What to Bring to an Interview: Checklist for In-Person, Video & Phone

Last updated: October 2026

Quick Answer

Bring printed copies of your resume, a padfolio with a pen and notebook, a short list of questions for the interviewer, a photo ID, and any item the invitation asks for. Add a portfolio or work samples for creative and technical roles, and a reference list if the employer asks. For video and phone interviews, the equivalent kit is a charged device, a stable connection, a copy of your resume and the job description in front of you. Rehearse the conversation itself in OphyAI Interview Practice so the kit is the easy part.

Item	In person	Video	Phone
Printed resumes (several copies)	Yes	No	No
Padfolio, pen and notebook	Yes	Yes (paper beside you)	Yes
Questions for the interviewer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Photo ID	Yes	Only if asked	No
Portfolio or work samples	If relevant	Digital link ready	Digital link ready
Job description and your notes	Printed	On screen or printed	Printed
Charged phone or laptop and charger	Phone silenced	Yes	Yes
Directions and contact number	Yes	Meeting link	Dial-in number

The Core Checklist for an In-Person Interview

Most career centers and hiring guides agree on a short core kit. The items below come from university career-center and hiring-guide checklists listed in the sources.

1. Printed copies of your resume

Bring more copies than you expect to need. One guide suggests 5-10 copies on quality paper, even if you applied online, because panels can include several interviewers and someone may not have printed yours. Your resume should match the version you submitted. If you need to refresh it, build a clean ATS-friendly version in OphyAI Resume Builder and print it from the PDF.

2. A padfolio or folder

A padfolio keeps papers flat and gives you a surface for notes. It also makes you look organised. A plain, neat folder is fine.

3. Pens and a notebook

Bring your own pen rather than assuming the company will supply one. A notebook lets you take notes without the distraction of a laptop or phone. Write the interviewers’ names as they introduce themselves so you can use them in your thank-you note.

4. Questions for the interviewer

Write 5-10 and expect to ask two or three. Good questions cover the team, how success is measured and the next steps. See questions to ask the interviewer and killer questions to ask at the end of an interview.

5. Photo ID and anything the invitation lists

Read the interview email for specifics. Some employers ask for ID, forms, a transcript, certifications or a completed document. A missing required item can cost you the interview, so check the invitation the night before.

6. The job description and your notes

Print the posting and highlight three requirements you can match with examples. Add a one-page cheat sheet with your key stories, but glance at it only before you walk in, not during the conversation.

7. Directions, contact number and cash for parking

Know the address, the floor, the parking situation and the recruiter’s phone number. Plan to arrive about 10-15 minutes early (a common recommendation) and wait in the lobby, so you do not walk in at the last second.

Extras by Situation

Situation	Add to the kit
Creative, design or technical roles	A portfolio or work samples: one copy is enough; bring a hard copy and have a digital version ready
Panel interview	Copies for each panelist; read our panel interview questions
Finance, law, sales or networking-heavy fields	Business cards, if you have them
Reference-heavy hiring (government, healthcare, education)	A typed reference list with three names, titles and contact details
Skilled trades, retail and food service	Any license, food handler card or certification you hold, plus ID and work eligibility documents if asked
Second-round or on-site loops	A fresh notebook page per interviewer, a water bottle and a charger
Presentations or case exercises	A USB drive or cloud link, adapters and a printed backup of your slides

The Video Interview Kit

A video interview needs different preparation: nothing to carry, but several things to check.

• Device and charger. Plug in your laptop. Close other apps and notifications.
• Connection. Test your internet and have a phone hotspot as a backup.
• Camera, microphone and headphones. Test them in the platform you will use (Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet).
• Lighting and background. Face a window or lamp, keep the background tidy, and look at the camera when you speak.
• Paper beside you. A pen, notebook, your resume and the job description.
• Meeting link and backup contact. Save the link and the recruiter’s phone number.
• Water. Keep a glass within reach.

For a full setup guide, read video interview best practices. To rehearse on a real call before the day, run a mock in OphyAI Interview Copilot, which works on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. Whether to use any AI tool in a live interview is the employer’s call: check which companies allow AI in interviews and ask the recruiter if the rules are unclear.

The Phone Interview Kit

• A charged phone, a charger and a quiet room with good reception.
• Your resume, the job description, a short list of stories and your questions on the desk.
• A glass of water and a notepad.
• The interviewer’s name and the number they will call from, if you know it.

Our phone interview preparation guide and phone screen questions and answers cover what to say.

What to Leave at Home (or in the Bag)

• Your phone’s ringer. Silence it before you enter the building, and keep it out of sight.
• Coffee, gum or food. Finish before you arrive.
• Oversized bags. A slim bag or briefcase is easier to manage in a small room.
• A laptop you do not need. Taking notes on paper is less distracting.
• Strong fragrance. Some workplaces are fragrance-sensitive.
• Anything you would not want read. Do not bring documents you do not intend to share.

What to Wear and How to Carry It

The bag matters as much as the contents. Choose a slim bag or briefcase that holds a padfolio, a water bottle and a charger, and keep it closed and on the floor beside you during the interview. Match your outfit to the employer: a quick look at the company’s website, social pages and employee photos shows what people wear. When unsure, dress one step above the daily standard, in clean, ironed clothes that fit, and wear shoes you can walk in. For retail, food service and trades, neat and casual with closed shoes is a common recommendation in hourly-role guides. Try the whole outfit on the day before so nothing surprises you.

What to Bring for Common Hourly and Retail Interviews

Many readers searching this are applying for hourly roles. The kit is lighter: a printed resume or a short list of previous jobs with dates, a photo ID, your availability written down, the name of the person you are meeting, and references with phone numbers if you have them. Bring a pen. If the job requires a card or license (a food handler card, a forklift certificate or a driver’s license), bring it. See the Chipotle interview guide and the Chick-fil-A interview guide for what these interviews cover.

The Night-Before and Last-Hour Routine

1. Night before: pack the bag, lay out your outfit, check the route and re-read the job description.
2. Morning: eat, review your three main stories and your questions, and do a five-minute voice warm-up by reading your intro aloud.
3. One hour before: arrive in the area, find the building, go to the restroom, check your appearance and put your phone on silent.
4. At the door: smile at the receptionist, since you are being observed from the moment you arrive.
5. After: write down what you were asked and send a thank-you note within a day. Track the application in the free OphyAI Application Tracker.

How to Practice These

Preparing the bag takes 20 minutes; preparing the answers takes longer. Use OphyAI Interview Practice for voice or text mock interviews with follow-up questions, a transcript and per-answer feedback, and use OphyAI Interview Copilot to rehearse on a mock video call. Start practicing →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many copies of my resume should I bring to an interview?

Bring more than you expect to need. One hiring guide suggests 5-10 printed copies, because panels can include several interviewers and someone may have forgotten to print yours. Even if you applied online, a clean copy lets you hand it over and refer to it during the conversation.

Should I bring a portfolio to an interview?

Bring one if your work is visual or technical, such as design, writing, engineering or marketing, or if you have relevant class projects or research. You usually only need one copy, with a digital version ready to share. If the employer does not ask for samples, keep it short and offer to share more.

Is it okay to bring a notebook and take notes?

Yes, and it signals interest. Use a notebook or padfolio instead of a laptop or phone, which can be distracting. Write down names, key points and next steps, and glance at your prepared questions rather than reading them out. Ask for a moment if you want to write something down.

What should I bring to a virtual interview?

Bring a charged laptop, a charger, a stable connection, a headset if you use one, and paper beside you with a pen, your resume and the job description. Test the camera, microphone and meeting link beforehand. A phone hotspot is a good backup if your internet drops.

Should I bring references to an interview?

Only if they are requested or likely to be. A typed list of three references with names, titles and contact details is useful in government, healthcare, education and some corporate roles. Ask your references first, and do not put the list on your resume.

Is it okay to bring my phone into an interview?

Bring it, but silence it and keep it out of sight. You may need it for directions, a contact number or an emergency, but looking at it during the conversation is a common way to lose points. In a phone interview, make sure it is fully charged.

Do I need to bring ID to a job interview?

Carry photo ID at minimum, since many buildings require it at reception, and bring work eligibility documents if the invitation asks. Read the interview email for the list of anything else you are expected to bring, and ask the recruiter if the invitation is unclear. Keep documents in your padfolio so they are easy to find.

Related Guides

• Questions to ask the interviewer
• Panel interview questions
• How to prepare for a phone interview
• Video interview best practices
• Common interview questions and answers
• Chipotle interview guide
• Chick-fil-A interview guide

Sources and verification notes

Checked October 2026. Important limit: the network tool could not open these pages directly, so the details below come from search-result summaries. The advice is general; the invitation from your employer overrides any list.

• University of Cincinnati, What to bring to an interview: a checklist for job-seekers: resumes, folder, pens, notebook, portfolio, references, phone silenced. Checked October 2026 (search summary).
• NerdWallet, 8 key items to bring to a job interview: core kit and ID. Checked October 2026 (search summary).
• The Interview Guys, What to bring to a job interview: 5-10 printed copies, questions to ask. Checked October 2026 (search summary).
• University of Mary, Job interview checklist (PDF): checklist items. Checked October 2026 (search summary).