Notepad into interview or not?
Discussion
Absolutely for the reasons already mentioned. But don't forget, an interview is a 2 way thing - you should be interviewing the company to see if you want to work there as much as they are interviewing you. So there must be things you want to know about the company that you'll want to jot down.
However...
I would politely ask the interviewer if they mind you taking notes and I would stick to one word notes and elaborate on them straight after the interview while still fresh in your mind, to limit any disruption. DON'T sit there staring at your notepad while they are talking and say "I am listening..."!
And as already mentioned, take a decent pen that doesn't click!
However...
I would politely ask the interviewer if they mind you taking notes and I would stick to one word notes and elaborate on them straight after the interview while still fresh in your mind, to limit any disruption. DON'T sit there staring at your notepad while they are talking and say "I am listening..."!
And as already mentioned, take a decent pen that doesn't click!
illmonkey said:
Do people not take minutes in meetings? You just remember what you have to do, endless lists of tasks?
Different situation. I would not take kindly to someone scribbling notes in an interview, other than on the paper provided which I would ask them to leave on table after the interview.I always take one in.
The interviewer may mention something i want to discuss later. Or some of the questions can be quite convoluted and it helps my thought processes if I can note down the key points.
I'm not sure why the Interviewer would see it in a negative light but each to their own...
On the "WTF Scale" it would be far lower than how an interviewee presents himself.
The interviewer may mention something i want to discuss later. Or some of the questions can be quite convoluted and it helps my thought processes if I can note down the key points.
I'm not sure why the Interviewer would see it in a negative light but each to their own...
On the "WTF Scale" it would be far lower than how an interviewee presents himself.
I'm a software developer and have always taken an A4 size leather filofax thing which has a notepad and iPad inside. Notepad has a list of questions that I like to ask, with space to take notes of the answers. iPad is for demonstrating previous work, if they're interested in seeing it.
Also, hidden away in the middle of the notepad, I keep my "cheat sheet". Occasionally in dev interviews you're left alone in a room to carry out a written technical test.
I have a terrible memory for these things so my cheat sheet has reminders of all the technical terms that I don't encounter in every-day work as well as some small code structures to help me with proper formatting on paper where there's no delete key.
It has come in handy on a few occasions, although to be honest I'm always put off by a company that does these sorts of tests so I don't know why I bother.
Also, hidden away in the middle of the notepad, I keep my "cheat sheet". Occasionally in dev interviews you're left alone in a room to carry out a written technical test.
I have a terrible memory for these things so my cheat sheet has reminders of all the technical terms that I don't encounter in every-day work as well as some small code structures to help me with proper formatting on paper where there's no delete key.
It has come in handy on a few occasions, although to be honest I'm always put off by a company that does these sorts of tests so I don't know why I bother.
Collectingbrass said:
I "talk by drawing", as do many engineers and would feel particularly ham strung if I couldn't, so I always take one and a copy of CV to hand across if the interviewer is as prepared as I usually am - "CB, I've been called to a stakeholder meeting, could you just interview this chap for me, he's in reception"...
x2 to drawings. I find it helps to tell the story of what I do a bit betterI've interviewed 4 people this week for a role and it wouldn't bother me as long as they asked if I minded if they took some notes (at the end) and they put the notepad on the table until the last part of the interview where questions could be asked. I'd not be happy if they were fiddling with it or using it as a security blanket. It would put me off if they were writing things down as I was talking but not if they were writing down answers to their questions.
The interviewer needs to take notes on the candidate but again, it's common courtesy to explain that to the candidate and telling them the format of how the interview will be conducted.
The interviewer needs to take notes on the candidate but again, it's common courtesy to explain that to the candidate and telling them the format of how the interview will be conducted.
bigandclever said:
craigjm said:
If someone was sitting in front of me with their CV to refresh their memory as suggested above I would start to think, rightly or wrongly, that the CV had been embellished and they were trying to remember it. The recruitment process in any organisation is full of unconscious bias an for many people walking in like that would make it worse.
You might be right, though (for an alternate view) as a dirty contractor who on occasion has had to go through an agent to get to a client, it's nice to have the record of the profile I sent in with the version that the client has.If you're a permie who has had 2 employers in the last 10 years then I would imagine it would be pretty easy to remember your whole CV. However, if you've been in the industry for 23 years, 17 of which as a contractor, then it gets a little harder and an aide memoire is useful.
As for the notepad thing, I don't think scribbling notes during an interview is very productive as has already been stated. But if you need to draw something to explain a point, whipping it out (missus) is preferable to asking "uh, do you have any paper please?"
illmonkey said:
dfen5 said:
I always preferred to see a nicely presented folder of certificates, example work, qualifications and so on.
Strange view. Oh, you must be the one person the national record of achievement folder you get given in school is for.Interview in a suit, with a folder & several copies of your CV. Write some info out about the company and a few Q's the night before, it shows you've done some research and also helps you remember so you don't need to look down. Write it clearly and neatly, so it can even be glanced at by the interviewer.
Take notes, not loads, just points that you think are relevant to an interview. Ask questions at the end, or at least explain any questions you did have prior to it, have been covered. Thank them for the opportunity to interview, you look forward to working for them because... etc.
Do people not take minutes in meetings? You just remember what you have to do, endless lists of tasks?
dfen5 said:
illmonkey said:
dfen5 said:
I always preferred to see a nicely presented folder of certificates, example work, qualifications and so on.
Strange view. Oh, you must be the one person the national record of achievement folder you get given in school is for.Interview in a suit, with a folder & several copies of your CV. Write some info out about the company and a few Q's the night before, it shows you've done some research and also helps you remember so you don't need to look down. Write it clearly and neatly, so it can even be glanced at by the interviewer.
Take notes, not loads, just points that you think are relevant to an interview. Ask questions at the end, or at least explain any questions you did have prior to it, have been covered. Thank them for the opportunity to interview, you look forward to working for them because... etc.
Do people not take minutes in meetings? You just remember what you have to do, endless lists of tasks?
Cyder said:
I've got a couple of interviews coming up in the engineering sector for the first time since I entered the industry as a grad and have been thinking about what to take with me.
I was wondering whether to take a notepad and pen into the interview to jot some notes down, any thoughts? Is it the done thing?
I was wondering whether to take a notepad and pen into the interview to jot some notes down, any thoughts? Is it the done thing?
Throw skim reading into the mix as well...spikeyhead said:
I always assume that anyone that takes a notepad into an interview has a poor memory.
Even if your assumption is correct, surely bringing a notepad shows they are well prepared and have developed a strategy to deal with one of their weak areas. Nobody is perfect after all...You should always take a pad.
You should also select a nice colour of ink - pink or lilac, up to you - and make sure you draw nice little hearts above your 'i's. If the interviewer happens to notice, you should just wink at him and slowly and seductively suck the end of your pen.
What could possibly go wrong?
On a more serious note, absolutely no reason why not, but make it a smart pad and pen, not your fleabitten work pad which just has a bit of card on the back and no cover along with a chewn up biro.
You should also select a nice colour of ink - pink or lilac, up to you - and make sure you draw nice little hearts above your 'i's. If the interviewer happens to notice, you should just wink at him and slowly and seductively suck the end of your pen.
What could possibly go wrong?
On a more serious note, absolutely no reason why not, but make it a smart pad and pen, not your fleabitten work pad which just has a bit of card on the back and no cover along with a chewn up biro.
I always take a note pad or book
It usually contains the questions I want to ask them because invariably, I'll forget them all given the situation. You're interviewing them remember, its as much a chance for you to gauge whether you want to work there as for them to see if they want you.
As for note-taking, I don't normally take massive notes. Very brief, few words or short-hand if there is something particularly important to remember. Normally I can recall the key things immediately afterwards in the car and flesh out the notes.
Can't see why you wouldn't. Every meeting I've ever been to has everyone there with a note book jotting things down. Interviews have been no different.
ETA: Drawing... again engineering here, but its so much better to get the pen and paper out when explaining something you've done previously. Once you try explaining things by drawing with your hands and fingers, in mid air, you quickly realise drawing on paper would be better!
It usually contains the questions I want to ask them because invariably, I'll forget them all given the situation. You're interviewing them remember, its as much a chance for you to gauge whether you want to work there as for them to see if they want you.
As for note-taking, I don't normally take massive notes. Very brief, few words or short-hand if there is something particularly important to remember. Normally I can recall the key things immediately afterwards in the car and flesh out the notes.
Can't see why you wouldn't. Every meeting I've ever been to has everyone there with a note book jotting things down. Interviews have been no different.
ETA: Drawing... again engineering here, but its so much better to get the pen and paper out when explaining something you've done previously. Once you try explaining things by drawing with your hands and fingers, in mid air, you quickly realise drawing on paper would be better!
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Monday 24th July 15:37
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Monday 24th July 15:39
I usually take a sheet or pre-prepared questions. Mainly to remind me of everything I need to ask. Frequently these are covered during the interview itself and dont need to be specifically asked.
At the end when they ask if there are any questions, I give the list a quick skim over and maybe make a couple of notes.
At the end when they ask if there are any questions, I give the list a quick skim over and maybe make a couple of notes.
I always take a note pad & a copy of my CV. Note pad has all my questions I've prepared and/or areas I want to cover during the interview as an aide memoire. I also take a mind-map of my CV / achievements folded up in the back, just in case I get stuck and can refer to it. Never needed it, but it's a fail safe in case I had a brain freeze. It was also a useful exercise to create it as it embedded what was in my CV in terms of achievements for me to remember in a different way.
Early in my career I received some feedback from an interview. I didn't have a copy of my CV with me, and I didn't have anything to write with.
Ever since then I always take several copies of my CV and a notepad and pen into every interview. I don't actually make notes in the interview - I think that would be wrong, but I do have pre-prepared notes of my own. I use a zip up faux leather wallet that was about £30 from Staples. In some interviews I've never even unzipped it. In other interviews I've used the pad and pen to draw diagrams, org charts and that type of this. A couple of times I've used the copy of my CV to point something out to the interviewer, as I've been able to figure out using my upside down reading skills that the copy he is using has been severely butchered.
100% take in copies of your CV and a notepad and pen. But I think making notes is a no.
Ever since then I always take several copies of my CV and a notepad and pen into every interview. I don't actually make notes in the interview - I think that would be wrong, but I do have pre-prepared notes of my own. I use a zip up faux leather wallet that was about £30 from Staples. In some interviews I've never even unzipped it. In other interviews I've used the pad and pen to draw diagrams, org charts and that type of this. A couple of times I've used the copy of my CV to point something out to the interviewer, as I've been able to figure out using my upside down reading skills that the copy he is using has been severely butchered.
100% take in copies of your CV and a notepad and pen. But I think making notes is a no.
omniflow said:
Early in my career I received some feedback from an interview. I didn't have a copy of my CV with me, and I didn't have anything to write with.
Ever since then I always take several copies of my CV and a notepad and pen into every interview. I don't actually make notes in the interview - I think that would be wrong, but I do have pre-prepared notes of my own. I use a zip up faux leather wallet that was about £30 from Staples. In some interviews I've never even unzipped it. In other interviews I've used the pad and pen to draw diagrams, org charts and that type of this. A couple of times I've used the copy of my CV to point something out to the interviewer, as I've been able to figure out using my upside down reading skills that the copy he is using has been severely butchered.
100% take in copies of your CV and a notepad and pen. But I think making notes is a no.
I totally agree - exactly the same for me in every respect. Ever since then I always take several copies of my CV and a notepad and pen into every interview. I don't actually make notes in the interview - I think that would be wrong, but I do have pre-prepared notes of my own. I use a zip up faux leather wallet that was about £30 from Staples. In some interviews I've never even unzipped it. In other interviews I've used the pad and pen to draw diagrams, org charts and that type of this. A couple of times I've used the copy of my CV to point something out to the interviewer, as I've been able to figure out using my upside down reading skills that the copy he is using has been severely butchered.
100% take in copies of your CV and a notepad and pen. But I think making notes is a no.
I don't think I have ever needed to take actual notes during an interview, but I have needed to draw a diagram to explain something, and I too have had to give an interviewer a true copy of my CV as I have realised the one they have is heavily butchered.
It's better to have something you never use than to need someone you haven't got.
Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Saturday 29th July 09:25
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff