The Observer, March 23, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 21
Ask Amy...
Are you a savvy job seeker able to get the position you want? Take the following quiz to find out! The questions are based on information contained in Job Hunting for Dummies®. To see the correct answers, visit the Career Center's website, http://careercenter.case.edu.
It's commonly estimated that what percentage of jobs are filled by word of mouth?
a. 50 percent
b. 30 percent
c. Over 60 percent
d. Under 10 percent
According to a poll of executives, how do hiring managers prefer a candidate's resume to be organized?
a. Functional (organized around skills, experiences and accomplishments)
b. Chronological (organized by date of previous work experience)
c. Combination (a combination of functional and chronological)
d. Alphabetical (all information listed in alphabetical order)
Which of the following is a breach of interview etiquette?
a. Admitting that you don't know the answer to a question
b. Taking a seat before the interviewer has offered you one
c. Accepting a cup of coffee from the person interviewing you
d. Shaking the interviewer's left hand
How many interviews can most employees expect to go through before they are offered a job?
a. Four to five
b. Two or three
c. One to two
d. Five to six
According to a recent survey, what percentage of executives considers the advice of their administrative assistants to be important when making hiring decisions?
a. Over 90 percent
b. 30 percent
c. 60 percent
d. 50 percent
Executives believe approximately what proportion of job seekers lie on their resumes?
a. Two-thirds
b. Half
c. Over 90 percent
d. One-third
Executives were asked for the quality in job seekers–apart from ability–that impressed them most during an interview. Three responses each received about 30 percent of the vote. They were:
a. Sense of humor, enthusiasm, appearance
b. Appearance, verbal skills, honesty
c. Honesty, enthusiasm, verbal skills
d. Enthusiasm, appearance, honesty
Assuming all the other candidates have resumes as impressive as yours, which of the following factors will likely give you an edge?
a. Knowing more about the firm than any other candidate so you can discuss how your skills meet their needs
b. Maintaining a constant presence through regular calls and e-mails to the hiring manager
c. Having the lowest salary requirements
If you are a last minute job seeker and want to learn how to master the job search process, attend the Job Search Boot Camp on Thursday, March 29 from 5:30-8 p.m. Visit http://careercenter.case.edu for more information.
