Prologue

You confidently enter into an interview and answer all the questions. Your skillset and personality impress the recruiters.

They have made up their minds to choose you as an ideal candidate.

However, one of the interviewers asks you to note down some crucial points.

But unfortunately, you went to the interview empty-handed. At the same time, the other interviewer asks you for your resume.

And, once again, you have to bow down your head in shame.

This was your dream job, and all was going well. However, due to the lack of things with you, you lost the opportunity. But boom, all this was just a dream!

Hence, what you bring on an interview helps the interviewers to determine your organizing capacity and responsible nature.

Moreover, interviewers tend to know your preparedness for the meeting from the things you take to an interview.

But the most critical question is – What to bring on the interview?

Getting answers to such questions would help you to avert converting this dream into reality.

So, this article delineates in detail the answer to such questions. It would help you to proffer an excellent first impression on the interviewers.

What to Bring to A Job Interview?

A Water Bottle

The interview fills you with extra nervousness and stress. Such nervousness can likely lead to a dry mouth. Answering with dry mouth exhibits your lack of confidence.

So, it is necessary to carry a water bottle with you. Drinking water can also give you some time to formulate answers.

It is a possibility that some questions may disturb you. You can pick up your water bottle at this time. Thinking while drinking water helps you to fabricate the best answer without looking awkward.

A Folder or Briefcase

A folder is one of the most important things to take to an interview. It helps to keep your files and documents in an organized manner.

You can also use a briefcase in place of a folder if you want to carry some extra stuff with you. By Briefcase, I don’t mean a huge carry on suitcase but a small bag or mini briefcase designed especially for small meetings or interviews.

Moreover, by keeping the data in a sequence, you can take them out quickly according to the requirements of the recruiters.

A millennial career coach named Jenn DeWall also advises taking a folder to an interview. Jenn DeWall is Denver-based and says that a folder exhibits your organized and responsible nature. Such soft skills entice the recruiters to select you for the position.

Tissues

Nervousness and stress in an interview can lead you to sweat a lot. Moreover, sneezing in front of the recruiters without tissue is not a good ethical manner.

So, tissues are a thing to bring to an interview. They help you while sniffling or covering a runny nose during cold.

Several Copies of Your Resume

Before the interview, the organization asks for an individual’s resume.

As the interviewers have hundreds of applications and resume to go through, they might forget to print your resume at the time of the interview. So, you should carry multiple copies of your resume at the meeting instead of just one copy.

Also, if there are more than one interviewers at the interview, they might ask for more than one copy so that they all can analyze your resume.

Additionally, verifying the skill set and achievements mentioned in the resume during the interview is crucial for the organization.

So, the absence of a resume truncates your chances of procuring the job opportunity. This is because such deficiency leads the interviewers to have less cognizance about your skillset.

Imagine the situation below:

The interviewers search for your resume as you sit down in front of them. They shuffle through various pages. One of the interviewers says, “I think we forgot to print your resume.”

Instead of saying it is okay, you take out a copy of the resume and hand it to the hiring manager. Suddenly the manager becomes happy with your preparation. Moreover, he or she has cognizance about your organized and responsible nature.

A Pen and A Notepad

Taking your pen and a notepad to an interview is crucial for many reasons. First of all, it exhibits your interest in the role and interviewers‘ messages. Moreover, it helps you to fabricate a “thank you email” when you go back home.

You can note down the complicated questions which the interviewers ask you. This also gives you time to formulate your answers.

However, before taking notes, you should seek the permission of the interviewers. Make sure to take more than one pen as it can help you if the first one stops working.

But maintaining eye contact with the interviewers is essential. So, do not indulge in writing too many notes. It deters you from using the required body language, which shows your interest in the role.

Portfolio

Your interview may be related to a role in a creative field. Such posts relate to content writer, Graphic Designer, Architecture, advertisement, or journalism. In such cases, you should take your portfolio or work samples with you in the interview.

Such work samples can help the interviewers to know your skillset suitable for the role. Moreover, it augments your credibility and helps to fetch you an entry into the organization.

After the interview, you can send such a portfolio via email to the organization.

Say, for example, you are applying for a content writing job. In such a case, you may be writing for various websites and companies.

So, show the work samples of the articles you have written in the past. Moreover, the reviews and testimonials of your past clients also work as an incentive to amass you the job opportunity.

Questions

Apart from taking material things to an interview, you can prepare some questions as well. Such issues can relate to the company culture or communication system of the organization. Soliciting these questions from the interviewers exhibit your interest in the career.

References

If your prospective employer considers you suitable for the role, he or she may ask you for some references. You can mail this information to them later on.

However, you should be prepared beforehand and know the name of the recommendations. This exhibits your organized nature, preparedness, and amateurism.

Offering suitable individuals’ names and information as references is crucial.

This is because your entry into the organization depends upon the suggestions given by the references. The interviewers solicit questions from these references to verify the information on the resume.

Smile and A Positive Attitude

Entering the interview office with a smile shows your excitement and vigor for the post. Moreover, it exhibits your self-confidence and a positive attitude.

Such an attitude can help you to amass the job opportunity by winning the hearts of the recruiters. This is because the interviewers prefer a vibrant and active person for their role.

What not to take to a job interview?

Mobile Phone

You should prevent taking your mobile phone in the job interview. You can either switch it off and keep it in your purse or leave it in your car.

The interviewers are older. They may think that you are taking the wrong advantage of technology. Moreover, do not be busy in playing Ludo or PUBG while talking to the receptionist. This exhibits your lack of interest and amateurism for the job.

Excessive Jewelry

Wearing excessive jewelry like chains, heavy necklaces, dangling bracelets, and long earrings tend to disturb the interviewers. Apart from making noise and grabbing the attention of the interviewers, they look unprofessional.

Instead, you could wear a simple chain and studs or loops in the ear. You should remember that you are going for a job interview and not to a party.

Parents

Taking parents to a job interview may sound foolish. However, people do this.

According to a survey, approximately 8% of the employees take their parents to the job interview. Moreover, 3% of the employees say that their parents sat with them in the interview room.

So, you should pay heed to avert making this mistake. It can slip the job opportunity out of your hands even if you have the required skillset and achievements. Your parents can leave you till the building, but they should never come with you inside.

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum during the interview is unprofessional. You can face problems while communicating with the interviewers because your answers may not be apparent to them. Moreover, it exhibits your unpredictable nature and lack of interest in the post.

Conclusion

Thus, taking the right things make a significant impact on the interviewers. On the other hand, taking the wrong things can affect your selection for the position.

Hence, despite being suitable for the job, your carelessness can lead to your rejection.