You need these 3 things when you interview

If You’re Interviewing From Memory, STOP! Bring These 3 Things With You

Just because your interview is over the phone or on Zoom doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring anything with you to the interview. If you don’t have these three things in front of you during the interview, you’re making the process harder than it needs to be.

1) Your Resume

So many people think, “Why would I need my resume in a phone interview? I know my career like the back of my hand.” 

No you don’t. Nobody does! 

Keep your resume in front of you for reference and for talking points.

2) A Pen and Paper

You’re having a great interview, but as the interviewer is talking, a question pops into your mind. You’re polite, so you wait for the interviewer to finish speaking.

A minute later, the interviewer asks, “Any questions?”

“Yeah, I…have a question about...” 

You freeze. 

“I forgot.”

If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. The good news is that there’s an easy fix. Bring a pen and paper into the interview. That way you can write down your questions as they arise without interrupting the interviewer.

3) Your Portfolio

You’ve made it to the technical interview. The interviewer has a long list of technical questions to ask you.

“What’s the difference between an Interface and an Abstract Class?” they ask.

You know the answer. You’ve implemented Interfaces and Abstract Classes all of the time.

But what is an Interface? You’re drawing a blank.

Before you stumble over your words, make the task easier on yourself. Spin up a project that you’re proud of beforehand so you can use it as a reference during the interview. It’s easier to answer questions when your brain can remind itself of things you’ve built, and if you can give the interviewer the answer to their question and follow it up with an example of your own, you’ve proven you know what you’re talking about.