Doing preparations for a job interview can be stressful, and many of you wondered before the job interview – Can you take notes into an interview?
Is that even acceptable to bring notes? Should I use notes? Should I not? Can I read my interview notes? How am I going to remember everything? Will the interviewers judge me for not being prepared enough, or will I look unprepared?
The answer is yes! It is appropriate to bring notes. You can also jot down key points to help you during your interview.
This blog will explore whether bringing notes is appropriate, the types of notes you can prepare, and how to use these pre-written notes effectively during an interview.
Let's Understand When It's Appropriate to Take Notes During an Interview:
Taking notes into an interview and a copy of your CV helps you make a list of questions you want to ask at the end of an interview and enables you to remember the key content. However, some reputable organizations have done industry-specific studies indicating that candidates have taken notes in job interviews.
- Technology and Software: A survey found that 61% of technical professionals prepared notes and brought them to an interview. (Source: Indeed.com, 2020)
- Healthcare: A survey by the American Hospital Association found that 46% of healthcare professionals reported taking notes during job interviews. (Source: American Hospital Association, 2019)
It’s a smart idea to take notes, especially in interviews where you need to discuss multiple topics. Just be polite and ask your interviewer if it’s okay at the start.
If you bring notes during the interview, the following are the specific cases.
When You Have Thoughtful Answers to Difficult Interview Questions.
If you are an IT professional, a core finance expert, a data analyst, or another related professional, preparing notes on potential questions becomes essential before the interview. While some interviewers focus on common questions requiring little preparation, others demand structured responses. Having notes can serve as a helpful reference when answering questions.
However, do not entirely depend on them as they impact your interviewer engagement. Always aim to use your notes as backup prompts while delivering answers confidently and maintaining eye contact with the interviewer. This approach shows that you know the job role well.
Click on the link below to download a list of commonly asked interview questions in the UK to help you prepare effectively.
When You Want to Ask Questions of the Interviewer.
When you have questions you want to ask the interviewer, it is okay to bring notes to an interview. You could cover the job role, the organisation, or relevant topics that search engines don’t quickly provide. Researching before the interview will help you focus on things that need further clarification.
It is a general practice that interviewers allot time at the end of the interview for you to ask questions. It’s a part of the interview. However, at the end of an interview, the interviewer often forgets to ask simple questions.
Do you have any questions? In this scenario, you can ask questions independently without hesitation. Always ask permission from the interviewer. If your questions are thoughtful, they show your keen interest in the job and help you make a more informed decision.
However, always be aware of Illegal and Inappropriate Job Interview Questions that the interviewer should not ask from you. Questions related to your matters are not relevant at all to your qualifications. If asked such questions, you can politely change the conversation and return to your professional skills and experience.
Questions about age, gender, marital status, religion, or other personal matters are irrelevant to your job interview. They are supposed to come under the list of illegal and inappropriate questions.
When You Have Important Points, You Want to Remember.
Your Interview is approaching, and as you’ve researched the company and visited its website, you must have some general questions about its business operations. You also came across information about its recent mergers and acquisitions. Showing an interest in the company will impress the interviewer. Do you want to ask about these general talking points during the interview? Take brief notes to avoid flipping pages again and again.
When You Want to Bring Your CV With the Related Notes.
Suppose HR asks you to bring a copy of your CV and your interview application. At the same time, taking an extra copy of your CV for the interview is a good thing. You can refer to it yourself. You can also bring some short notes on essential roles you’ve mentioned in your CV so that you can easily explain them when asked. Referring to your CV during the interview keeps you focused on relevant points.
When You Want to Remember Your Quantifiable Achievements.
As a Business Development Manager, you may have several quantifiable achievements from your previous organisations. However, remembering exact numbers can be challenging. For example, you might have contributed to Shell’s E4 Startups investment thesis and facilitated $6 million in funding for E4 clean energy startups.
So, always make Bullet points about your quantifiable achievements in previous organisations. If you cannot remember specific numbers regarding a particular project or business deal, you can refer to your short notes.
When You Want to Showcase Your Unique Skills through a Bio.
Your CV includes key skills, work experience, educational background, and professional certifications. According to current industry standards, it should be a “one-pager” or “two-pager.” In exceptional cases, it can be 4 to 5 pages long.
If you write a short bio about yourself, it can truly leave a lasting impression. Write down the crucial points across your career that reflect your soft skills, work ethic, or a complex skill that aligns with the role you have applied for.
For example, if you’re applying for a client service delivery role, you could mention your global service capabilities experience, where you addressed client challenges, kept abreast with industry trends, and drove transformation initiatives across offshore and remote teams.
It demonstrates your proactive problem-solving skills, client-centric approach, and strategic and leadership skills in managing teams across different locations.
But keep your notes concise and relevant to the interview.
Why Should You Bring Notes to an Interview?
Taking notes in an interview can help in various ways:
- Keep up the Confidence: Your notes can serve as a handy guide. It helps you to stay focused and prepared.
- Interview Preparation Enhancement: Writing down major points about the company, job role, and potential questions helps you remember them.
- Covered Key Highlights: A checklist of points ensures that you don’t miss out on any important and relevant achievements.
- Reflects Professionalism: Prepared candidates leave a strong impression on interviewers.
- Facilitates Effective Questioning: Having pre-written questions helps you engage meaningfully with the interviewer.
Can You Take Notes into an Interview Presentation?
Yes, you can use notes in an interview presentation, but here are some interview tips for the notes:
- Neat and clean: Always ensure that your notes are neat and clean. Please do not make notes in unstructured writing.
- Keep them short: Write down your notes on a single sheet. Organise your content in bullet notes rather than huge paragraphs.
- Use cue cards or sticky notes: They help you to keep on track with the content you want to cover during an interview without looking unprepared.
- Practice before the Interview: Read your notes to recall important points. Rehearse answering some common interview questions and quantifiable achievements. The more familiar you are with your content, the less you’ll need to look into your notes.
- Maintain eye contact: Look at your notes briefly, but be engaged with the interview panel.
- Use technology smartly: If using slides, add key pointers as prompts rather than reading directly.
By following our valuable tips, you can improve your performance during the interview. Again, can you use notes in an interview presentation? Our answer is yes, it’s okay to take notes during the interview. Taking notes during the interview can be a helpful tool for staying confident and recalling important information. You can also take advantage of our professional CV writing services.
Can You Use Notes in an Online Interview?
The answer is yes. You can use notes in an online video interview. But is it unprofessional to look at notes during an interview? Yes, it is very unprofessional to look at your notes continuously. That’s why your notes should be short and well-structured, thereby avoiding screen distractions.
You can paste sticky notes on your laptop screen or a notepad for quick reference. However, you must maintain eye contact with the interviewer.
Can You Take Prepared Notes Into An Interview In The UK?
Yes, you can bring prepared notes to an interview in the UK.
According to Indeed.com UK, you can make good notes mentioning key points, achievements, or questions you want to ask during the interview process. This practice makes you confident. However, use them as a reference only. Refer to your notes as a prompt and not as a script. Interviewers appreciate well-prepared candidates, and using notes wisely can enhance your performance during the interview.
Additionally, developing your CV as a professional is very important. Selecting the Best Fonts for a CV in UK, such as Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Times New Roman, etc., enhances readability.
Fonts in a CV also play a key role in ensuring compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), allowing it to be easily scanned by them.
Can I Make Notes during the Interview?
Of course, humbly ask the interviewer if you can make notes about the job role before the interview starts. It shows how professional you are. You can write details such as salary range, job responsibilities, and the interview schedule for the next round. It shows your keen interest in the job opportunity.
The following are some key benefits of note-taking during the interview:
Here are a few benefits of taking notes during the interview:
- Recall important details: Writing down key points helps you remember important information about the job role, organisation, and interview conversation.
- Smooth follow-ups: Your notes serve as a reference for formulating thoughtful thank-you mail and follow-up questions.
Moreover, always structure your notes by using bullet points for clarity.
Further, taking notes quickly during the interview can help you stay organised, but be careful not to rely too much on them, as the interviewer may prefer you to engage with them directly instead.
What to Take With You on a Job Interview?
We have made a list of relevant requisites that answer your question about what to take with you to an interview.
- Copies of Your CV: Keep at least two copies, one for the interviewer and another for your reference.
- Cover Letter: It includes your skills and experience related to the job role. Also, it highlights why you are a good fit for a job while showing your interest in the company. Moreover, refer to a bookkeeper cover letter example if you apply for a bookkeeping role. It can help you effectively write your cover letter to show your relevant skills and experience.
- A Small Diary and Pen: To write down key points about the job role or any relevant questions.
- Laptop: In case you must present your significant projects to the interviewer.
- Interview Invitation & Job Description: Assists you in aligning your responses with the requirements of the job role.
- Identification Cards: Some companies require your ID for entry.
- Company Research Notes: You can bring notes about the company’s business processes, recent news, and industry trends.
- Prepared Questions for the Interviewer: Carrying notes about the questions to ask from the interviewer. It is a good idea to bring notes as they show your interest in the job role.
- Portfolio (if applicable): Samples of work or projects undertaken in case of applying for creative, IT, or technical roles.
- A Bottle of Water: Most importantly, keep yourself hydrated and calm.
- Confidence & a Positive Attitude: Last but not least, a positive mindset is key to success!
UK Interview Culture, Note-Taking, and Etiquette Practices
Interview Etiquette in the UK
- Firm Handshake: When the interview is in person, it’s a good idea to start with a firm handshake to show respect and confidence.
- Polite Greeting: Always politely greet your interviewer, respectfully introducing yourself.
- Asking Permission for Taking Notes: Before you start writing anything down, ask your interviewer if it’s okay to take notes. This shows professionalism and respect for their time and the conversation.
- Can You Take Notes into an Interview UK?: It’s perfectly fine to take notes as long as you ask your interviewer first and use them in a way that does not distract from the conversation.
- Notes May Be Helpful: Bringing notes can help you remain organised and ensure important points aren’t missed. Use them quickly to keep the conversation flowing. If you have an interview coming up in a sector with detailed technical or regulatory questions, bringing concise notes is expected.
Appropriate Note-Taking in the UK
- Brief and Clear Notes: In the UK, interviewers appreciate concise responses. If you need to bring some notes, it’s a good idea to keep them short and to the point.
- Can You Bring Notes into an Interview UK?: Yes, you can bring notes into an interview UK. However, the notes should only be used to help you to be on track, not to rely on them too much during your answers.
- Back to Your Notes: If you need to look back at your notes during the interview, make sure to do so quickly and briefly without interrupting the flow of conversation.
UK-Specific Job Market Insights: Trends and Practices
UK Job Trends
- Job Market Growth: The UK job market is growing, especially in tech, finance, and healthcare. There are some leading recruitment agencies in the UK, such as CV-Library and Reed.co.uk. According to Reed.co.uk, the tech and finance industries often encourage note-taking in interviews for managing technical details.
- Should You Take Notes in an Interview? Yes, note-taking is common, particularly in finance and tech, to ensure key points are not missed during complex discussions.
In Which UK Job Sectors is Note-Taking Commonly Used, and Why?
- Note-taking is common in UK sectors like education, healthcare, HR, legal, and administrative roles because these jobs often involve meetings, documentation, and record-keeping for future reference.
- In healthcare roles, such as NHS positions, structured interviews make note-taking acceptable to reference complex information discussed.
- Can You Take Written Notes into an Interview? Yes, particularly for interviews in industries like healthcare. As, here detailed topics like policies or procedures are covered.
Final Thoughts
Taking notes for an interview can be a robust technique when used ethically. It helps you stay organized. It ensures you don’t forget key talking points.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Can you take notes into an interview?” You now know that it’s all about balance. Hence, it’s critical to use them strategically. Throughout the interview, you have to look at the key bullet points rather than read them verbally.
Your focus should always be on engaging with the interviewer, maintaining clear communication, and exuding confidence during your interview. Prepared notes can give you a competitive edge over other candidates, but only when created and used correctly. It helps you succeed in your next interview.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notes can you take into an interview?
You can bring notes to a job interview that showcase your key skills, qualifications, achievements, and company research. Keep them concise so that you can refer to them quickly.
Are you allowed to bring notes into an interview?
The answer is yes. Nowadays, most interviewers allow notes to be taken during an interview. However, they should be concise and used professionally.
Do interviewers allow notes?
Yes, Interviewers are generally permitted to include notes in the interview. They allow this to help you stay focused, but avoid looking at them too much.
Can I take notes while interviewing someone?
Yes, taking notes during an interview can help recall key points while making a hiring decision.
Can I use notes to help in a group interview?
Yes, during a group interview, notes help you keep track of key points and responses from different interviewers.
Should I refer to my notes when the interviewer asks a question?
Yes, but do it professionally. Looking and quickly reading your notes can help you recall key details, but always maintain eye contact.
What portion of the interview should I prepare notes for?
Formulate interview notes for your key skills, quantifiable achievements, and questions for the interviewer.
Can I use my phone during an interview to check notes?
No. The ethical way to use notes is by using paper notes. Because checking your phone during an interview may seem unprofessional. Always prepare interview notes on a piece of paper.
How do notes help when the interview begins?
Notes will help you stay organised and confident when the interview begins. They will also help you address and cover all the key pointers.
How should I prepare notes for my next interview?
Take an A4-size paper or a small notebook and write down the key skills relevant to the job. You can also include critical project details, job role details, and questions for the interviewer to help guide your answers.
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