So your resume has grabbed the employer’s attention, and you are through with the pre-screening phone interview. Now, you’ve landed the final face-to-face interview and are all set.
Be sure to be well-equipped for the interview. But what should you bring to your job interview to feel prepared, confident, and ready to go?
Here are some great practical tips that would be your complete checklist of items to bring to the interview.
Carry Printout Of Email Received From Recruiter
Carry a printout of the email the employer/recruiter sent you about the job interview. The email might also indicate the list of items they want you to bring during the interview and the venue details.
Don’t rely fully on your phone; that could potentially be the day your phone dies or your battery is drained. Always have your hiring manager’s contact details with you in case you want to contact them and convey something.
Try to eliminate all additional stress, as you might already be visualizing how well your interview will go. Your mind might be super busy with the possible questions the interviewers might ask you and the answers you would potentially give them.
Carry printouts where ever possible and tick out this item from your list.
Bring Printed Resume Copies To The Interview
In today’s digital world, sure, you would have your digital resume on your mobile. But in addition to that, it’s a good idea to carry around 3 to 5 printed copies of your resume.
The interviewer might have seen your resume sometime back and may not remember everything. A hard copy of your resume can help remind the interviewer why you were shortlisted for the job.
Keep the resume copies handy in your file. In case the interviewers or HR needs them, you can hand them over so they don’t have to spend extra time taking printouts from the digital copy of your resume.
Bring Yourself Early To The Interview – Never Be Late
Time is most important. Even though this might not exactly be “something” that you’ve to bring to the interview, special mention goes here that no matter what you carry to the interview, if you’re late, nothing else matters.
Always reach the interview venue ahead of time. If your interview is scheduled at 10 am, plan to be there by 9.30 am. This will give you additional buffer time to accommodate for any traffic delays or unexpected delays, and you would be able to reach there at least 10-15 minutes early.
Also, you might not be familiar with the interview location and venue, so it might take you additional time to figure out the exact location and reach there. Delays cause additional stress, and you don’t want to add on more stress than what you already have.
If you have a zoom or video interview scheduled instead of a physical one, be sure to boot up your device, log in to video conference, and test that your audio/video devices are all working fine ahead of the interview start time.
Practice using technology, and check ahead to give you time to troubleshoot if something goes wrong. After your equipment is tested fine, you can then wait for the host to log in and start the video conference.
Carry A Pen and Notepad With You For The Interview
For taking notes, carry a notepad and pen with you. You may jot down a few important points or questions for follow-up, maybe a few questions that pop into your mind when the interviewer is talking.
You could note these down to ask later on, but don’t spend a lot of time in your notepad, focus more on the conversation and maintain eye contact.
If you’re considering whether you should bring a laptop to the interview – the answer is “No”. You are at the interview to have a conversation with the recruiters and show them what you can do for them.
Bring Your Certificates To The Interview
Recruiters may want to look at your certificates and supporting documents, depending on the company and the type of job you’re applying for.
Bring your university and degree certificates in case the recruiter wants to do an in-person verification.
Usually, recruiters don’t bother with certificate verification during the interview process, the focus is usually on resume and discussion to identify if you’re the right candidate to do the job.
If you have completed some coursework or work-related certifications that enhance your job prospects, carry those certificates to the interview. This is optional, as most certifications are usually verifiable online.
Carry A Portable Charger With You, When Going For an Interview
Charge your phone to 100% battery capacity before heading out to interview. Apart from this, be sure to also carry a portable charger with you, just in case your mobile battery dies off.
You might need your phone for Google Maps directions, to revise your interview notes while traveling, or to communicate with the interviewers if they want to inform you something before the interview.
If you’re late due to unavoidable circumstances, you must also inform your interviewers. But don’t be late; try to avoid being late at all costs.
During the interview, if you’re asked to send some additional details over email, you will want to send them out through your phone quickly, so it’s always better to have some battery charge on your phone.
Carry A Water bottle To Keep Yourself Hydrated
Bring a water bottle with you and stay hydrated before the start of the interview.
Usually, candidates are offered water by the interviewers, but sometimes they forget. It’s best to carry one and hydrate yourself when you’re waiting outside the interview room.
You can bring light snacks, but don’t eat or chew gums during the interview. Also, be careful not to eat anything that’s too heavy just before the interview, which might cause discomfort in your stomach.
Carry A Professional Bag For the Interview
Carry an interview bag that’s professional for office settings and can carry your folders with resume copies, email copies, certificates, pens, and notepads.
Consider purchasing a bag designated as an interview-only bag. Or it could just be a simple professional bag organizer to keep all your items intact.
Just ensure that your bag is big enough to hold your items and has enough compartments to keep it organized. This helps you to quickly retrieve your documents when needed without having to search through the entire bag looking for items.
Avoid bringing backpacks, barrel bags, or flap bags. Keep it professional.
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Final Thoughts
“Thorough preparation makes its own luck.”
Joe Poyer
The most important thing to bring to the interview is a stress-free mind and well prepared “yourself”.
All the tips listed above are checklist items – which you can take with you, and tick off, to take out any additional worries on the interview day.
Being well prepared and bringing a smile to your face during the interview is the secret to acing any interview and grabbing that job offer.
