is it okay to put padfolio and folder on the floor during an interview?

[sevenup]

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Is it okay to put it on the floor? Or, are you supposed to keep it on your lap?

I just found it really uncomfortable to have the padfolio/folder on my lap while interviewing since it made it difficult for me to make hand gestures. I know that this is probably a silly question, but I was just wondering what other people did with their padfolio/folder.

 

[Myuu]

Is it okay to put it on the floor? Or, are you supposed to keep it on your lap?

I just found it really uncomfortable to have the padfolio/folder on my lap while interviewing since it made it difficult for me to make hand gestures. I know that this is probably a silly question, but I was just wondering what other people did with their padfolio/folder.

I usually keep things on my lap, but I don't generally carry anything but the folders they give me on-site. Have you tried leaning it against your chair for quick grab access?

 

[amph119]

Is it okay to put it on the floor? Or, are you supposed to keep it on your lap?

I just found it really uncomfortable to have the padfolio/folder on my lap while interviewing since it made it difficult for me to make hand gestures. I know that this is probably a silly question, but I was just wondering what other people did with their padfolio/folder.

I balanced it on my head the whole time.

 

[Cadams1]

I put all my **** under the chair.

 

[HrryUpNwait]

Is this serious?

 

[econdr]

lol

 

[87138]

If you do, make sure the top of the pages point towards you and not towards the interviewer. In most cultures, tops of pages facing someone else is a sign of disrespect. A medical school interview is no time to display your contempt for other people's values.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Is it okay to put it on the floor? Or, are you supposed to keep it on your lap?

Don't you dare put your folder on the floor. ARE YOU CRAZY? Homeless people put things on the floor, my communist Russian neighbor puts stuff on the floor and we all know he's a terrorist. As a good american, during a good american interview you will hold on to all your (good american) possessions at or above knee-level.

Why do you hate freedom?

 

[qmcat]

I balanced it on my head the whole time.

bonus points right there for diversity.

 

[ThaliaNox]

Is this really a serious question? Sometimes I think stuff like this is how people end up on oodles of waitlists after getting tons of interviews. I seriously doubt your interviewer will CARE where you put your folder. I put mine on the desk, probably with the pages facing towards the interviewers, and I don't think it affected anything at all. Sit down, look comfortable and interact. If you're worrying about the perfect direction or place for your folder, you'll look like a neurotic premed, and who likes neurotic premeds, anyway?

 

[DrWookie]

Is this really a serious question? Sometimes I think stuff like this is how people end up on oodles of waitlists after getting tons of interviews. I seriously doubt your interviewer will CARE where you put your folder. I put mine on the desk, probably with the pages facing towards the interviewers, and I don't think it affected anything at all. Sit down, look comfortable and interact. If you're worrying about the perfect direction or place for your folder, you'll look like a neurotic premed, and who likes neurotic premeds, anyway?

*agrees*

If this isn't a joke...take a second and think about what you asked. You are asking if you will be judged on your readiness/ability to enter medical school based on WHERE YOU PUT A FOLDER WITH PAPER IN IT?

How silly does that sound? You can put it where ever you want (within reason) and I guarantee 1. They won't notice and 2. They won't care

I actually brought a briefcase sort of bag to all my interviews. I carried a book, some paper and a pen in it. I also put all the information I got into it. But that is just me. I really wanted to have a book for downtime and I didn't want to carry it around the whole time (In one instance it was very useful considering my interviewer was like 30 minute late so I was just standing outside their office for 30 minutes...thank god for a book!)

 

[Bacchus]

I used a padfolio at my PCOM interview. It ended up getting locked in the closet for the entire day. I had no use for it. I never took one with me again. All you need on your interview is a set of keys, your cell phone, and your wallet. Often times the pens are even supplied.

 

[DrWookie]

I used a padfolio at my PCOM interview. It ended up getting locked in the closet for the entire day. I had no use for it. I never took one with me again. All you need on your interview is a set of keys, your cell phone, and your wallet. Often times the pens are even supplied.

but I have this one pen I really like 🙁

 

[kingofthehill]

Is it okay to sneeze during an interview? I wasn't sure...

 

[Myuu]

Is it okay to sneeze during an interview? I wasn't sure...

If you have allergies, yes. If you have the plague, no.

 

[mtnman12]

haha

 

[virusgirl]

Don't you dare put your folder on the floor. ARE YOU CRAZY? Homeless people put things on the floor, my communist Russian neighbor puts stuff on the floor and we all know he's a terrorist. As a good american, during a good american interview you will hold on to all your (good american) possessions at or above knee-level.

Why do you hate freedom?

This made my night

 

[DrWookie]

Is it okay to sneeze during an interview? I wasn't sure...

Only if you don't cover your nose and you face your interviewer.

if you follow those simple instructions, you'll be fine.

 

[WaterBird]

*agrees*

If this isn't a joke...take a second and think about what you asked. You are asking if you will be judged on your readiness/ability to enter medical school based on WHERE YOU PUT A FOLDER WITH PAPER IN IT?

6 months ago I would have agreed with you. However, I forgot my folder or notebook at two interviews. From my interviews, so far I've received 10 decisions, 3 negative (wl/deferral/reject), 7 positive. 2 of the 3 negatives were from the schools where I left something behind. Coincidence?

I ran the data and this is a much higher correlation with lack of acceptance and forgetting notebook than color of shirt or skirt v pants, which are other factors that I wondered about subtly mattering.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

6 months ago I would have agreed with you. However, I forgot my folder or notebook at two interviews. From my interviews, so far I've received 10 decisions, 3 negative (wl/deferral/reject), 7 positive. 2 of the 3 negatives were from the schools where I left something behind. Coincidence?

I ran the data and this is a much higher correlation with lack of acceptance and forgetting notebook than color of shirt or skirt v pants, which are other factors that I wondered about subtly mattering.

You have too much time on your hands.

 

[87138]

Is it okay to sneeze during an interview? I wasn't sure...

As long as you keep your eyes open.

 

[dakker]

Ha. Only on SDN can threads like this exist.

btw...you are not supposed to put your folder on the floor, it shows disrespect. Tuck it in you waitband just to be safe, he'll never know.

 

[LizzyM]

Ha. Only on SDN can threads like this exist.

btw...you are not supposed to put your folder on the floor, it shows disrespect. Tuck it in you waitband just to be safe, he'll never know.

Then your interviewer asks,
"Is that a foler in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

 

[dw2158]

Then your interviewer asks,
"Is that a foler in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

yes! LizzyM FTW!

 

[rowerontheriver]

So what all do you people put in these portfolios anyway, I've always been curious at interviews... I have a purse for my wallet, pen, book, phone, and brush, and anytime I've been given papers, they always were in a nifty little folder (which got left in the coatroom by most people when we actually interviewed). I figure guys can put pen, comb, wallet, and phone in the pocket of their pants/jacket, no? I guess that doesn't account for a book, but you can't really put a book into one of those portfolios anyway....

So what exactly do you have in there, and what percentage of the time do you actually use it?

And waterbird- the fact that you left things at the interview is different than where you put things during the interview before gathering your belongings and leaving. However, might I suggest next time leaving chocolates and/or money, and your success rate after leaving things might increase. 😀 It's all a matter of what you leave behind 😛

 

[Jolie South]

And waterbird- the fact that you left things at the interview is different than where you put things during the interview before gathering your belongings and leaving. However, might I suggest next time leaving chocolates and/or money, and your success rate after leaving things might increase. 😀

Clever plan. 👍

 

[87138]

So what all do you people put in these portfolios anyway, I've always been curious at interviews...

For most people it's just to have something in your hands. It can feel awkward/naked for some people to have nothing in their hands when they're at an interview.

Though it's also probably just a carry-over from the idea that at job interviews, it's never a good idea to enter the interview empty handed (always have a few copies of your resume, etc). But really, there's probably nothing at all you'll need in them, unless you've recently been published (since submitting your AMCAS and secondary) and have relevant papers regarding that to fork over. But even then, during the interview isn't really the time for that anyway, unless by chance your interviewer asks "say, that research you did sounds interesting, got any more info about it?" which is exceedingly rare.

So, cliff notes answer is: Some loose leaf paper I never used and a GoogleMaps print out of the immediate area around the campus in case I ever got disoriented/lost.

 

[ngkats]

If you take your pants off during the interview, you can put the folder anywhere you want and no one will notice. Trust me.

 

[kingofthehill]

As long as you keep your eyes open.

And fart at the same time!