form of "word bullet" to draw attention to your most relevant skills.
    True
    False

     

29. True or False: The worst possible way to tailor your cover letter to an ad is to use a 2-column format.
    True
    False

     

30. A postscript (P.S.) on your cover letter. . .
    should never be handwritten
    will be the first thing the employer notices on your letter
    should be avoided
    should avoid mentioning your USP
    

     

31. What's the best way to make an employer want to get to know you better by interviewing you?
    imply that you have information that could be used against the employer
    write a paragraph that opens a window into your personality
    Tell a hiring manager of the opposite sex about your alluring physical traits
    use very flowery language

     

32. Your USP is:
    Your Unilaterally Simplistic Paradox
    Your Unequaled Sexual Prowess
    Your Unique Selling Proposition
    Your Unforgettably Superior Popularity

     

33. The PEP Formula tells the employer that:
    you can help the company save money
    you can increase the company's productivity
    you can help the company make money
    all of the above

     

34. Write a sample cover-letter sentence that includes an example of quantifying.
    

     

35. Write a sample cover-letter sentence using a "superlative" or "first."
    

     

36. True or False: It's a good idea to start every sentence with "I" in a cover letter to show ownership of your qualifications.
    True
    False

     

37. Rewrite this sentence with a more descriptive verb: "I worked as a supervisor of three team members."
    

     

38. Rewrite this sentence with a more descriptive verb: "I was a writer for a catalog company."
    

     

39. Rewrite this sentence with a more descriptive verb: "I did a business plan as part of a class project."
    

     

40. Standard Business Letter format calls for leaving how many lines of space for your signature?
    2
    6
    4
    3

     

41. True or False: It's OK to write a formulaic cover letter because most employers don't read them anyway.
    True
    False

     

42. True or False: Long paragraphs are expected in cover letters so job-seekers can elaborate on qualifications
    True
    False

     

43. True or False: College students should be sure to indicate that they seek an entry-level job.
    True
    False

     

44. True or False: Never make an unsolicited salary request in a cover letter.
    True
    False

     

45. True or False: It is still considered perfectly acceptable in the business world to use a salutation such as "Dear Sirs" or "Gentlemen:"
    True
    False
    

     

46. True or False: As a college student, you should approach your cover letter primarily from an academic point of reference.
    True
    False

     

47. True or False: A cover letter should not rehash your resume.
    True
    False