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.

Maybe I’m being overly harsh!

To be fair I am generally interviewing for senior roles and would expect candidates to be confident and not so nervous they’d need to look at notes.

More junior roles I am a little more forgiving as I understand people do get nervous.

If I interviewed someone and they did this I'd practically hand them a contract.

It demonstrates that you're willing to learn and most of all that you care about retaining information.

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

^

NB. Make sure this is typed, not handwritten

@wtct it was really weird, they'd written the scripts to sound conversational so I asked a competency question about a time they'd delivered great customer service and they found the page then read it word for word in a flat robot voice " oh, yes, I remember a great time I helped a customer and she was like oh wow you've been so helpful..."

Then they asked for feedback afterwards, that was a hard feedback session

I've interviewed people who have brought in notes. It didn't bother us as a panel. In fact it looked very organised and showed she had prepared.
I personally don't do it but I think it's fine if you want to. It's not a memory test.

@BooFuckingHoo2 I would say a tad harsh. The job I do is a director role for a large UK company. Notes were definitely a plus. As long as it was prompts. Not to read verbatim.

My final interview, though, was a no notes situation where the CEO wanted to get to know me.

For the first time ever I took notes into an interview I had recently. I'd printed off my cv, the job spec and people spec and made notes in a red and black book about the company. I also went through the job spec and wrote examples down of what I had done in previous employment in regards to the job spec. And I also had some questions written down for at the end.
It made me feel much more confident and prepared and showed that I was keen in the job/ company.
It worked for me as I was offered the job that evening despite not being able to complete the (simple) excel exercise they set.

A lot depends on the job, and referring to technical details and such would probably be okay, but please don't even think about checking notes for things you'd be expected to know off pat ... it'll just look as if you're reviewing what lies you told so as not to get caught out

And yes, we all "go blank" at times, but it's really not something to demonstrate at interview, nor is it a credible reason to take notes along

@BooFuckingHoo2 I don’t mean this in a nasty way but if I found out at interview that you didn’t like candidates taking notes in then I’d know you weren’t the kind of person I’d want to work for, so I suppose that’s good because it would help me screen you out too.

I think I learned far too late that interviews are for the candidates to interview the company too, I used to just take any job I was offered and think I should be grateful.

I would expect candidates to be prepared and as a candidate I would also prepare - and that would include having some notes.

1. To ensure that as a candidate I have prompts so that I am able to articulate why I am a good candidate for the position - i.e. to ensure that I bring up my strong points even if the interviewer(s) don't. Just like a sales pitch - don't leave the interview and then wish afterwards that you had brought up something that would have really differentiated you. Also to make sure that I have the main bullet point facts to hand regarding my CV, so if asked 'how long did you work for X' you can accurately reply - it is not always easy to remember if the job you had 10 years ago lasted 14 months or 18 months.

2. Prompts about the job advertisement/description. More than once I've been in an interview (as a candidate) and it has become clear that the job that the interviewers are describing differs substantially from the job advertisement. E.g. the starting salary is strangely £2k lower than in the ad, the working hours include alternate weekends/late nights etc. that were not mentioned, the location has changed, the promised training only takes place after 3 years in the job etc. If these are game-changers, as a candidate you need to have clarity early on in the process.

3. Always have 3-4 questions prepared. To show that you've understood the employers' business, to raise anything that isn't clear from the job ad and that isn't clarified during the interview, and if you are confident enough and it is appropriate, to see how the interviewers/company react if you throw in an unexpected question - particularly if you sense that they are 'over-selling' the job, or if the interviewer seems to be vague about the details of the job (e.g. you are being interviewed by a junior or a HR person, where the real decision and power in the department lies with the day-to-day boss). If they waffle and bluster in the interview, does this offer an insight into the wider culture of the company.

I think brief notes are fine, but check first if they are allowed. The last few interviews I've had you weren't allowed to bring anything in with you.

@Hesafriendfromwork I’m also director level at a large company - general consensus here is we don’t like notes in senior candidates!

I have never taken notes to an interview as I know my CV and experience inside out and I’m confident I can answer any questions they might have. I also ask questions as I think of them in relation to strategy/the business etc during the interview process, plus any additional ones I think of at the end. To me, I find this far more impressive and engaging in a candidate than someone who has to refer to their notes to remember what they’ve said they’ve done on their CV!

I’m also director level at a large company - general consensus here is we don’t like notes in senior candidates!

It's a difference in culture, I would imagine.

For our senior level staff we expect a lot of technical expertise as well as experience. But we dont expect everyone to remember their best examples instantly, everytime when under the pressure for an interview.

Nature of the beast for us. Doing well in an interview, for us, is not indicative of wether someone is good at their jobs. And in the past, on occassion, the best interviewees havent been great on the job.

Notes are a part if our life here though. We have a board meeting next week. The reports went out yesterday. Each department head has theirs to prepare for next week. All will take notes, make notes while in their. Expected to answer questions on performance, circumstances etc. Its perfectly acceptable to take notes on the detail around why we couldnt get to particular job it the circumstances around it. We are looking at a whole quarter. No one is expected to remember the detail of every jobs department did for the 12 weeks in question.

Notes are acceptable in a board meeting, they are acceptable in interview.

But I suppose it's just culture.

Head of HR here. I am always impressed with candidates who have nots with them and are able to use them effectively and appropriately in an interview. In any meeting at work I expect people to have a notebook and pen with them and to have adequately prepared. An interview is no different. And I would also always take notes into an interview with me - clearly showing facts and figures about the company interviewing me; the person interviewing me and then stuff that I might want to refer to (ie specific figures and data about projects that I have worked on where I want to guarantee accuracy). I also take a few notes when they are explaining the company to me and what they are looking for. Means when I am answering questions I can make sure that what I’m saying matches what they need.

Sorry should also say that someone continually checking their notes or reading long paragraphs would be a no.

Depends on how they are used.

About 5 years ago I was representing the clinical front line staff on one of the the panels for the chief executive of the nhs trust I work for. The three candidates we interviewed not only referred to notes but actually took them during the interview.
Like pp said it's probably a culture thing but I find the idea that notes are a weakness at more senior levels very strange.

@Babybel90
@BooFuckingHoo2 I don’t mean this in a nasty way but if I found out at interview that you didn’t like candidates taking notes in then I’d know you weren’t the kind of person I’d want to work for, so I suppose that’s good because it would help me screen you out too

Me too - I'm relatively senior in my role, I wouldn't want to work with this culture

Absolutely take in some notes/prompts. It can help focus your response

I’ve been on both sides at many levels and have never known an issue with notes being taken into an interview

Some good advice that I received was immediately after each interview write down what was good, bad and ugly in the interview. It then helps you focus on what to change at the next interview.

Obviously isittho you don’t need this advice for your interview as you are going to nail it! Good luck

I've interviewed someone who wrote down each question as we asked them and then we all sat in silence while she planned and wrote notes on her answers. The waiting in silence felt quite weird BUT she did ask if she could first and we did consider her fairly based on what she said, not on her unusual technique.

She didn't get the job because her answers were crap anyway.

I'm amazed how many people think it's not OK to take notes into an interview. I've interviewed many people for jobs and I'm absolutely fine with people bringing notes in. It shows me they've prepared thoroughly. The last person I recruited brought notes in, and also made some notes about what we said to her in the interview. She was a strong candidate and she's been a really great addition to my team.

Isn't it going to depend partly on the job the interview is for? If it's for a senior role which might include having to speak to audiences with little preparation and no notes, then not having notes in an interview seems reasonable. For other jobs, being able to refer to reference material might be equally valid.

What is clear is that if you use them, they should be prompts, not scripts.

Thanks everyone.

I took notes but just key words based on the criteria.

And I got the job!

Well done!

Last couple of interviews, I took in a 'doctored' copy of my CV. I knew my interviewer would already have a copy so wouldn't ask for mine. To the interviewer across the table, it looked like my CV. To me it was my CV with some keywords highlighted/added to prompt me on some of my answers!

Yes, I always take notes, nicely presented in hardback notebook. Often I don't look at it but it's a comfort blanket to know it's there and it means I have something to write on should I need it.

As an interviewer, I think it shows people care enough to have taken the time to prepare properly.

Do you mean take notes you’ve prepared as an aid or write up notes during the interview? Some people seem to be answering different interpretations.

For the first one I’d find it slightly odd as not standard to me but not necessarily negatively odd. Depends how they were used. Reading a script would be bad. Having a meticulous detailed record to hand not.

Taking notes during the interview could be considered arrogant (think they’ve got the job already), keen and diligent (good), or using it as practice exercise (time wasting or lack of confidence).

Either way if you explain your reasons then there’s less risk and got to be good thing compared to people just wondering and jumping to their own conclusions