Sonja writes:
Is it all right to take notes to an interview? I have an interview coming up. I have prepared by taking notes to express my highlights/attributes. They’re simply key words/phrases to help me focus/ remember situations. Is this appropriate? Plus, I need to find examples of a follow-up or thank you for your interview letter.
The Career Doctor responds:
Most experts discourage taking notes to an interview. While they do show you are prepared for the interview, they also show that you are not prepared enough — otherwise you would have the information in your head.
I recommend that you try not to take any notes to the interview; instead, use a copy of your resume to help trigger your key points. But if you feel as though you really must have notes, I suggest you do so in a manner as unobtrusive as possible — perhaps using a small notepad.
And don’t fret about not saying all your key phrases and comments. You can always include some follow-up in your thank you letter. By the way, you can find several sample interview thank you letters in this section of Quintessential Careers: Sample Job Interview Thank-You Letters.
Good luck.
