What You Always Need to Bring to a Job Interview
After searching for the right job on LinkedIn and slaving over every detail of your resume, you have finally landed an interview for a great job. Job interviews can be nerve wrecking, but preparation is the key to feeling confident and ready for any quirky question the interviewer may ask. The night before your job interview, be sure that you prepare by picking out your outfit and mapping out the directions for how to get to the location where your job interview will be held.
In addition to finding the right outfit and knowing how to get to your interview, it’s important that you bring a few things with you to the interview. Whether you are applying to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or are getting your first job at a diner down the street, here are four items you don’t want to leave the house without.
Directions and Contact Information
As we mentioned above, you should have mapped out how to get to your job interview the night before, but don’t forget to bring those directions with you. Sometimes it may be a little tricky to find the location of your job interview, even with the directions. This is why it is also important to have the contact information of the office or the interviewer themselves to be able to give a quick call if you are lost. Above all, you should aim to arrive at your interview location 10-15 minutes early to give you some wiggle room for traffic or getting lost (but don’t arrive too early. That could be uncomfortable for everyone).
Hard Copy of Your Resume
Even though you already submitted your resume in order to land the interview, it’s still important that you bring a physical copy of it to your interview. It is possible that your interviewer did not print off a copy of your resume and things will run smoother if you are prepared with one on hand. Actually, we suggest having three copies with you. Sometimes job interviews consist of more than one individual, so it’s nice to have more than one copy for your interviews to look at. Even if there is only one or two interviewers, it is also convenient to have a third copy for you to look at and reference during your job interview. Nerves can get the best of us while in an interview and it is always nice to have a paper with all your experience on it to refer to.
Pen and Paper
With pen and paper in hand, you will be prepared to record any information you may need access to in order to further your interview process. In addition to being able to write down helpful information during the interview, bringing a notebook can actually aid in your interview process. Many job interviews end with your potential employee asking, “Do you have any questions for me?” Having spent some time beforehand brainstorming insightful questions or ideas about the business and job position can show that you really are interested in the company. This can also help you stand out from other candidates. Keeping these thoughts recorded in the notebook you brought and referencing to them during the interview can help you remember your ideas and questions if you forgot them. Again, preparation is key.
Portfolios or References
Some job interviewers ask you to bring samples of your work or references from past employers to your interview. Even if your potential employer did not ask for these items, you may find it helpful while answering questions about your skill set to be able to quickly pull out your portfolio and showcase your work. Just be sure to pack these important items in your briefcase the night before and bring them with you to the interview.
You’ve spent the time getting all your education at school or through and you’ve dug through thousands of online listings for job openings. With all this preparation just to get a job interview, bringing hard copies of your resume, directions and contact information, pen and paper, and your portfolio or references to the interview is one last but important step of preparation for landing your future job.
