If you don’t take anything to your job interview then you might have already giving off a bad first impression. You look like you haven’t prepared and you don’t have any proof to back up your claims. You can bet the competition has brought proof of their claims though.
You need to look like you are ready and prepared, support the claims you make, and let your interviewer see why you’re the right person for the job. Take these six things with you to the job interview to do just that.
1. Copies of your Resume
Don’t forget to take the customized version of your resume that you have tailored for this job of course. When it comes to deciding how many to take, you need to bring enough copies so that all interviewers has their own, recommends U.S. News On Careers blogger Chrissy Scivicque. This is a great reason to invest in a modern resume template, impress your interviewers with your resume all over again.
Don’t forget that you need a copy of your own too. You can have your resume with you in the interview. While it is a bit of a cheat sheet it also shows how organised you are.
2. References
Take with you a list of your biggest and most professional admirers, along with their contact information. You’ll be able to make things easier for your employer by giving them this information before they need it.
3. Research
Before you even apply for a job, never mind before the interview, you need to do some research on the company. What information is on their website? Did you check LinkedIn for their employees? Did they recently make the news? What’s the opinion of the company on Glassdoor?
By having all this knowledge you will be capable to communicate intelligently with interviewers and they’ll have an easier time seeing you in the role. You can keep notes of your research with you in the interview as well.
4. Questions to ask
You absolutely need to be asking questions during the interview. It gives you some insight about the position and it makes you look like a better candidate as you are often judged based on the questions you ask. The questions you ask show how deep your understanding and interest is. Of course you shouldn’t spend your first interview talking about benefits and salary. Just make a note of some of the best questions you can think of.
5. Bragging Rights
Finally you should take collateral materials that you can leave behind with the interviewers. Take things that show how much better you are. This can be performance reviews, great test scores and certifications, letters of recommendations, any accolades you’ve received, or just plans that you’ve implemented successfully with other companies. You need to tell the interviewer you’re great at what you do and everyone you’ve worked with knows that and would love to have your back.
6. Something to store your notes, papers and pen in
Having a folder to store everything in and having note taking equipment shows how prepared you are and it gives your hands something to do while interviewing. Make sure your materials don’t catch the interviewers attention the wrong way, so put down the raggedy folder and your old school notebook. Your materials reflect who you would be as an employee. You don’t need to take a leather binder by any means, but you do need something clean and tidy.
If you feel you don’t have a lot to be proud about then it’s on you to look for something. If you don’t have a lot of professional experience then you can cite your good grades and any achievements and kudos mentors or professors gave you. You need to show the interviewer that you’re a winner.
