Should i bring anything to a job interview

It can always be beneficial to have a few extra copies of your resume in case other professionals at your interview would like to see it. It can also be appropriate to take short notes on which points you wish to highlight or discuss during your interview.

Referring to your resume or CV during an interview can also help you stay focused on your relevant qualifications and experience and avoid detailing irrelevant information. If you have a list of specific talking points that you want to discuss during your interview, it can also be acceptable to bring these with you. For instance, if you found out that the company you are interviewing with has a specific tech problem that you can solve, you might write that down to refer to when talking with the interviewer.

These types of notes can be beneficial because it can show that not only have you done your research but that you have taken initiative to identify ways that you can help the company. This demonstrates your enthusiasm for the job as well as your preparation. It's also highly beneficial to bring a list of questions you would like to ask the interviewer. You might be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer, and referring to a list of things you would like to know about the company, extra details about the job or other important information that you may have been unable to find during your initial research on the company is helpful.

It can also be perfectly acceptable to take notes during an interview. If you are thinking about doing this, you might want to double-check with the interviewer as you arrive at your meeting that it is okay for you to take notes during your conversation.

This can also show your motivation to learn about what will be expected of you if you are hired as well as your ability to recognize when you need more information.

Learn more: How to Prepare for an Interview. Bringing notes with you to an interview can also be inappropriate in certain situations. For instance, if you have a list of all the answers you plan to address the interviewer's questions with, it can be a good idea to leave those at home. Relying too heavily on notes like these can actually make you seem unprepared and that you haven't researched the job details or the company.

There are several other situations where it can be inappropriate to bring notes with you to an interview, and some scenarios include:. It can be perfectly fine to arrive at your interview with a list of questions you plan to ask or some highlights from your resume, however, relying on notes to answer your interview questions can make you look unprepared and unprofessional.

Interviews serve as discussions and interactions to gauge a candidate's qualifications for the job, and your interview should be treated as a two-way conversation. When you rely too much on your notes for answering interview questions, you can become distracted from building a genuine connection with the interviewer through your natural conversation. Unless you plan to ask specific questions about the company or job requirements, you should leave your notes at home for a behavioral interview.

Behavioral interviews rely on questions that get you talking about your specific experiences, and interviewers want answers that are authentic and not read from a paper.

The purpose of situational interviewing is to see how job candidates might solve a problem with little to no preparation. This can help interviewers gauge candidates' analytical and problem-solving skills, and bringing notes that give you answers to these scenario questions can take away from showing off your ability to provide a solution under pressure.

Succeeding in this type of interview can depend on how well-prepared you are, however, relying on notes to get you through the interview can take away from highlighting how you make quick decisions. It can also be highly inappropriate to rely on notes that you have taken on your cellphone or another device.

Taking out your phone every time you need to prompt yourself with answers can distract both you and the interviewer and can take away from conducting a genuine conversation. Additionally, using your cellphone even for referring to notes can make it seem like an interruption to the interview and risk your chances of being hired.

There are several items you can bring with you instead of detailed notes that can help you appear prepared and eager to meet with the interviewer. Some items you might consider bringing with you include:. You should have a pen and notepad handy in case you need to write down any specific details about the job or company that you were unable to find through your research.

Additionally, it can show good interview etiquette to make sure that the interviewer is comfortable with you taking notes. Bring Your Resume Even though you may have faxed, dropped off, or emailed your resume, it is important to take a copy of it with you to your interview. Your employer is probably expecting you to bring one in the first place and you should do so to show that you are prepared for the big day.

If you forget a copy of your resume, you may be asked to furnish one and it would look bad on you to have to tell the potential employer that you did not bring it with you. Notepad and a Pen You always want to have a small notepad and a pen on you. Imagine having to sign a piece of paper and having to sit there and ask for a pen. Not only is this embarrassing, it is time consuming as well.

Instead of being unprepared, be prepared and have the items you need with you at all times. In your notepad, keep a copy of names, addresses, and phone numbers that you plan to use for references and of course, keep any other information that you think you will need in there as well.

You can also use the notepad to jot down ideas, questions, and more. You want to look like you really care about the job. Do your shopping later. Food: One hiring manager has a story about a candidate who ate her lunch during a virtual meeting.

Whether the meeting is virtual or in person, treat it the same. Be prepared and professional. Carry as little as possible with you, and make the best impression you can. Job Title, Keywords City, Province.

Blog Title, Keywords, or Category. Eight things not to bring to the job interview By Workopolis.