A Pen/pencil And A Notepad
Your notepad serves a dual purpose. First, you will need to write down notes before the interview, which include talking points and questions you want to ask. Secondly, you will likely want to take notes during the interview. The best time to takes notes is when you are asking questions near the end of the interview. Until then, maintain good eye contact with the interviewer.
Items To Bring To A Job Interview
This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach
Youve applied to a job, received the callback and probably passed a phone screen. This means its time for the in-person interview. Take a moment to congratulate yourself at this stageits taken a lot of hard work and persistence to get here. Once youve mentally prepared and chosen what youre going to wear, the last step is making sure youre bringing the right items.
Get Ready For Video Interviews
- Find out which computer program, application or website will be used for the video interview. Test it out with a friend or family member.
- If youre using a laptop, phone or tablet make sure the battery is charged.
- Exchange phone numbers with your interviewer in case the video link fails.
- Make sure the camera and microphone are adjusted to give the best possible sound and video quality.
- Make sure your background looks professional and there are no photos, mirrors or people visible.
- Have your CV and interview notes near you for reference.
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How To Present A Resume In An Interview
This article was co-authored by Colleen Campbell, PhD, PCC. Dr. Colleen Campbell is the Founder and CEO of The Ignite Your Potential Centers, Career and Life Coaching based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Colleen is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach . Colleen received her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Sofia University and has been career coaching since 2008. This article has been viewed 49,172 times.
The interview is one of the most important parts of the process of finding a job. Notably, its also a great opportunity to present your resume in a way that will make you stand out as an applicant and will emphasize the strongest aspects of your career experience. By following simple formatting techniques and assembling your resume in a professional way, you can make sure your resume is presented in a way that makes you a strong contender for the job youre applying for.
Pay Attention To The Skills Section
Sadly, many overlook the Skills section, thinking that it is only a supplement to the Work History and Experience section. Well, in a sense, that is true but you should never underestimate the usefulness of this section. After all, it will underline or elaborate on the details that you cannot expand in the experience section.
This is your opportunity to stand out. By listing the hard and soft skills that you possess, and that are relevant to the job, you are informing the recruiter how much they will benefit if you are made to do the job.
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A Bag Briefcase Or Portfolio That Neatly Contains All Your Items
Once you have the things you need to bring to the interview, you should decide how youll organize and carry them. The goal is to look put together and unburdened. Choose a handbag, briefcase, messenger bag or portfolio that can hold everything and looks professional. Backpacks are appropriate for some settings but not for others. Use your best judgment based on the company research youve done and what you know about their culture.
Contact Information And Directions
While there are many things you can control during the interview, getting there is not one of them and traffic or public transport can easily let you down. Plan ahead how you will get there and make sure you have the contact details of the person you are meeting in case you need to contact them for anything.
Have directions to where you are going before hand and if you can, find your way there before the interview, so you know exactly where you are going.
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Your Printable Job Interview Preparation Checklist
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You got the call for an – congratulations! In the grand scheme of things, the hard part is behind you. An interview means three things:
1.That the place you’ve applied to feels like you are one of the best candidates for the position
2.On paper it already looks like you can do the job
3. You’ve got to prove both number one and number two in an interview
Interviews are about 80 percent preparation and 20 percent execution. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll do.
Print off this checklist and be sure to check each thing off before you walk out the door.
Do I Need To Put My Resume In A Folder
When you bring your resume to an interview, carry it in a folder to keep it crisp and fresh.
Firstly, Whats a hard copy of resume?
While a soft copy of your resume is a digital version, a hard copy is a physical, or printed, version. You can either mail a printed resume to an employer or hand it to a recruiter at a job fair. Another version of a hard copy is when you send your resume via a fax machine.
Then What do you carry your resume in? Most of the time, you can carry a binder to hold your resume copies, some paper, and a pencil. This is highly recommended if you were instructed to dress casually carrying a briefcase might make you appear overdressed. In more professional interviews, men and women are encouraged to carry briefcases.
Actually What should I bring my resume in to an interview?
Bring copies of your resume, cover letter and work samples, plus a notebook . Consider bringing these items to an interview:
- Copies of your resume.
- Why do you want this job?
- Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
- Whats your ideal company?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Why should we hire you?
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Get Your Questions And Evidence Ready
Make sure you have questions ready to ask the employer as this shows you’re interested in the organisation and the job. Your research can help you come up with some questions.
Prepare any evidence of your achievements to take to the interview such as a portfolio of your work.
Put Your Best Stuff On The Top Third Of The Resume
You have to get over the desire to put EVERYHING on the resume. Remember, you are not writing an autobiography in bullet point form you are writing a resume that will hook the recruiter and reel him in, strong enough to call you up for an interview.
Think of the resume as a summary, not a comprehensive record of your work history, experience, and education. You are supposed to put only the highlights on there, which means that you have to include only the best information about yourself.
Its also important to note that choosing what to include is not the only concern you should have even the placement matters. Applicants are advised to put the highlights of their accomplishments and skills, specifically those that are deemed to be most relevant to the open position being applied for, in the top third of the resume or, as marketers put it, above the fold.
This is because the top third of the resume is the first portion that the recruiter or manager will see. He reaches for your documents, scans your cover letter, then moves on to the resume. His eyes will automatically be drawn to the top of the document, and that is where you will grab the opportunity to engage their attention. That is where you should put your most appealing or attractive points.
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An Assortment Of Emergency Items
If youve been reading our ongoing Career Quest comics series , you know that a lot of things can go wrong during a job interview. The last thing you want is to sweat over some minor issue like a stuffed nose as you are about to walk into the room.
Thats why its always worth keeping the following items in your interview bag:
- Water
- A change pair of tights
- Makeup and makeup tissues
Printed Copy Of Your Resume
Yes, most job applications these days happen digitally. Still, its a good gesture to bring a printed copy of your professional-looking resume. Why?
Well, first of all, recruiters are busy folks. So sometimes they may forget to bring their copy of your resume, or worse print out another applicants resume. This mishap can easily derail the interview and undermine your confidence. So yeah, its best to have a back-up copy ready.
Secondly, by having your resume laid in front of you, you can always have a quick peek into the formulations and data youve used in it and weave these into your interview answers. Think of a printed resume copy as your cheat sheet.
Depending on your career niche and job requirements, you may also need to bring additional job application documents such as:
- Work samples
- Your portfolio item
- Anything else that was explicitly requested in the job ad.
Having a nicely organized stoss of documents shows the HR that you did your prep work and can follow directions.
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A Written List Of Questions
Most job interviews conclude with a brief part in which you can ask questions about the organization and its work culture. It’s a positive sign for an applicant to show interest in a company, and it’s an even better indication when you’ve conducted your own study and prepared relevant questions. Do not be afraid to jot down these questions to bring to your interview. Doing so demonstrates thoughtfulness and preparation.
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You Got The Interview
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After much searching, applying and networking, you have finally landed an in-person interview congratulations! You feel confident in your ability to interview well, with answers to anticipated questions masterfully crafted and a stylish outfit selected to help you feel your best. And while you have prepared each answer and accessory with meticulous detail, you cannot help but wonder, What do I bring?
Rest assured, you are not alone.
In this day and age of technology and automation, I completely understand the uncertainty. Today, everything is completed online. Your job application, your resume and your cover letter have already been reviewed, and you likely submitted an assessment that was provided to you by the hiring manager. You have even received a confirmation email to confirm your initial confirmation email, reminding you of your interview date, interview location and interview time .
And while all of these automated systems are incredibly convenient for both the person conducting the interview and the person being interviewed, there are still items a candidate should bring with them, along with printed copies of their resume and references.
1. Hard Copies Of Travel And Contact Information
2. Printed Job Description With Notes!
3. Portfolio Containing Samples Of Your Work
4. Knowledge About The Company You Are Interviewing For
5. A Smile Seriously. Be Human.
Lets face it. If you fall down, theres nowhere else to go but up!
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Include The Key Sections Of A Resume
This is the most important tip: pay attention to the contents of your resume.
While it is true that there is no fixed or standard format for resumes, regardless of the sheer number of templates floating almost everywhere, allowing for applicants to be as flexible with their resume preparation as they want, they should always make sure that the resume contents the key sections that hiring managers are looking for.
The key sections that the resume must contain are:
- Education, which details your education background: the school or university that you attended, the inclusive dates of attendance, degrees earned and recognitions received. This section also covers trainings and workshops attended, as well as certifications and accreditations earned, which will add to your marketability as an employee.
- Work experience and history, which includes your career highlights and accomplishments in the jobs that you have held in the past. Aside from the job title or designation, inclusive dates of employment and employer, this is also the section where the core duties and responsibilities of each position held is indicated.
- Skills, which covers the additional skills and qualifications that are not clearly identified in the work history and experience section. These are often identified into two categories: the hard and soft skills.
What To Bring To The Interview
Identification. If the building has security, you may be asked to show identification, or you may need it to complete a job application. Bring your driver’s license or another form of identification with you.
Notepad and Pen. Make sure to bring a notepad and pen so you can write down names, company information, or questions that may come up during the interview. Bringing a pen and notepad shows you came to the interview prepared.
Names of Contacts. Write down the name of the person you’re interviewing with on your notepad. It can be easy to forget a name, and you don’t want to be embarrassed. Also bring the name of the person who arranged the interview, if it’s a different person. You may also need to provide this name to security upon your arrival at the building.
Extra Copies of Your Resume. Bring several copies of your resume to distribute upon request. Retain a copy for yourself, as it will assist you in filling out the job application.
Reference List. Bring a printed list of references to give to the hiring manager. Include at least three professional references and their contact information. Choose references that can attest to your ability to perform the job for which you are applying. Also, retain a copy for yourself in case the information needs to be recorded on a job application.
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The Role Of The Resume
The resume is seen by many jobseekers as the document where they can put everything about them, and will get them the job. Although the ultimate end is the same getting the job the resume is actually designed for something more specific: to get the candidates foot in the door by way of an interview.
The recruitment or hiring process ordinarily goes like this: hiring managers will pore over hundreds of application letters and attached resumes looking for a few that stand out. Those that pass the minimum qualifications or are deemed to be a good fit or match to the job description, based on what are written on the resumes, will be the ones who will be called back for the next stage, which is the job interview. Obviously, those who do well during the interview will move on to the next phases of the recruitment process, depending on the hiring company, until such time that the best person for the job has been selected.
But how can you make sure that one of those resumes that will be added to the to-interview stack will be yours? Well give you some useful tips that you can follow.
Copies Of Your Resume
Bring at least five copies of your resume to your interview. The hiring manager may not have had time to print your resume ahead of the interview, and you might not know how many company representatives may attend the interview. Having multiple copies of your resume to offer to your interviewers can help you seem prepared and professional. It also gives the interviewers a document to reference as you discuss your previous work experiences and relevant skills.
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Assembling And Presenting Your Resume