Job interview identification – what you need to know
Consider this scenario: You show up to a job interview, excited but confident. The hiring manager is sitting across from you but says they don’t have a copy with them of your resume. They ask if you have a spare you can hand them. You quickly realize that you didn’t bring one. Scary! Showing up prepared with crucial documents boosts your odds of interviewing successfully.
You might be shocked to find out how many times in the course of my own career that I’ve done job interviews where the hiring manager didn’t actually have my resume in front of them. Many didn’t even have the application that I’d put in. This happened recently to a client of mind. Fortunately, he had multiple extra copies that he’d thought to print out and bring with him.
The following is a list of the most essential items you need to bring to your job interviews, which you’ll never know what might happen or whether or not you’ll get a job offer following the conversation.
- Resume copies: I typically suggest bringing four or five copies. You never know. Things might go so great that your hiring manager you’re interviewing with will have his or her peers come in to do more interviewing. They’ll need copies, and HR personnel might want to keep one or two on file. Better to have more than you need.
- Reference list: Again, bring four or five copies of your reference list.
- Letters of recommendation: You don’t need so many copies for these, but they’re a great thing to leave behind so the hiring manager has something to look over following your interview. If you’re going to bring four recommendation letters, make two copies. Staple these sets together so the originals can stay safely at home.
- Driver’s license: Your individual driver’s license is a form of picture identification. You’ll probably need this should you be offered a position and HR has paperwork for you to fill out post-interview for driver license verification.
- Social security ID: Bring either your SS# or the actual card in the event that you get a job offer where HR has you fill out post-interview paperwork.
- Your passport: This is another form of picture ID that might be necessary once offered a position, given how some employers require at least two picture IDs for their verification needs.
- Fact sheet: This is one document you would use only for yourself. Create it in advance so you can have it ready when filling out human resources paperwork following a job offer. This document should have a list of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of work for every job you have previously held. If you have a profile on LinkedIn, you might just print the profile out and write down the addresses and phone numbers of each company you previously had a position at. A lot of businesses request this information as a component of their paperwork for new hires since helps them doing background research in advance of officially hiring someone.
- Work portfolio: A good portfolio is great if you want to offer examples of the work you have done, based on what kind of job you’re going for. You can include things like Six Sigma projects, advertisements, marketing promotions, clothing designs, or even architectural work. A good portfolio distinguishes you from most other candidates. It also highlights the quality of your individual work in the eyes of hiring managers.
- Pen And paper: Always remember a notepad and writing utensil so you’re able to jot down notes throughout the interview. Just remember to ask your interviewer if they’re okay with you taking notes during the chat.
- Thank you cards: Have appropriate thank you note cards bought before any interview. The concept of appropriate means something professional that suits the industry or corporate culture you’re looking to get into. Do not bring these to your interview, but do have them available to send out once you get home. Based on some company cultures, emails might be more appropriate.