Taking notes to a job interview?

amber1979

Hi,

I have a quick question about job interview etiquette.

I have a job interview for an administrator job tommorow, with a Charity.

I have prepared a few notes based on the person spec and job description, would it go against me to take these into the job interview with me?

(oh and thank you to those posters here who helped me compose the covering letter which helped get me this far :beer:

z0nk

I don't think it would leave the best impression to the interviewer if you had to look down at notes to answer a question.

amber1979

I just thought it might highlight the fact that I've been doing quite a bit of preperation.

DCFC79

amber1979 wrote: »

I just thought it might highlight the fact that I've been doing quite a bit of preperation.

it could look that way or it could be as z0nk says, ive not taken notes for years to interviews but then maybe thats why i havent had much success,

danothy

I took notes to an interview once and they didn't seem to mind when I asked if I could refer to them to answer a question that I'd anticipated. I guess it could go either way though, it shows preparation one the one hand, but I suppose it could be interpreted negatively.

I'd say take them with you and try to judge the expectations if you feel you want to refer to them. Incidentally I was offered the job.

SevenOfNine

Yes, I'd count that against you. Your notes are clearly written with a view to what questions you may be asked.

You should be able to answer without referring to any form of 'scripted' notes. I was once on an interview panel, the interviewee was asked what their understanding of Equal Opps was. They said "I've got a really good answer on my notes, can I refer to them"? To a man/woman we all said NO in unison! None of us wanted some slick response that had been thought of previously (& maybe even by someone else).

The only notes I'd allow you to refer to would be when you were asked at the end if you had any questions, I wouldn't count it against you if you said you'd written a few down and could you refer to them.

Make sure you are clear about what you put in your application form or CV. You will have written that with the person spec and job description in mind so go over it tonight. That will help you field questions unaided tomorrow - any 'give an example of' that you're asked will probably be covered in the application which got you shortlisted in the first place.

What I've learnt about interviews is not to get too bogged down in trying to second guess what I might be asked, some questions seem to come completely out of left field anyway. Relax, BREATH, don't talk too fast or too much.

Very, very good luck to you.

PS Do you think it might show that you can't think on your feet? It does to me.

amber1979

Cheers Seven of Nine,

I have my completed application form open so I haven't repeated any of the examples/experiences I've already submitted, in my interview prep.

I can do the interview without these notes, to be honest simply the act of writing it down helps me remember stuff. I wasn't going to read from the page, it's more an excercise in gathering together potentially useful ideas from which I can contstruct useful answers tommorow.

I hoping to give answers which both refer back to and emphasise the stuff on my my app form and bring in a few things they haven't heard before. The reason I feel I can do this as they have provided a breakdown of the various methods by which they will assess various aspects of candiates. If that makes sense?

gargantuan_2

depends on the company/organisation i guess, but the last i applied for i took notes into the interview as it was competency based. the interviewers didn't mind, and if anything were quite impressed as it showed that i had prepared for it. i got the job, and don't think i'd have been able to answer the questions half aswell as i did without my notes.. but that's just my experience!

purplerose

You can ask to refer to them but most people I know who have taken notes to interviews have asked if they can use them and been told 'no'. As SevenofNine says it would probably be ok to refer to notes for any questions you have prepared. It would also possibly be ok to take some notes during the interview if you ask but at the same time you don't want to have your head down and be scribbling away during it.

My advice would be to learn as much as you can of what you've prepared, if you can't regurgitate what it says on their website at interview without notes then use the short version. You want things to flow.

If they ask how you've managed to demonstrate various tasks/skills/qualities in the past then using the STAR method can help. Try to come up with examples using the STAR method for each skill/quality on the person specification/job description and just memorise that. Try to have a couple of examples for each incase they ask you for another. It is useful because it provides you with a set structure to answers instead of just waffling on and you shouldn't be left floundering using it as your answer is based upon stuff you've already done or can do.

Good luck with the interview.

amber1979

Ok, notes will be read again before bed and on the train to the interview - to be hidden in my bag as a good luck charm thereafter!

Emmzi

I find candidates with niotes aahve generally prepared better and perform better and I have no issue with them using them. The jobs I have are not memory tests and I have a strong oreference for well prepared candidates.

"I have made a few notes to remind me of key successes I wanted to raise if they were approprriate to the questions - is it ok if I keep these to hand? I will manage without if you will prefer, I just wanted to be sure to give you the best examples I have"