Always Prepared: What to Bring?

As an interviewer, when I'm scheduling an interview with someone I'm always asked the same question: What should I bring to the interview? To save you the trouble (and minor embarrassment) of appearing clueless, here's what you should bring:

Required

• Resume/personal history. This doesn't have to be anything fancy--no need to print it on fancy paper, although that doesn't hurt. But nine times out of 10, your interviewer will know nothing about you prior to the interview--being able to hand them something that lists your main activities will help them focus the conversation as well as (more importantly) give them something to refer back to afterward, when you're being evaluated.
• A pen and something to write on. Lots of people opt for a leather portfolio (like this), but a clean note pad or note book is fine. Which raises the next question--are you going to take notes? Of course not! You could (maybe your interviewer recommends a book that you want to write down, or something like that), but what I've found is students who have something to hold onto during their interview fidget less and appear less nervous. It also makes you look more serious and professional--never a bad thing.
• $10 in cash. No, not for bribes. You may run into incidental expenses as part of the interview--your interviewer expects you to pay for your own cup of coffee, for instance, or you have to pay for parking--and the last thing you want to do is have to ask your interviewer to spot you. You probably won't need it, but why risk it? (credit cards don't count--carry cash just in case)
• Breath mint. Self-explanatory. Chomp one in the parking lot before going in.
• Phone. Again, leave it in the car, if possible, or at least turn the ring off before going in. I have one student a year who gets lost when coming to meet me, and it's critical in situations like that for you to be able to call your interviewer and let them know you're running late (and ask for directions, if needed).
• Interviewer's phone number. Ask for this when you're setting up your interview, if it wasn't volunteered--you need to be able to call if you're running late, get stuck in traffic, get lost, etc.

Optional

• Bottle of water. This is optional, but I get parched when I get nervous, and I also find that water settles a nervous stomach pretty well. Probably best to leave it in the car, but I wouldn't notice or care if someone brought it into an interview, as long as it wasn't a day-glo orange Nalgene. (At the risk of being non-environmental, go with a plan clear bottle of water from the gas station).
  
• Work samples. Don't get carried away, BUT if you've got a special skill or interest you want to show, bring a copy to show your interviewer (this is a particularly good idea if you do something that's obscure or tough to explain--I had a student who was deeply into wood turning, and he brought a couple of bowls he'd made to show me.) Use common sense though--don't bring anything that can't be easily tucked into a bag, requires feeding, may attack, etc.

That's it--pretty simple, but now you know and don't have to worry about it anymore. ------CJ