It’s not often that we tell you to print out one of our blog posts . . . but we’re absolutely doing so with this blog post.  Why?  Because it contains a wealth of information about what you should bring with you to your face-to-face interview.

In our previous post, we discussed the importance of preparation, and we’re taking our emphasis on preparation to the next level by providing a detailed interview checklist of the items you should take to your interview.  Although this is by no means an exhaustive list, it is thorough and should provide you with an excellent basis upon which to build.

Our Interview Checklist Before Your Interview is as follows:

  • Directions/map
  • Contact information (name and direct line of the person with whom you’re meeting, as well as a main phone number)
  • Notepad
  • Two (2) pens—black or blue is best for completing employment applications
  • Three (3) copies of your resume
  • Breath mints and any minor medication needed
  • Information about the employer for final review while you wait
  • Examples of your accomplishments, such as design drawings, project manuals, CDs, etc.
  • Your complete reference list and letters of recommendation
  • Copies of your last two performance reviews (if possible)
  • A list of well thought-out questions you plan to ask

So—print out the interview checklist above.  Use it to prepare for your interview.  Assemble the items, and then cross off the items after you’ve assembled them.  This is the first step in your interview preparation process, and it would not bode well if you were lax in this area.

(For more information about successfully preparing for YOUR next interview, download a copy of Dan Simmons’s e-Book, Put Your Best You Forward: Simple Steps to a Successful Interview.)