Briefcase vs leather portfolio for interviews

[Mazework]

Any suggestions? The brief case seems too formal as I have nothing to put in the briefcase except for a couple of spare resumes. Will it look strange walking around with a portfolio.

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[Darkshooter326]

I also was wondering if people know what to do with your belongings for the day. Say I stay in a hotel the night before an interview, and fly out right after my interview. What do I do with my garment bag/suitcase for the day? Obviously it's not big, but still akward toting it around all day. Anyone with interview experience?

 

[MollyMalone]

Every place I interviewed at had a room to put interviewee luggage in.

The briefcase is overkill, a portfolio will be just fine.

Good luck!

 

[notdeadyet]

The briefcase is overkill, a portfolio will be just fine.

Only bring a briefcase if you're going to try to sell the interviewer something...

 

[Entirecropslost]

whoa, why would you need a leather portfolio for your interviews? A resume? they have more information on you than you could ever fit on a resume. So what would you bring?

 

[Law2Doc]

whoa, why would you need a leather portfolio for your interviews? A resume? they have more information on you than you could ever fit on a resume. So what would you bring?

The small portfolios are good because you may want a notepad and pen to jot down notes about the fin aid presentation, or maybe take down the email address of your tour guide or other upperclassmen you meet. You will also often be handed a pile of paper during the interview day, and so will want something to stow them in.
But a briefcase before you are employed is overkill and will make you look like a dork.

 

[RDood]

whoa, why would you need a leather portfolio for your interviews? A resume? they have more information on you than you could ever fit on a resume. So what would you bring?

You'll want some questions written in advance, indeed a copy of your resume for your interviewer (for you too if you need to look up a date or detail or something) and maybe the school's brochure to look over too if you're spending anytime waiting. That and you might be taking notes at one of the presentations, so you'll need a pen and paper. You'll want some place to put this all as a plastic folder, or your backpack, would look quite cheesy.

 

[TxMed]

a black suit, briefcase, and the excessive butt-kissing may make people think you're a drug rep...i'd stick with the suit and butt-kissing by themselves

tm

 

[RDood]

a black suit, briefcase, and the excessive butt-kissing may make people think you're a drug rep...i'd stick with the suit and butt-kissing by themselves

tm

hah, so true

 

[Law2Doc]

a black suit, briefcase, and the excessive butt-kissing may make people think you're a drug rep...i'd stick with the suit and butt-kissing by themselves

tm

Drug reps don't bring a briefcase to the hospital. They bring free pizza.

 

[RAD11]

Only bring a briefcase if you're going to try to sell the interviewer something...

 

[RAD11]

Drug reps don't bring a briefcase to the hospital. They bring free pizza.

They bring both . Gotta love those drug-reps.

 

[Dr. Roket]

a black suit, briefcase, and the excessive butt-kissing may make people think you're a drug rep...i'd stick with the suit and butt-kissing by themselves

tm

I'm going to wear a suit, dark blue, black, or gray, NO PINSTRIPE! Hair, including facial, should be short and neat. Nails freshly manicured. As for a briefcase or portfolio I would say neither, I will only be toting 1 volume of 6 ancient texts of sumarian burial practices bound in human flesh and inked with the blood of the deceased... That's right I have a copy of "Naturan Demanto"... Jealous?

 

[Mazework]

Thanks for the responses! I am going through a stage where I am spending ridiculous amount of time worrying about everything but my secondaries. 4 more to go

 

[Testy McAterson]

Only bring a briefcase if you're going to try to sell the interviewer something...

haha our souls...

 

[MD-To Be]

Any suggestions? The brief case seems too formal as I have nothing to put in the briefcase except for a couple of spare resumes. Will it look strange walking around with a portfolio.

Portfolio. You will want to write down any questions you want to ask and takes notes at various points. Also, the schools give you a ton of papers that you can keep neatly organized in a simple portfolio. The briefcase would be a bit much; you are selling them yourself, not a microwave.

Good luck.

 

[.surgical.]

i really don't think your gonna "impress" an adcom by having a briefcase, so why bother?

if all you have is a briefcase, i still wouldn't bring it because it just seems incredibly awkward.

 

[CptCrunch]

I'll be bringing a portfolio.

 

[Caristra]

I'm going with a portfolio. I am also going to have to stow my luggage somewhere for a few schools. I think they'll expect that from previous experience.
I had one question though, is a nice pink shade of nailpolish ok or should i stick to clear? I usually get a very very tame pink. like iced roses or options pink.

 

[45408]

I'd laugh if I saw an applicant with a briefcase.

 

[BlackBantie]

I had one question though, is a nice pink shade of nailpolish ok or should i stick to clear? I usually get a very very tame pink. like iced roses or options pink.

Just don't look like Bozo and you should be fine.

Rather than dragging my purse along, I'm just going to stash all of my stuff into my portfolio.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Any suggestions? The brief case seems too formal as I have nothing to put in the briefcase except for a couple of spare resumes. Will it look strange walking around with a portfolio.

Handcuff your wrist to the briefcase, and if anyone asks you about it, tell them "I can't tell you for reasons of national security."

This should result in automatic admission to any medical school of your choice, and they won't think it's wierd at all.

 

[Compass]

Actually, no. They'll ask for your clearance, and then say, "Actually, I work for the government too in a plot to frustrate pre-medical students around the nation. Open up or you're going to jail."

Anyways, here's my recommendation:

http://images.google.com/images?q=l...-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi

A small notepad, maybe a pen, some papers you need such as your resume, JIC, and anything else of importance that they don't know about.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Actually, no. They'll ask for your clearance, and then say, "Actually, I work for the government too in a plot to frustrate pre-medical students around the nation. Open up or you're going to jail."

Anyways, here's my recommendation:

http://images.google.com/images?q=l...-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi

A small notepad, maybe a pen, some papers you need such as your resume, JIC, and anything else of importance that they don't know about.

There's no need to really buy anything like this. Most schools provide you with a folder containing materials. Bring your paperwork in a manilla envelope and then transfer it to the folder upon arrival.

 

[dantt]

It is nice for future use too. I've used mine at job interviews and formal meetings before.

 

[Beau Geste]

For women, I think a nice professional handbag doubling as a purse would look sharp. Not so nerdy as a breifcase.

I saw one by Liz Claiborne i liked and not too expensive (very important for me!)

Here's the page...

There are handbags with matching portfolios. Cute!!!!!

 

[Entirecropslost]

maybe i'm missing something, but what paperwork would you need to bring to an interview?

 

[spospo]

maybe i'm missing something, but what paperwork would you need to bring to an interview?

copy of that school's secondary to go over before hand possibly, copy of AMCAS. paper for questions or answers you want to write, i dunno, things like that i guess.

 

[Beau Geste]

copy of that school's secondary to go over before hand possibly, copy of AMCAS. paper for questions or answers you want to write, i dunno, things like that i guess.

Might be good to have jotted down some things unique to the school so you can answer school-specific questions.

 

[sandy100]

Hi,

Portfolio or briefcase, It depends upon things we are carrying with and distance we are going to. I am using both a Leather briefcase as well as Leather portfolio. It's comfortable, nice as well as cheap.

Thanks

Harry

 

[Conky]

Those leather portfolios are sharp... a briefcase is just plain ridiculous and would definitely attract some snickering.

Personally, I just went with one of the regular, glossy emblem folders from my school. They end up giving you another folder anyway, so you can place one inside the other...

As for what you should bring, a note pad and mapquest directions and a campus map should be sufficient. Just that stuff didn't warrant me buying one of those nice portfolios.

 

[Conky]

I also was wondering if people know what to do with your belongings for the day. Say I stay in a hotel the night before an interview, and fly out right after my interview. What do I do with my garment bag/suitcase for the day? Obviously it's not big, but still akward toting it around all day. Anyone with interview experience?

left it in my car/rental car/hotel while at the interview.

 

[Jolie South]

do not bring a briefcase unless you want to be the subject of ridicule from other interviewees. honestly, there is no need for one.

 

[Davydude7]

Nice rez on the two and a half year old thread!

 

[Akmidnightsun]

Every interview I've been to has offered a room in or near the admissions office to keep luggage during the day, it's expected that interviewees travel to the interview.
Bring a portfolio, not your huge briefcase (you will take a walking tour on most of your interviews, I find this usually involves a lot of stairs and shortcuts to make a single loop - especially at NYU, Columbia, and AECOM, and long, long hallways if you're in the Northwest at OHSU or UW) because like the interminable structure of this sentence, you'll have to carry it throughout the day and on this tour, and the briefcase will feel as awkward as it looks.
In your portfolio, keep a couple 2x2 pictures of yourself in case you forgot to submit them earlier, a couple copies of your personal statement (some interviewers ask for it), a copy of your complete AMCAS, a copy of your secondary for that school, a pad of paper for notes (it helps when trying to ecided between schools to have your first impressions on paper) and for questions to ask your interviewer (I've had moments where I went blank at that point), and a pen with ink. I took shuttle flights for my nearby interviews (BOS to LGA or DCA) and only traveled with the portfolio, so my boarding passes were in it as well. Not having a lot baggage to deal with took a lot of stress out of the process.

 

[eyang22286]

as for the interview itself, go with the portfolio/padfolio. i had this same debate with myself prior to going on interviews, and after talking to people, they all said portfolio. i'm so glad i made that decision, i haven't seen a single guy carry a briefcase yet.

however, if you're leaving for your flight right after the interview, it is totally okay to just bring all your luggage/bags. they will have a place for you to store it. so for the interview portion itself, just bring that portfolio