5 Things To Take With You To A Job Interview

When it comes to job interviews, there’s always a lot to remember. From your perfect rehearsed answers for some of the most common interview questions, to knowledge of the company you’re interviewing for, you’ve got lots of important things swirling around in your head on your way to the interview – but on top of all that, did you know there’s also some physical things you need to remember to pick up and take with you too?

No? Well it’s a good job you’ve found this blog then! Here you will find a list of the top five things you need to remember to take with you to any interview, regardless of which industry you work in or which company you’re interviewing for.

1. A Few Copies Of Your CV:
OK, so the interviewer should have already had a look at your CV before they asked you for interview but it’s still a good idea to bring a few copies (two/three) with you to the interview. Why? 1. It shows you’re prepared. 2. The interviewer might not have had chance to print your CV off yet. 3. You’ll have your CV to hand – which can be handy if the interviewer starts to grill you about your CV and you don’t know it inside out yet.

2. A Notebook:
Remember when I mentioned you had to lots to remember mentally when it comes to a job interview? Well you do… but there’s no harm in having your notebook with you as a backup. While you should be able to come up with great answers to the simpler questions on the spot, with some of more complex questions (eg. questions about specific projects), there’s a lot of detail to remember. Be sure to make a note of these details in your notebook and have it with you at the interview. This way you can refer back to your notebook if you can’t quite remember the exact details. Trust me… an employer will be more impressed with you referring to your notes than you saying you ‘can’t remember’ and adding awkward silences to the interview.

3. Your List of Questions for the Interviewer:
Regardless of the company you’re interviewing for, it’s always a good idea to go armed with a number of questions for the interviewer. These could relate to how the company works, what their plans are for the future, what their training structure is for their employees or even what specific challenges are involved with the role you’re applying for.

It’s always a good idea to make a note of these in your notebook (which based on the last point you’ll already have with you!) because this is normally the last section of the interview – so there’s a chance that by the time you reach this stage, you’ll be mentally exhausted and might have a totally blank mind when the interviewer asks if you have any questions for them. If you have them jotted down in your notebook, you can always refer back to them to ensure you don’t miss anything out which could impact your decision if you’re eventually offered the job.

4. Copies of Your Work/Portfolio:
In 99% of job interviews you’ll be quizzed about what jobs you’ve had and what projects you’ve worked on in the past so rather than just citing examples, it can be practical to bring examples with you which can help to illustrate your point. For example, if you’re interviewing for a Graphic Designer, you could bring examples of the original designs etc. Or if you’re interviewing for a Copywriting job, you could bring in some examples of different types of copy you’ve created in the past for various clients. When trying to decide what pieces of work to take with you, put yourself in the employer’s shoes and consider which pieces of work are most relevant to the role and would paint you as the best, most qualified candidate for the role.

5. An Annotated Copy of The Job Description:
Taking an annotated copy of the job description which includes notes on how you fit the person criteria can be really useful – particularly if you’re the type of person who panics and tends to forget things in a stressful situation. Obviously if you don’t need to use this, don’t – but it can act as a nice security blanket just in case. Similarly, if you have it with you, you can always have a good read over it on the way to/just before your interview – this should help to remind you that you’re a good fit for this role, which in turn should help you to feel more confident when walking into the interview.