To take notes into a job interview?

[Isittho]

I've got a job interview next week and my friend suggested I bring notes with keys words on for prompts.

I thought it was a good idea at the time but now it's getting closer, I'm starting to reconsider.

Is it weird or inappropriate?

I just can't see myself doing it but I'm concerned that am I missing a trick? Is everyone doing this?

Jobs for a government type department, with an interview panel.

Yes take your notes, I had an interview with ACAS and the panel even asked me if I had notes prepared....felt a bit wierd as Id never done it before, but it helped me massively when I inevitably went blank!

I would find it a bit weird. The only way I cam think of doing that is if they say "Have you any questions?", you can say something like I have but some of them have been already answered, check your notes then if there was anything not covered. Or if they say " Is there anything else you want to tell us/add to your application?"

Haven't done panel interviews in a while though.

When we were going through restructure and having to apply for jobs internally/consider our options externally our HR department ran an interview skills workshop. The advice on this was to print off a copy of your application, the panel will have that so they said it's only fair that you do too. They said it shows confidence and a level head if you're able to pause and say let me just refer to my notes for that one.. Etc.

I don't think everyone is doing it and it is certainly not something I have ever done or would do. If there is a presentation or similar then that's different.

You are there to talk about your own experiences and give examples of your own work so you should know it all. When I sit on interview panels I understand that people get nervous and need time so I take that in to account. At the end of the day all it is is a chat in a formal setting, try to go in relaxed and if you know your stuff it will be apparent.

Good luck.

I've never done it, and I suspect it might depend on whether you're talking about a technical interview or a cv-based one.

I would expect someone to be able to know their own career, strengths and weaknesses, etc without notes. Mind you, I guess if it's a technical one, I'd also want the person to know their stuff as not being able to speak fluently about the topic might be an indicator they don't have sufficient expertise.

There have been times when I've wanted to take notes in for those STAR questions as it's really difficult to remember all the scenarios you've prepared (which inevitably never come up anyway), but I've always shoved my notes back in my bag as I got into the building.

Definitely take a copy of your CV/application. I've had notes in the sense of things I want to make sure are covered, and will ask aboutat the end if it hasn't been mentioned by then.

I’m going to do it at my next one. My mind goes blank! The last panel I did was very specific in asking for situations where you had to give examples of what you did.

Eg. Talk about a time when you and a colleague had a difference of opinion in how to perform a task. How did you communicate your preference.

And several more like that. All the examples I gave were rubbish! I wanted to say, look, I come to work and I do my job, I don’t carry the bs from project to project, I just get shit done.

I guess it depends on the job and profession. I would find it odd if someone did this as I've never experienced it

I did in my last interview (civil service) and got the job. I specifically asked the panel if it was okay and they said yes of course. The interview was competency based and I needed prompts to remember key aspects of each competency and my mind is prone to going blank! If it would make you feel more confident, there’s no harm in asking at least. Good luck!

It is perfectly normal to do this nowadays, I've seen it a few times but then I work in technology so people would rather see someone who is happy to refer to research and get it correct than relying on memory.

I think that's fine. I'd do it.

Have your notes for reference in case they ask if you have notes prepared, or so you can recall what questions you want to ask them.

As far as actually using the notes in the interview, all it proves is that you can read. Not that you necessarily know the stuff they are looking for. Granted it depends on the profession and nature of the job but I would have notes on me but not look at them during interview.

I suppose it indicates that the candidate has done preparation and not ashamed of being smart? I think it's good.
Not that I have had an interview in this competitive world as I am older.

I wouldn’t be too impressed if someone had to keep referring to notes in an interview. The interview is about you. You should know all about you. Unless it was highly technical it would suggest to me a lack of preparation and a lack of confidence.

Having recently been in the panel for band 5 staff nurses interviews I can say that of the 5 posts we filled, 4 were from people who brought notes in. Nobody was reading from noted verbatim, they were just quick prompts. It shows a level of preparedness to me.

I sit on panels and I thinks notes are good. They can indicate an organised and prepared candidate. Interviewees are expected to reel off examples and answer complex questions. To frown on notes and note taking makes you a bad interviewer and means you can miss out on good candidates.

I like notes from the perspective of a candidate and interviewer. It shows you’ve prepared and done some research. Depends on the job, but I’d rather have someone who refers to notes than someone good at blagging. My field suits introverts and deals with detailed information, rather than people skills and persuasion, I’d be terrible in a sales role.

I did refer to my notes in my previous job’s interview. I was asked a question and mentioned I’d written a few things for that and referred to the notes. I got the job and did well in the role. My last interview was more brief so I didn’t have time to refer to anything, they were more focused on me than specific experience or examples.

Nothing wrong with that at all. I haven't had a job interview for about 9 years now, but in my interview for the job I have now, I was taking as many notes as the interviewers and took plenty in with me.

I was interviewing them as much as they were me.

I've recently interviewed for a band 5 nursing post ( so no presentation required) and of the 4 candidates, 2 brought notes in. However with first candidate they were scrappy rambling , notes which she referred to constantly often reading from verbatim and gave absolutely no eye contact
She didn't get the job as she came across as poorly prepared and didn't have an understanding of the role or give poor examples of how she would cope with situations we gave scenarios for, despite us trying to prompt her
The second candidate had brief notes which she only referred to when we asked questions regarding a scenario , when she fielded pertinent responses which showed a depth of knowledge regarding the job

I've always taken notes into an interview. As a PP said, not to read verbatim but 'lists' as reminders of examples I might want to use. I have 30 years of working behind me and can't remember every detail at the drop of a hat.

An interview is a meeting. I wouldn't go to any other work meeting empty handed.

I’ve just done 2 days of band 3 Nhs interviews and no one brought notes. I advised that they weren’t allowed to however, I just don’t think any of them thought about it.

I was not advised, that should say!

I'm an accountant, to each interview I went to recently I took the job description and the latest statutory accounts. That meant I was prepared to ask them questions (interview is a two way process) and I could make sure the job was what I was expecting. I probably did the minimum.

Yes why not? It’s very common in civil service interviews, unless it’s not a done thing in your field of work!

I print off CV and application and have notes on key questions they might ask. I also write down notes myself when I get to ask my questions.

Make sure you know everything by heart though and the notes are just a backup. You’d leave a bad impression rifling through your notes after every question and reading from them too much.

Same scenario as QueenH civil service job, with a panel, took reminders in of core competency examples and also my own questions and it was totally fine. Found out this week I got the job so it obviously didn't do any harm. Be sure to use the STAR method when explaining your answer and that will keep you on track and keep the answers concise. Good luck!