Q&A Hero

Q: Identify and explain the five Ss key to writing effective goodwill messages. Then, share two types of goodwill messages and write an effective example of each.

Q: When an interviewer responds to an interviewee's comment with silence, this might mean any of the following EXCEPT: A. "Tell me more". B. "I'm interested in your answer". C. "I'm not satisfied with the depth of your answer". D. "I'm ready to move on to the next topic".

Q: You are a landlord for an office building. You just received a claim letter from a tenant asking for a refund of $3,000 for a duplicate rent payment in June. You check your records and find out that the June rent was deducted twice from the tenant's bank account. You think this must have been a bank error, but the double amount was transferred to your bank account. Write an adjustment letter to the tenant indicating that you are enclosing a refund check. Write only the body of the letter, omitting the letter addresses, salutation, complimentary close, and enclosure line.

Q: Reasons for using probes include all of the following EXCEPT: A. seeking elaboration. B. requesting clarification. C. encouraging the interviewee to say more (by pausing or inserting short prods such as "uh-huh" or "hmmmm"). D. demonstrating authority.

Q: You are responsible for writing an instruction e-mail message that will outline the new procedures to log on to the company network. Develop a numbered list containing at least five steps. Your list should be written clearly using parallel structure.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the interviewer during the interview process? A. Control and focus the conversation. B. Listen actively. C. Give clear and detailed answers. D. Use secondary questions to probe for important information.

Q: Your company was charged twice last month for its rent. This amount is automatically deducted from your company's checking account, and you just noticed the double entry for June. You must write a claim letter to your landlord asking for a refund of $3,000. Write a clear, concise claim letter. Because you expect your landlord to agree readily, use the direct strategy. Write only the body of the letter, omitting the letter addresses, salutation, complimentary close, and enclosure line.

Q: In most cases, the interviewer should NOT A. control the direction of the conversation. B. let the interviewee continue to talk about one question for a long time, if this encroaches on other significant question areas. C. allot preplanned blocks of time to each agenda item. D. use probes.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Even in our digital era, claims written as ________ are taken more seriously than telephone calls or e-mails.

Q: Motivating the interviewee to participate should occur during the ___________ stage of the interview. A. opening B. body C. review D. follow-up

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: The most emphatic positions in a message are the opening and ________.

Q: Stating the purpose and length of the interview is part of the __________ step of the interview. A. body B. orientation C. rapport D. procedural

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: You might want to avoid beginning with Will you please ... because, although such a statement sounds like a question, it is actually a disguised _________.

Q: "Our purpose for this interview is to find out what features you'd like in the new office design so we can try to make everyone as comfortable as possible." In which part of the interview does this question belong? A. rapport B. orientation C. disclosure D. norming

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ________ messages express thanks, congratulations, recognition, and sympathy.

Q: During the opening phase of an interview, the interviewer should accomplish all of the following EXCEPT: A. greet the interviewee. B. explain the reason for the interview. C. clarify ground rules. D. ask a critical incident question.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Planning for ________ is important in helping you determine whether your message has been successful. You can do this by asking questions such as Are you comfortable with these suggestions? or What do you think?

Q: Which basic functions should be included in the opening phase of an interview? A. rapport, orientation, and motivation B. rapport, discussion, and follow-up C. motivation, orientation, and probes D. introduction, body, and conclusion

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: A company's review of social media sites to gather data for the purpose of improving business strategy and customer service is called social _______.

Q: In the orientation segment of a typical interview, the interviewer should not A. mention the approximate length of the interview. B. conceal the true purpose of the interview. C. give an overview of what information is needed and how it will be used. D. state the reason for the interview.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Goodwill messages should be selfless, specific, sincere, spontaneous, and ________.

Q: The opening of the interview is a time to accomplish all of the following EXCEPT: A. Build rapport. B. Motivate the interviewee to cooperate. C. Provide a sense of direction for the interview. D. Ask a clearinghouse question.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Remove the protective seal from the toner cartridge has been written in the ________, or command, mood.

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the stages of an interview? A. opening B. body C. persuasion D. closing

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: When a company receives a claim and decides to respond favorably, the response message is called a(n) ________.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ________ (or complaint) letters are written by customers to identify or to correct a problem with products or services they have purchased.

Q: All of the following are effective strategies for participating in a job fair EXCEPT A. Do research ahead of time about employers that interest you. B. While standing in line, ask other candidates what they've learned at the fair. C. Ask each company's representative to describe what their company does. D. Follow up after the fair by calling or emailing potential employers to thank them and to confirm your interest.

Q: Which of the following factors was mentioned in your text as likely to increase the ability of interview participants to think creatively? A. sitting at a desk in the supervisor's office B. scheduling the interview just after an important meeting C. sitting 40 inches apart D. meeting away from the normal habitat of either participant

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: To ensure your safety, please read the user manual before operating your replacement drill focuses on reader _______.

Q: Which of the following is NOT true about conducting an effective video interview? A. A video or telephone interview should generally be shorter than an in-person interview. B. Arrange an alternate way of contacting the other party in case you need to communicate while you're establishing the connection. C. If your interviewee needs to see information that you will discuss in the interview, send it in advance. D. Set the video equipment up on the interviewer's end so that the interview will occur in a location that is typical of your business, such as the lunchroom or lobby; this gives the interviewee a chance to view the physical setting he or she would be working in.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Action information and deadlines belong in the ________ of a routine request message.

Q: Mr. Madaren asks "How many years did you work for your previous employer?" Which type of question is Mr. Madaren using? A. critical incident B. indirect C. hypothetical D. factual

Q: If I asked someone "Which do you prefer, working alone or working with others?" during an interview, which type of question would I be using? A. factual B. opinion C. hypothetical D. indirect

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: The primary focus of a(n) _______ message is on how you are complying with the request, how the problem occurred, and how you are working to prevent its recurrence.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Avoiding pretentious, formal, or flowery language in a goodwill message helps to ensure that your message seems _______.

Q: During an interview for a new marketing position in the company that she worked for, Sharon's boss asked her a number of questions such as "If you were in the following situation, what would your reaction be?" Which of the following types of question is her boss asking? A. factual B. hypothetical C. leading D. indirect

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Deciding whether to ________ to a customer in an adjustment message is a debatable issue. Some attorneys discourage doing so, but many customers appreciate it.

Q: Which of the following is the most appropriate type of question if you want to acquire information that you believe might be risky or embarrassing? A. risky B. counterfeit C. indirect D. manipulative

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Use the ________ organizational strategy for claims to which you expect the receiver to agree readily.

Q: Shane knew that he was not supposed to ask interviewees whether they had children. However, he found that if he asked them what they spent most of their time on outside of work, it became obvious from their answers whether they had children. What type of question is Shane using in this example? A. illegal B. secondary C. hypothetical D. indirect

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Routine, positive messages are those that communicate straightforward requests, replies, and ________.

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the suggested reasons for an interviewer to use an open question in an interview? A. to discover the interviewee's feelings or values B. to discover the interviewee' values C. to maintain control over the conversation D. to evaluate the interviewee's communication skills

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Business letters are important when a permanent record is required, when a message is confidential, and when ________ is necessary.

Q: As manager of the human resource center for a local newspaper for the past 10 years, Darcy has found that the best way to get accurate information from prospective employees is to ask them questions that require them to expand on topics and explain their personal opinions. Which type of questions does Darcy like to use? A. closed B. leading C. open D. factual

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: When you write messages that request information or action and think your request will be received positively, use the _________ organizational strategy.

Q: In which of the situations below would you choose an open question? A. You want to evaluate the interviewee's communication skills. B. Time is short. C. You need to compare the results of many interviews in a standardized format. D. You (the interviewer) are not highly skilled at interviewing.

Q: All of the following are closed questions EXCEPT A. "What is your GPA?" B. "What are your career plans?" C. "When do you expect to graduate?" D. "Would you prefer to use a highly structured, moderately structured, or nonstructured interview format?"

Q: Caroline needs information from a coworker in another office about an upcoming sales promotion. What is the best communication channel for Caroline to use to request this information?a. E-mailb. Phone callc. Memod. Letter

Q: As an interviewer, if you wanted to be able to maintain as much control as possible over the conversation, which of the following types of questions would you use? A. secondary B. indirect C. open D. closed

Q: What is the most accurate statement about sending goodwill messages e via e-mail? a. In todays digital age, all goodwill messages should be sent via e-mail. b. If you frequently communicate with the receiver by e-mail and if you are sure your note will not get lost, then sending an e-mail goodwill message is acceptable. c. Although other goodwill messages can be sent via e-mail, sympathy messages should never be sent this way. d. You should never send goodwill messages via e-mail.

Q: Which of the following types of questions restricts the interviewee's response most? A. open B. hypothetical C. closed D. opinion

Q: Which of the following is the best example of placing the most important information first in a routine information request message? a. I am writing this e-mail message to ask for information about some of your products. b. Our manager recently gave his staff approval to purchase new office printers. c. Hi, my name is Charlie Shi, and I have been asked to write to you directly. d. Please answer the following questions about your office printers.

Q: Which type of question is the following: "What is your opinion about our new benefits package?" A. indirect B. closed C. factual D. open

Q: Which of the following is the best closing for an adjustment message? a. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. b. We are deeply sorry for this unfortunate event. c. We hope that this refund check proves our commitment to providing excellent customer service. d. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.

Q: Tucker was interviewing for a sales position with a local pharmaceutical company. During the interview he was asked a significant number of demanding questions that warranted complex, detailed responses. According to the text, which type of questions was the interviewer asking? A. open B. imaginary C. direct D. closed

Q: The first sentence of an information request is usually a(n) ________ or a polite command. a. question b. explanation c. justification d. friendly greeting

Q: When an interviewer introduces a new topic area, she is using a A. turn-taking question. B. primary question. C. secondary question. D. leading question.

Q: A colleague has decided to write a negative online review of a restaurant she recently visited and has asked for your advice. What is the best advice you can give her? a. Make the review as long as possible so that you can include many details about the restaurant. b. To be safe and to protect your privacy, leave the comment anonymously. c. Include positives as well as negatives in the review. d. Even if the restaurant contacts you to correct the problem, leave the original message posted as is.

Q: Which of the following types of interviews is most appropriate if you want to give direction to the interview, yet still allow for open-ended discussion of your chosen topics? A. participative B. spontaneous C. moderately structured D. unstructured

Q: Which of the following is the best opening for an adjustment message? a. Unfortunately, your negative experience with our restaurant reflects a common complaint by our customers. b. We have credited your account for $36 to refund your dining bill. c. We are so sorry that you had a bad experience while dining with us last month. d. Although we generally don't offer refunds, we're willing to make an exception in this case.

Q: Rob was selected by his supervisor to conduct interviews with prospective college graduates for their law firm. This is the first time Rob has ever been on the other side of the table in the interview process. He decided to prepare well in order to make a good impression on the partners of the firm. First, he developed a list of topics he felt needed to be covered. He then developed a number of open-ended questions with follow-up probes related to each of his major topics. Which type of interview schedule has Rob created? A. legalist B. moderately structured C. structured D. unstructured

Q: Which of the following statements most effectively focuses on reader benefits? a. I appreciate this information, which will enable me to submit my report by Friday's deadline. b. Your prompt reply will allow us to serve you faster and better. c. We can provide a password after we receive the completed form. d. If you skip any sections, it will cause a delay in our processing.

Q: After years of experience, Raylene has come to believe that the most effective way to determine a person's true personality during a job interview is to allow the conversation to go in any direction the interview may lead. Which type of interview schedule does Raylene prefer? A. structured B. extemporaneous C. unstructured D. moderately structured

Q: Messages providing instructions will be most readable if you arrange the steps ________. a. in alphabetical order b. vertically using numbers c. beginning each with a noun phrase d. vertically using bullets

Q: If a supervisor decides to drop by and informally talk to her subordinates to find out how satisfied they are with their jobs, which of the following types of interview schedules would she use? A. structured B. performance C. unstructured D. appraisal

Q: Which characteristic best describes an unstructured interview? A. It requires less skill by the interviewer than the other types of interviews. B. The results are easy to quantify and tabulate. C. It allows for much flexibility in exploring the interviewee's responses. D. It is easy for the interviewer to control the flow of the interview.

Q: Avoiding such comments as I remember when I ... is important in making sure that your goodwill message is ________. a. selfless b. specific c. sincere d. short

Q: Structured interviews A. allow for an unlimited range of questions and answers. B. should be used only by skilled interviewers. C. obtain answers to standardized responses from a large number of people (commonly used in market research and opinion polls). D. use open-ended questions to provide in-depth examination of the interviewee.

Q: What is the most accurate statement about apologizing in an adjustment message? a. If you apologize, use a standard phrase such as We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused. b. Apologies should be avoided because they are counterproductive. c. People like to hear apologies. It raises their self-esteem, shows the humility of the writer, and acts as a form of psychological compensation. d. Never apologize in an adjustment message because doing so will set you up for a lawsuit.

Q: A standardized list of questions with precise wording would be found in which kind of interview? A. structured B. unstructured C. moderately structured D. loosely structured

Q: Allison has used a bulleted list, ample amounts of white space, and headings in an e-mail message to her supervisor. In doing so, she is trying to ________. a. save herself time b. save her supervisor's time c. persuade her supervisor d. evaluate her message

Q: A disadvantage of a structured interview is that A. the possible answers are limited. B. there is an opportunity to follow up with secondary questions on topics that turn out to be interesting to the interviewee. C. it's easy to get sidetracked and go off on tangents. D. it takes more training to conduct structured interviews than any other form of interview.

Q: The best goodwill messages concentrate on the five Ss. Which of the following is not one of the five Ss? a. Specific b. Savvy c. Spontaneous d. Short

Q: Which of the following goals for an information-gathering interview is the most specific? A. Would I like a career as a photographer? B. Should I become a photographer? C. What are the advantages and disadvantages of photography as a career, and how could I best prepare myself for a photography career? D. What can I learn about photography?

Q: Which of the following is a command disguised as a polite request? a. I need your sales data by tomorrow. b. Will you please send my order by USPS Priority Mail. c. Can you meet this month's deadline? d. Did you bring a copy of the report to today's meeting?

Q: Which of the following would be the clearest specific goal for an interview? A. Talk to my instructor about my grade. B. Complain to my instructor. C. Make a good impression on my instructor. D. Find out from my instructor what I can do to improve my grade on the next assignment.

Q: The best business writers do what in the opening paragraph of a routine request message? a. Identify themselves by name and title. b. State immediately why they are writing. c. Tell a story about the background of the situation. d. Greet the reader warmly by asking how he or she is doing.

Q: Which of the following steps should come first in planning the interview? A. Think up possible questions to ask. B. Identify and assess the interviewee. C. Prepare a list of topics. D. Define your goal.

Q: What is the most accurate statement about goodwill messages? a. Since people communicate so frequently today, goodwill messages are not as important as they once were. b. You'll make a better impression by giving a ready-made card or calling the person than by writing your own message. c. Written goodwill messages give more importance to our well-wishing and provide a record that can be reread, savored, and treasured. d. Most communicators find it easier to write goodwill messages than other types of business documents.

Q: In most interviews (unlike typical conversations), the ratio of speaking turns is uneven. During a typical interview, the interviewee will do about ______ percent of the talking. A. 40 B. 50 C. 70 D. 80