What to bring to a job interview 💼-
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Introduction 👋
So you’ve landed a job interview – congratulations! 🥳
This means you’ve already impressed the hiring manager with your CV/resume and cover letter.
Now, it’s time to prepare for the big day.
Apart doing your research and interview practice, it’s crucial to bring along the right items to ensure you’re fully equipped for your interview and ready to shine. 🌟
Here’s a comprehensive guide on what to bring to a job interview!
1. A notepad and pen 📝
Bringing a notepad and pen to a job interview is really important, as it shows you’re paying attention and care about what people in the interview are saying. 👀
Also, interviews are there for you to learn about the organisation, so bringing a notepad helps you write down important things the interviewer says, like details about the job or the company.
On top of this, bringing a notepad to an interview can be handy for jotting down any questions you want to ask later. 🤔
So, bringing a notepad can be a great way to stay organized and make sure you’re ready for the interview.
2. Several copies of your CV/resume and cover letter 📜
In interviews, it’s very common for interviewers to talk about your CV/resume and ask questions.
Bringing copies of your CV/resume, so that you’ve got one in front of you can be really helpful for when answering questions from interviewers.
As well as this, it’s difficult to predict who you’ll meet at an interview, and sometimes hiring managers will invite people to your interview, who haven’t had a chance to read your CV/resume.
Bringing a copy of your CV/resume to the interview shows that you’re prepared, and allows you to give copies to any additional interviewers you might meet. ✅
3. A copy of the job description 💼
Bringing copies of the job description to the interview can help you remember what the job is all about and what skills they’re looking for. 🧠
Having the copy of the job description with you is like having a “cheat sheet” to remind you of what you need to talk about during the interview. Plus, if the interviewer asks you specific questions about the job, you can refer to it to give better answers.
So, bringing the job description to an interview shows you’re prepared and serious about the job.
4. STAR stories 🌟
It’s extremely common to be asked “behavioral” interview questions during your interview, so the interviewer can hear stories about your career and get to know your personality.
You might get asked things like:
- “Give me an example of a time where you solved a problem.”
- “When have you shown good communication skills in your career?”
- “Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work”
So it’s important come prepared with good stories from your career.
Typically, interviewers expect you to tell stories in a structured way using the “STAR” method.
- Situation: What was the situation?
- Task: What was your task?
- Action: What actions did you take?
- Result: What were the results of your actions?
Although you can’t prepare for every question in the interview, it could be handy to prepare at least 6 really good stories where you showed lots of different skills.
You can learn more about the STAR method in our article How to prepare for an interview 💼.
5. A water bottle 🥤
Bringing a water bottle to an interview can be a great idea because it:
- helps you stay hydrated, especially if the interview is long or if you get nervous and your mouth feels dry.
- can give you a quick break to collect your thoughts if you need it.
- can help you feel more alert and focused during the interview.
So, bringing a water bottle is a simple way to take care of yourself and be at your best during the interview.
6. Memorable questions 🤔
At the end of a job interview, it’s very common do be asked something along the lines of, “do you have any questions for us?” 🎤
It’s important to use this as an opportunity to ask an interesting/memorable question to your interviewer, to show that you’re interested and engaged in the job opportunity.
Good questions can also help you learn more about the job and the company, which can help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.
Plus, asking thoughtful questions can leave a positive impression on the interviewer and make you stand out from other candidates. 🌟
So, taking the time to prepare questions shows you’re serious about the opportunity and eager to learn more!
7. Reference contact details 📱
If your interview goes well, you might be lucky enough to get asked for the contact details for your references.
Your references are people who can speak positively about your work, like past bosses or teachers. 🙌
Having your reference contact information shows you’ve prepared for the interview, and are happy to share more about your background if needed.
Plus, it saves time if the interviewer wants to check your references right away. So, having reference details ready can help you seem like a strong candidate for the job.
8. Your ID 🪪
Bringing your ID, like a driver’s license or passport, to a job interview is really important. 🪪
Sometimes an organisation might need to check your identity before hiring you, especially for security reasons.
Also, they might need your ID to fill out paperwork if you get the job. 📄
So, having your ID with you shows that you’re prepared and thinking ahead. It’s a small thing that can make a big difference in showing you’re prepared for the job.✅
Conclusion 👍
So that’s it!
The main things you should bring to an interview include:
- A notepad and pen 📝
- Several copies of your CV/resume and cover letter 📜
- A copy of the job description 💼
- STAR stories 🌟
- A water bottle 🥤
- Memorable questions 🤔
- Reference contact details 📱
- Your ID 🪪
Hopefully this article has helped you to understand more about what to bring to a job interview.
If you know any friends or family members who might benefit from learning about what to bring to a job interview, share this post with them!
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