job interview this afternoon. Can I do this?

[ohmyword]

My closest friend has always takes in a blank piece of paper and pen into an interview.
Once the interview has started she jots down a few key word that she wants to remember to put across in the interview. If there has been any question she feels she hasn't fully answered she will write a memory jog word about that question and will come back to it if she remembers something that she wants to say about it.
She said she has been doing this for over 30 years ( I think it was some advice she picked up in Cosmopolitian as she was starting out her career)

Her point is that an interview is a two way process and it is not a memory test, she wants to make sure she puts all her point of view across. She has never been told that she can't do this and has done well with her career. She has got jobs and not got jobs as you would expect over the years.

I have an interview on Monday. I would feel nervous about doing this but can see the advantages.

Do other people do this. I have not been for an interview in over 15 years so not sure what is normal these days!

Yes absolutely and you can take notes on too.

In not on. I did for an interview I had this week.

Why not? I'd jot down notes if I found it helpful. Can't see why they'd hold it against you, it's not like you're reading off a script, just writing questions/key things they say.

Yes, you can definitely do this, though instead of a blank sheet I’d take a smallish note that you’ve prepared with key bullet points and perhaps a couple of questions for you to ask at the end. Good luck!

I'd take a notepad rather than a blank piece of paper.

A guy did this when I interviewed him and he appeared slightly intense but he got the job so 🤷

I take an A4 (one side) with bullet points of my examples under common questions.

I don’t read from it, but refer to it.

i completely agree with your friend.

It’s good to jot down a few things that are important to you, we’ve all been to interviews and afterwards thought dam I meant to ask something, but forgot.

Yes, of course!

Absolutely fine. I agree it is a 2 way process. Any interview I have attended I’ve taken in some bullet points so I don’t forget to mention something important. And as an interviewer, I’ve had several people do the same, or jot down notes as the interview progresses.

Good luck!! 👍

@Halstead where do you leave the other side?

Completely fine. It's not an exam.

Thank you for the replies.
When my friend mentioned this, other friends said "you cant do that, 'they're will think you dont know your stuff!' My friend argued she was being prepared!

It looks better if you take a small note book/diary than a sheet of paper. But totally fine to do

good luck with the interview & remember you're interviewing them as well!!

I printed out the job description & colour coded it. One colour had prompts for examples of past experience (using STAR) and in another questions I had for them. Had pen, paper and took notes!!

It is a two way process, treat it like an important meeting.

I have interviewed 100's of people for senior roles. I would be very surprised if someone didn't take notes in an interview.

I treat interviews like a meeting - you'd take paperwork to a meeting, so why not to an interview?

I have a slimline presentation folder (with plastic sleeves inside). I insert the pages of the job description, my application form, and relevant examples of previous experience that match the requirements of the job. I don't know if I've ever referred to any of it in the interview itself, but I look through it on my way to the interview and while waiting to be shown in (especially the examples of relevant experience) and it makes me feel prepared and therefore more confident, which is probably the biggest benefit. It also gives me something to do with my hands! I think I used to worry that they'd ask a question specifically about something in my application form and I'd have to frantically try to remember exactly what I'd written if I didn't have the form in front of me. But that's never actually happened.

On the inside front cover there's a clear plastic half-wallet that I insert blank paper into. Looking at what's on it from my last interview (for the job I'm currently in, so it was successful) I wrote the date/time of the interview; names of the interviewers; a few questions that I could ask them; and some answers to possible random questions (eg why I'm interested in this job/organisation; examples of difficult situations I've dealt with; strengths and weaknesses). I take a pen in case I want to make a note of something. I find having something to hold quite comforting, just don't fiddle with it too much.

My folder is similar to this one:
www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Display-Presentation-48-Side-Portfolio/dp/B0144IYKWM/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B0144IYKWM&psc=1

yeah I would take a notebook or pad of a4 with a few notes. a BLANK sheet is useless lol!
Also I note down questions, so that when they ask "any other questions" you can ask them some good questions that show you've really thought about it and prepared.
eg: "what are you doing differently in this project compared to [previous project] and why"
" can you tell me more about how this part of your new product works"
"what are the development opportunities"
etc

I've always taken notes in with me - about the company, role etc and also jot things down during the interview process (usually not very coherent!).

Absolutely do it. When I've been interviewed in the past, I often write down key parts of the question to make sure I cover the answer (and I've never not got the job).

It's not a memory test, and as long as you don't read pre-prepared answers, just have bullet points of anything you might have thought about, I would say it's fine. And it shows you have thought about the interview and prepared.

I took 5 different coloured pieces of card, like a revision card. Just words or things I wanted to express or remember. Got 2 jobs doing this it's never been a problem.