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Posted

Hi everyone!

I'm struggling with deciding what to carry around with me during the interview day. I want to have my leather padfolio, some snacks, water, and ibuprofen. Is a regular backpack inappropriate? What about a grey canvas backpack with buckles? 

Curious what y'all think! Thanks so much.

Posted

tbh I wanna bring my good ol' TRUSTY gym backpack bc comfort >>>> my chic(ish) black leather bag which hurts my shoulder lol. I will say my backpack is brand new and pretty slick, ngl, so its cute.

As for stuff, I'm probably gonna bring a granola bar, H2O, my laptop, my notebook for (uhhh) notes, copies of my CV and trusty advil (maybe antiperspirant cuz i get SWEATY under stress yo)

Posted

I have a large purse that fits my padfolio and other things that I'll carry with me for interviews.  I'll have a small emergency kit for the day in my bag with a power bar, an extra charge for my phone, tissues, deodorant, a small mending kit in case of clothing tears, and a book in case there's lots of time to sit and wait. 

Posted (edited)

I have a leather computer bag I invested in a few years back that perfectly fits my padfolio so I will be taking that! It’s not too big which I like, I think will look more professional

Edited by psychasf
Typos!
Posted

I plan on bringing a large-ish black leather tote. I'll carry my padfolio with copies of my CV, pens, water, some snacks, tissues, phone charger, ibuprofen & deodorant! I think if your large tote/messenger bag/laptop bag is clean, not damaged or garrishly colored,  it shouldn't be a big deal either way. I have seen people bring nice, clean muted-colored backpacks before (this is an especially understandable option for individuals who may not want to use a tote bag our purse) and no one seemed to care.

Posted

I have a black, fake leather computer bag that I put my padfolio in. Also have snacks, ibuprofen, phone charger, a million pens, and some disability-related items. I don't tend to bring a book because it can be better to mingle with other applicants/grad students when waiting and I'd be too tempted to hide in my book if I brought one.

Posted

I don't know if this has already been said, but if you need to leave your bigger bag or suitcase or something somewhere on-site during the interview, ask the grad students or the program coordinator. People will usually let you leave large objects in their offices during the interview day if its a hassle to lug things around.

Posted

A few people brought backpacks when I interviewed and no one seemed to care. I brought a black leather tote because I look young and didn’t want to risk looking like a kid going to school or something. 

Posted

I think the backpack vs. shoulder bag question doesn't really matter so long as the bag is professional. Clean, no pins/buttons/patches/keychains, and a neutral color. 

Posted
1 hour ago, imonfire98 said:

what is a padfolio and what do you put in it?

https://www.amazon.com/STYLIO-Padfolio-Resume-Portfolio-Folder/dp/B01FDZ5D94 

This is the first link I found for a padfolio that showed its inside, so know that they vary in color/shape/inside arrangements. It's basically a professional-looking folder with a zipper that most often comes with a lined notepad, pockets for business cards and papers, and places for pens. I recommend taking one because it's a handy place to take notes and store the many papers you often accumulate during interviews. I also placed copies of my CV in there for reference or in case someone asked to for a copy (which did happen!), knowing that I'd print out more before the next interview. Things that stayed in there the whole cycle was a printout of quick summaries of my past research experiences in case I forgot, an abbreviated list of questions I wanted to ask, and of course pens!

Posted
On 1/10/2019 at 12:02 PM, 1996kayden said:

I have a black, fake leather computer bag that I put my padfolio in. Also have snacks, ibuprofen, phone charger, a million pens, and some disability-related items. I don't tend to bring a book because it can be better to mingle with other applicants/grad students when waiting and I'd be too tempted to hide in my book if I brought one.

Do you have a link to the bag? Person who hates real leather here looking to be professional. Thanks!

Posted
2 hours ago, philopsych said:

Do you have a link to the bag? Person who hates real leather here looking to be professional. Thanks!

Not sure if this is the exact one, but it's similar to this.

https://www.amazon.com/Sweetbriar-Classic-Laptop-Messenger-Black/dp/B01KMWEGQE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547354917&sr=8-3&keywords=black+fake+leather+computer+bag

Posted
19 hours ago, imonfire98 said:

what is a padfolio and what do you put in it?

It's similar to a portfolio - it's a nice, thick case which typically holds a legal pad/notepad, pens, other papers. In my experience, padfolios seem to have more pockets and room to hold things (like pens, calculators, snacks...) than a portfolio. 

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