Think You Have Job Search Savvy?

Think You Have Job Search Savvy? by CareerBuilder.com <br /><br />Think you've got job hunting down to a science? Test your job-searching smarts with this quiz:<br /><br />1. What is the most effective way to e-mail a résumé to a potential employer? <br />A) Copy and paste it into the body of the e-mail<br />B) Attach it as a plain text file<br />C) Attach it as a PDF file<br />D) Attach it as a Word document <br /><br />Answer: A. Sending an employer a virus that crashes his or her computer will kill your chances at landing the job. Plus, the hiring manager might hesitate to open attachments from unknown senders. <br /><br />2. What percentage of hiring managers automatically dismiss résumés or cover letters with spelling or grammatical errors?<br />A) Nearly 25 percent<br />B) Nearly 33 percent<br />C) Nearly 50 percent<br />D) Nearly 66 percent<br /><br />Answer: C. Forty-nine percent of hiring managers said résumés and cover letters with errors or typos go straight into the trash bin. Proofread carefully. <br /><br />3. True or false: Hiring managers count volunteer work as relevant experience.<br />A) True<br />B) False<br /><br />Answer: A. In a CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 600 hiring managers, 63 percent said they consider volunteer work to be relevant experience when evaluating a candidate. <br /><br />4. An employer will likely discard a résumé that leaves out:<br />A) Hobbies or other personal information<br />B) An objective statement<br />C) Dates of employment<br />D) Fancy formatting<br /><br />Answer: C. Omitting dates of employment raises a red flag to employers who may believe you have something to hide -- incessant job hopping, for example. You're better off telling the truth.<br /><br />5. True or false: An employer can choose not to hire you because of your credit score.<br />A) True<br />B) False<br /><br />Answer: A. Employers are increasingly using credit checks as part of the screening process. But don't worry: An employer must request your permission before running your credit report. If a hiring manager rejects you because of your credit, he or she must show you the report and tell you how to get a free copy from a consumer reporting agency.<br /><br />6. Which of the following is NOT an illegal interview question?<br />A) You have a very unusual last name. What is its origin?<br />B) Have you ever been fired from a position?<br />C) Are you planning to start a family in the near future?<br />D) I notice you're wearing a Star of David necklace. Are you very religious?<br /><br />Answer: B. While an employer can't base a hiring decision on sex, religion or national origin, your employment history is fair game.<br /><br />7. Hiring managers have seen a lot of bizarre job seeker tactics. Which of these stories is a fake? <br />A) Candidate sent flowers and chocolates to hiring manager's home.<br />B) Candidate brought Starbucks for the entire office.<br />C) Candidate photocopied his face as background for his résumé.<br />D) Candidate brought references -- in person -- with her to the interview.<br /><br />Answer: A. Some people go to extreme lengths to try and land a position. No word on how successful these candidates were.<br /><br />8. What percentage of hiring managers would think less of or outright reject a candidate who didn't send a thank-you letter after the interview?<br />A) 12 percent<br />B) 28 percent<br />C) 36 percent<br />D) 47 percent<br /><br />Answer: D. Politeness counts: Nearly 15 percent would automatically dismiss a candidate who didn't send a thank-you note, and an additional 32 percent would think less highly of the candidate. <br /><br />9. How many days do Americans receive, on average, as part of their compensation package?<br />A) 10<br />B) 12<br />C) 15<br />D) 18<br /><br />Answer: B. According to a survey by travel site Expedia.com, Americans receive 12 vacation days and give back an average of three per year.<br /><br />10. According to a survey of more than 875 hiring managers, what percentage of employers say the first salary offer is final?<br />A) 30 percent<br />B) 40 percent<br />C) 50 percent<br />D) 60 percent<br /><br />Answer: A. Nearly six-in-ten hiring managers say they'll extend a new salary offer once if a candidate asks for it. Nearly one-in-ten say they'll extend a new offer twice or more if they really want a candidate. <br /><br /><br />Score:<br />8-10: Congratulations, you're a job-hunting guru! <br /><br />6-7: Nice work, but there's room for improvement. <br /><br />4-5: Not bad, but be sure to brush up on your skills.<br /><br />0-3: Better get back to the drawing board.

Think You Have Job Search Savvy?

Think You Have Job Search Savvy? by CareerBuilder.com Think you've got job hunting down to a science? Test your job-searching smarts wit...

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