Also you can get professional-looking "pad-folio" folders that hold a letter-size note pad on one side and usually have a pocket on the facing side, are solid like a hardcover book so you can write on your lap or whatever, and the cover material is smooth vinyl, usually black or another toned-down professional color - some are fancy (leather, with extra compartments, with a zipper along the side, etc.) but a decent one can be had for under $10. It seems pretty common for ppl to carry them around on interview days: one guy who didn't bring one even asked the rest of the group if the school gave them out to us and he missed it. 😀 You can choose from a wide selection at office supply stores, but I've even found them in the school supplies aisle at a pharmacy.
