Copies of CV for Interview?

[PsyDuck90]

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Hello all, this may be a bit of a silly question, but I saw somewhere that applicants should bring copies of their CV to an interview. I have an interview coming up, and I was wondering what the general consensus is (I don't really want to lug around a folder of stuff or carry a larger purse just to fit said folder if it's unnecessary).

Also, any other tips anyone may have for a 1st time applicant is always greatly appreciated (even though I have already scoured past threads on this topic).

Thank you!

 

[bpsydme]

Yes for bringing copies of your CV. I usually bring 3-5 extra copies in a professional looking binder, one of those that have a notepad attached to it. I've had people ask for a copy of my CV at grad school and internship interviews, since many of them did not have a chance to take a look at it before hand.

I'm guessing that you are referring to "1st time applicant" to grad school? Some tips that I have found personally helpful are:
1. Have generic questions that you can ask of multiple people. The most awkward thing is when they ask "do you have any questions" and you are too fatigued to think of new good ones. So prepare 3-5 questions that you can ask over and over again for each interviewer.
2. Bring a lint roller and backup clothes! You don't want to show up to an interview looking unpolished, and if you accidentally spill something, you can have a backup. This is particularly important if you won't have a chance to do laundry in between interview sites. On that note, bring tic tacs, tylenol, eye drops, or other small items that can make your life a little easier. Also bring granola bars, just in case you're starving and it's not lunch time yet.
3. Know every single part of your CV, even if it's a poster you were 10th author on from 5 years ago. You don't have to go back and memorize the poster, but if it's work on your CV, you should be able to talk about it for a couple sentences. You never know which project will catch someone's attention for reasons unbeknownst to you. If you cannot speak about a certain paper/poster/project, don't include it on your CV.

 

[singasongofjoy]

Yes on the CVs. You may also be given papers/pamphlets that you will want to be able to keep up with. So bring a nice folio or something similar. And also I second everything bpsydme said above, especially the granola bars and the having prepared questions to ask (and make sure they are definitely NOT questions that you could find the answer to relatively easily elsewehre like on the website). Also reasonably comfy shoes- you may be given a walking tour.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Yeh, bring copies of your C.V. just in case but don't expect to give it out very often. It is, more often than not, an exercise in cutting down trees that were quite happy not being cut down, but it is still a good idea to do. Quite frankly, I appreciate the sentiment of being prepared, but I already have all application materials for those I am interviewing and have spent a good deal of time reading them. For non-advisees I am interviewing (such as I am all afternoon today), I am looking for verbal ability (can you make a clear, articulated point), personality (would I want to have you in class for the next few years/will you get along with the culture of the program), and general knowledge (of your mentors work, of the program, of the field).

Another bit of advice, ask the same question to multiple people. They may have different perspectives and they may be able to offer different experiences/takes on things to allow you the best chance of discerning how well the program fits you (its not just about you fitting us). And always have questions ready. It's surprising to me how many applicants don't have questions - it reflects either a lack of awareness about all the information you will want to know or a lack of interest.

Otherwise, the things they said are all good.

 

[PsyDuck90]

This is all fantastic advice. Thank you all so much! I've been preparing by reading some recent articles by my POI and making notes to ask questions regarding research methodology and anything else that pops out from their current research. I've also been thinking about questions about the program culture as a whole. I love the idea of asking multiple people the same question to get different perspectives.

 

[singasongofjoy]

This is all fantastic advice. Thank you all so much! I've been preparing by reading some recent articles by my POI and making notes to ask questions regarding research methodology and anything else that pops out from their current research. I've also been thinking about questions about the program culture as a whole. I love the idea of asking multiple people the same question to get different perspectives.

Re: culture, I've generally gotten good mileage out of questions like "what surprised you most about this program/ living here (general location) once you started to get settled in?" It's stated neutrally so it's telling whether people offer up positive or negative things and if any trends emerge.