The main purpose(s) of a job reference letter is to
A.
Prove that the job applicant has been employed at the company.
B.
Endorse the applicant’s qualities and skills.
C.
Complain about the applicant’s unsatisfactory work in the past.
D.
A and B
Correct
Incorrect. D. A job reference letter is written to prove that the applicant has previously been employed at the referee’s company and to advertise the applicant’s qualities and suitability to the recipient’s company.
2.
Who should you generally request a letter from when looking for new employment?
A.
Your college professors.
B.
Your customers.
C.
Your managers/supervisors.
D.
Your colleagues
Correct
Incorrect. C. It would be best to ask someone who knows you well in person and in a position of authority for a reference letter, so the best choice would be your manager or supervisor. Your college professors, customers, and colleagues may hold applicable or reliable views of your work ethics and skills, but employers are generally looking for a person of higher credentials to recommend you as a applicant.
3.
Which way of writing makes the letter sound more powerful and convincing?
A.
Mr. Wong has been an efficient and competent salesman who has contributed significantly to the revenue of the company..
B.
Mr. Wong has proven himself an effective salesman with his aggressive techniques and people skills.
C.
I have been most impressed by Mr. Wong’s sales techniques. In 2013, he made a big effort to relate to his clients as closely as possible by taking them out to meals. That year, he broke the company record for the most sales made.
D.
I strongly believe that Mr. Wong possesses all the attributes of a successful salesman. In 2013, he broke the company record for the most sales made in one year.
Correct
Incorrect. C. Using “I” statements adds a level of personal acquaintance and closeness with the applicant, which increases the validity of the message. Furthermore, adding specific examples of the applicant demonstrating their qualities will make the message more powerful.
4.
From the following, choose the best way of writing about an applicant’s weaknesses.
A.
Ms. McCarthy’s one weak point is her tendency to overestimate her abilities and try to do everything by herself. Her overconfidence has often caused inconvenience for the whole department and that is not acceptable.
B.
Ms. McCarthy’s one weakness is that she has trouble working together with other colleagues. Quite often, in group projects, she tries to do everything by herself because she deems other group members to be unreliable or untrustworthy. Despite that, given the opportunity, she is ready to undertake steps to develop her communication skills to be able to work effectively with others in the future.
C.
Ms. McCarthy’s glaring weakness is her overconfidence and inability to trust people. She tries to do everything by herself without consulting for help. I am afraid that this weakness will ruin her career aspirations.
D.
One of Ms. McCarthy’s weaknesses is her inability to work in a group setting. Every colleague that I have talked to has said that she is a pain to deal with in group work and that they always hope that she will not be assigned to their group.
Correct
Incorrect. B. Weaknesses should be mentioned along with examples or instances, but they should be accompanied with a note of encouragement. The follow up note should be about how the applicant could make improvements on those weak areas or alter the way they do things in the future. Ending a note of weakness in a negative and pessimistic tone would be unappealing to the employers reading the letter.
Different industries and positions will require different skill sets from potential employees. You should emphasize and omit certain aspects on your CV based on what the job requirements are.