Preparing Notes for an Interview: What to Bring and How to Use Them

Walking into an interview with thoughtful preparation materials signals professionalism and genuine interest. But there’s a fine line between being prepared and appearing unable to discuss your own qualifications without constant reference. Here’s how to prepare and use interview notes effectively.

Is It Okay to Bring Notes?

The Short Answer: Yes

Bringing notes to an interview is generally acceptable and often expected for professional positions. Well-prepared candidates arrive with materials that demonstrate thoughtfulness and organization.

What Most Interviewers Appreciate

A portfolio or folder with organized materials
A notepad for taking notes during the interview
A list of thoughtful questions to ask
Reference materials like copies of your resume
Research you’ve conducted on the company

What Concerns Interviewers

Reading answers directly from prepared scripts
Constantly looking at notes rather than engaging
Having notes for basic information you should know
Disorganized materials that you fumble through
Notes that suggest you don’t know your own experience

What Notes to Prepare

Your Questions for the Interviewer

This is the most important set of notes to bring. Thoughtful questions demonstrate:

Research into the company and role
Genuine interest in the opportunity
Strategic thinking about the position

Organize Questions by Category:

Role and Responsibilities:

What does success look like in the first 90 days?
What are the biggest challenges facing someone in this role?
How does this role contribute to team/company goals?

Team and Culture:

How would you describe the team dynamic?
What’s the collaboration style between departments?
How does the company support professional development?

Company and Strategy:

What are the company’s top priorities for the next year?
How has the company evolved since you joined?
What are you most excited about in the company’s future?

Process and Next Steps:

What does the rest of the interview process look like?
When might I expect to hear about next steps?
Is there anything else I can provide to support my candidacy?

Key Achievements and Stories

Prepare a brief outline of stories you want to tell. Not full scripts, but reminders:

STAR Framework Reference:

Revenue Growth Project
- Situation: Sales team struggling with lead quality
- Task: Improve lead scoring and qualification
- Action: Built new scoring model, trained team
- Result: 40% improvement in lead-to-opportunity conversion

Having these reminders helps you recall specifics during behavioral questions without memorizing entire responses.

Company Research Summary

Organize key facts about the company:

COMPANY RESEARCH NOTES

Company Overview:
- Founded: 2015
- Size: ~500 employees
- Revenue: Series C, raised $75M
- Primary product: B2B marketing automation

Recent News:
- Launched new analytics feature (Dec 2024)
- Opened European office (Oct 2024)
- Won "Best Place to Work" award (Sep 2024)

Key People:
- CEO: Jennifer Martinez, former Google PM
- My interviewer: David Chen, VP Engineering, 5 years at company
- Recent post about scaling engineering team

Why This Appeals to Me:
- Mission aligned with my interest in marketing tech
- Growth stage matches what I'm seeking
- Technical challenges match my experience

Job Description Highlights

Mark up the job description with your relevant experience:

JOB REQUIREMENT: "5+ years of product management experience"
MY MATCH: 7 years, including 3 at similar company stage

JOB REQUIREMENT: "Experience with data products"
MY MATCH: Built analytics dashboard at TechCorp, 50K+ users

JOB REQUIREMENT: "Track record of cross-functional leadership"
MY MATCH: Led teams of up to 15 across engineering, design, data

Numbers and Metrics

Create a quick reference for your key achievements:

METRICS TO REMEMBER

Revenue Impact:
- Pipeline: Generated $4.2M in qualified pipeline
- Conversion: Improved signup→activation by 35%
- Retention: Reduced churn from 8% to 5% annually

Scale:
- Users: Platform served 2M+ active users
- Team: Led team of 12 cross-functional
- Budget: Managed $500K annual budget

Efficiency:
- Process improvements saved 20 hours/week
- Reduced development cycle by 40%
- Cut support tickets by 45%

Having exact numbers at hand prevents vague answers when interviewers ask for specifics.

What to Bring to the Interview

Essential Materials

Multiple Copies of Your Resume Bring 5-6 copies, even if you’ve already submitted electronically:

For interviewers who don’t have copies
For unexpected additional interviewers
As a reference during discussion

Your Questions List Printed or in a neat notepad.

A Professional Notepad and Pen For taking notes during the interview. Quality materials make a better impression than a random scrap of paper.

Optional but Helpful

Portfolio or Work Samples If your field involves visual or tangible work:

Design portfolios
Writing samples
Project documentation
Presentations

Reference Sheet Names and contact information for references, in case they’re requested.

Copies of Certifications If the role requires specific credentials, bring copies.

Physical Organization

Professional Folder or Padfolio: Keep materials organized in something that looks polished:

Leather or faux-leather portfolio
Professional folder or binder
Neat organization—not loose papers

Arrangement:

Resumes accessible without shuffling
Questions visible on notepad
Work samples organized by relevance

How to Use Notes During the Interview

The Right Approach

For Questions You’re Asking: Consulting your prepared questions is completely appropriate: “I prepared some questions to make sure I learn what I need to know. Let me check my list… Ah yes, I wanted to ask about the team structure.”

For Specific Numbers: “Let me double-check my notes for the exact figure… Our improvement was 47%, not 40%—I want to be precise.”

For Taking Notes: “Do you mind if I take some notes? I want to remember the details of what you’re sharing.”

What to Avoid

Reading Prepared Answers: Your notes should be prompts, not scripts. Reading answers word-for-word appears rehearsed and raises concerns about your genuine knowledge.

Constant Reference: If you’re checking notes for every question, you appear unprepared to discuss your own experience.

Basic Information: Don’t need notes to remember your current job title, how long you’ve been there, or fundamental facts about yourself.

Disruptive Searching: Shuffling through papers looking for information breaks conversation flow and looks disorganized.

Smooth Transitions

Practice how to reference notes naturally:

Awkward: Stops mid-sentence, rummages through folder, reads from paper.

Smooth: “That’s a great question. I actually noted a specific example I wanted to share…” (brief glance at notes) “Yes, when I led the platform migration project…”

Notes for Different Interview Formats

Phone and Video Interviews

Notes are even more acceptable here since the interviewer can’t see you reading:

Advantages:

Full notes visible without appearing to read
Can keep research, metrics, and questions on screen
Easier to reference without breaking eye contact

Cautions:

Don’t let note-reading create unnatural pauses
Your attention should still be on the conversation
Audio cues like paper rustling can be heard

Video-Specific Tips:

Keep notes at eye level (near camera) so you’re not obviously looking down
Use digital notes on same screen as video call
Avoid excessive scrolling that’s visible on camera

In-Person Interviews

More traditional approach with physical materials:

Keep notes minimal and organized
Place portfolio closed on table at start
Open only when specifically useful
Maintain eye contact as priority

Panel Interviews

With multiple interviewers, notes help track who asked what:

Note names and roles of each panelist
Jot quick reminders about their questions
Reference notes for specific follow-up questions

All-Day Interview Loops

Extended interviews require more preparation:

Prepare different questions for different interviewers
Track what you’ve discussed to avoid repetition
Have notes on each interviewer’s background
Bring enough materials for all sessions

Taking Notes During the Interview

What to Note

Information for Follow-Up:

Specific projects mentioned
Challenges they’re facing
Things to research before next round

Names and Details:

Who you met
Their roles
Key points from each conversation

Questions That Arise:

Things you want to follow up on
Clarifications needed
Topics for future discussion

Evaluation Information:

Pros and cons you observe
Questions about the opportunity
Things to consider in your decision

Note-Taking Etiquette

Ask Permission (for extended note-taking): “Do you mind if I take a few notes? I want to remember the details.”

Don’t Be Excessive: Taking notes constantly makes you seem more focused on documentation than conversation.

Stay Engaged: Eye contact and active listening remain priorities. Note brief points, not full transcripts.

Don’t Note Sensitive Information: If something seems confidential, don’t write it down in front of the interviewer.

Preparing Your Materials

One Week Before

Research company thoroughly
Draft questions list
Identify key achievements and stories
Gather any portfolio materials

Day Before

Print resume copies
Finalize questions list
Review metrics and specific numbers
Organize materials in portfolio/folder
Review job description one more time

Day Of

Review notes one final time
Ensure everything is organized
Bring extra pen (they fail at the worst times)
Arrive with materials ready

Creating Effective Note Formats

Question Lists

Format for Readability:

QUESTIONS FOR [COMPANY NAME]

For Hiring Manager:
□ What does success look like in year one?
□ What's the biggest challenge facing the team?
□ How do you prefer to communicate with direct reports?

For Team Members:
□ What's the team culture like day-to-day?
□ What tools and processes do you use?
□ What's most rewarding about working here?

For HR/Recruiter:
□ What's the timeline for next steps?
□ How would you describe company culture?
□ What growth opportunities exist?

Achievement Reminders

Concise Format:

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Revenue: $4.2M pipeline generated
   Context: Built content program from scratch
   
2. Efficiency: 40% faster delivery
   Context: Process redesign for engineering team
   
3. Scale: 2M users served
   Context: Platform I led at TechCorp

Digital vs. Physical Notes

Physical Notes Advantages

No technology failures
More professional appearance
Less distracting to reference
Demonstrates organization skills

Digital Notes Advantages

Easy to update and search
Can include links to work samples
More comprehensive without bulk
Perfect for phone/video interviews

Recommendation

In-person: Physical notes in professional portfolio
Video: Digital notes positioned near camera
Phone: Full digital reference materials
All-day: Combination (physical portfolio, digital backup)

Building the Right Foundation

Great interview notes start with a great resume. When your resume is well-organized and achievement-focused (built with tools like 0portfolio.com), creating interview reference materials becomes straightforward—you’re essentially expanding on the foundation you’ve already built.

Your resume provides the facts; your interview notes help you tell the stories behind them.

Final Thoughts

Bringing notes to an interview isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of preparation. The key is balance: use notes to support your conversation, not replace it. You should be able to discuss your experience naturally; notes help you remember specific details, ask intelligent questions, and demonstrate thoroughness.

Prepare thoughtfully, organize professionally, and use notes as the tools they are—supporting resources that help you present your best self in the interview.

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