What to Bring to an Interview: A UK Checklist for Every Job

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-10-07 · Updated 2026-10-07

8 min read

Bring two printed copies of your CV, the job advert with your notes on it, photo ID, the invitation email with the address and the interviewer's name, a pen and notepad, and three questions written down. That covers almost every UK interview. The one thing that changes from job to job is documents: some employers ask you to bring proof of your right to work, qualification certificates or ID for a DBS check on the day, and the invitation tells you which. The National Careers Service, the government's careers service for England, puts the most practical item plainly: "know how to contact the interviewer in case you’re running late or having technical issues". Below: the core list, the documents you might be asked for, and six complete checklists by type of job, checked in October 2026. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

The core checklist for any interview

You will spend twenty minutes deciding what to wear and thirty seconds deciding what to bring, and then dig through your bag at reception for a pen that works. The bag matters more than the shoes. Nobody has lost a job over shoes. Plenty of people have spent the first five minutes apologising for not having the address. If the outfit is still the question, our guide to female job interview attire has six complete outfits by job type.

Pack this the night before:

Two printed copies of your CV, in a folder so they stay flat. One for you, one for an interviewer who did not print it.
The job advert and person specification, with the three or four requirements you will give examples for underlined.
The invitation email or letter, printed or saved offline, with the address, the time and the interviewer's name and phone number.
Photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, because many offices sign visitors in at reception.
A pen and a small notepad, with three questions for the end already written in.
Your phone, charged and on silent, plus a bottle of water and a travel card or change for parking.

Complete Entry level: first job interview at a supermarket example, 87 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: first job interview at a supermarket (87 words)

In the folder: - Two copies of my CV - The job advert, with "flexible availability" and "customer service" underlined - A note of the shifts I can work, including weekends and evenings - Printed invitation with the store manager's name and the store phone number

In the bag: - Passport, in case they ask for right to work documents - Pen and notepad with two questions: what do the first two weeks look like, and how are shifts allocated - Bus pass, phone on silent, water

Tailor my CV to this job

Documents you might be asked to bring

Read the invitation twice. If it asks for documents, bring originals, not photocopies, unless it says otherwise. Three kinds of document come up most often.

Right to work. Employers must check this before you start, and many do it at interview to save time. GOV.UK sets out the rule: "You’ll need to prove your right to work in the UK to your employer before you start working for them." For British and Irish citizens, a passport is the simplest proof, and GOV.UK confirms that "Your British or Irish passport or passport card can be current or expired." If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you may be asked for a share code instead; the GOV.UK right to work page explains the options.

DBS check ID. For jobs in care, healthcare, schools and childcare, the employer may start a criminal record check and ask you to bring identity documents and proof of address. GOV.UK explains that employers "can request a more detailed check for certain roles, for example in healthcare or childcare." The invitation usually lists the exact documents; a recent utility bill or bank statement is a common proof of address.

Certificates. Some employers ask for original qualification certificates, professional registration or a driving licence if the job involves driving. Bring them in a clear plastic wallet so they do not get creased.

Complete Entry level: care assistant interview with a DBS check on the day example, 92 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: care assistant interview with a DBS check on the day (92 words)

Documents (originals, in a plastic wallet): - Passport for right to work and DBS identity - Bank statement from the last three months as proof of address - Birth certificate as a second identity document, as the invitation requested - Care Certificate and food hygiene certificate

Interview folder: - Two copies of my CV and the person specification - Notes on two examples: a time I supported someone with dignity, and a time I followed a care plan

Also: pen, notepad, water, the care home's address and the manager's direct number

What to bring to a graduate or office interview

For a graduate scheme or office role, add anything that shows your work: a short portfolio, a writing sample, a project summary or a printout of a presentation if they asked you to prepare one. Bring a USB stick and a printed copy of any presentation, in case the meeting room laptop will not open your file. Our guide on how to prepare for an interview covers the preparation that goes with it.

Complete Entry level: graduate scheme assessment centre example, 84 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: graduate scheme assessment centre (84 words)

- Two copies of my CV and my application form answers, reread on the train - Printed copy of the ten minute presentation they asked for, plus the file on a USB stick and in my email - Photo ID and the confirmation email with the assessment centre timetable - Notes on the company's latest annual report and two recent news stories - Pen, notepad, a calculator for the numerical exercise if allowed - A snack and water, because assessment centres run all day

What to bring to a teaching or NHS interview

Public sector interviews often have their own extras. Teaching interviews may include a lesson you teach to a real class, so bring printed lesson plans, resources and seating plan copies for the observers. NHS interviews are usually values based and may include a short presentation or a clinical scenario. See our teacher interview questions for the UK and NHS interview questions for what comes up.

Complete Mid level: secondary school teacher interview with a lesson example, 78 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Mid level: secondary school teacher interview with a lesson (78 words)

- Three printed copies of the lesson plan, one for each observer - All lesson resources printed for thirty pupils, plus the slides on a USB stick and in my email - My teaching certificate, degree certificate and passport, as the invitation asked - Two copies of my CV and application form - Notes on safeguarding, my behaviour approach and one example of supporting a pupil with SEND - Pen, notepad, water and three questions for the panel

Complete Mid level: Band 5 nurse interview in the NHS example, 75 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Mid level: Band 5 nurse interview in the NHS (75 words)

- Two copies of my CV and my supporting statement, with the person specification highlighted - NMC PIN confirmation and passport, as requested in the invitation - Notes on the trust's values, with one example of each from my practice - A written outline of a clinical scenario answer using the ABCDE approach - Printed revalidation reflections in case they ask about development - Pen, notepad, water and two questions about preceptorship and rota patterns

What to bring to a video interview

A video interview needs a different kit, but the same principle: no searching on the day. The National Careers Service advises you to "check your computer and internet connection is working if your interview is online", and the same goes for your camera, microphone and the meeting link.

Complete Senior level: manager interview on video example, 88 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Senior level: manager interview on video (88 words)

- Laptop on charge, with the meeting link tested an hour before and the app updated - Phone charged, with the interviewer's number in case the connection drops - CV and job advert open in a window I can glance at, not reading from - Printed notes on three achievements with figures, kept off camera - A plain background, a light in front of me, not behind - Water, a pen and paper for notes - My questions for the panel on a sticky note beside the camera

Tailor my CV to this job

What not to bring

Leave behind anything you would not want on the table: a large suitcase if you can avoid it, food that smells, a coffee you have not finished, and anyone who came with you for moral support, who can wait in a café nearby. Do not bring a full stack of references unless asked; employers usually request them later. And switch off smartwatch notifications as well as your phone. For the rest of the day itself, see our job interview tips and the questions to ask in an interview.

Frequently asked questions

What should I bring to a job interview in the UK?

Two copies of your CV, the job advert with your notes, the invitation with the address and interviewer's name, photo ID, a pen and notepad with questions written in, a charged phone on silent, and water. Add any documents the invitation asks for, such as proof of your right to work or certificates.

Do I need to bring ID to an interview?

Often, yes. Many offices sign visitors in at reception, and employers may check your right to work at interview because it must be done before you start. A passport is the simplest option for British and Irish citizens. If the job needs a DBS check, the invitation will list the identity documents to bring.

Should I bring my CV to an interview if I already sent it?

Yes, bring two printed copies. The interviewer may not have printed it, a second panel member may join, and you can follow along when they ask about a specific job. It also shows you are organised. Keep them in a folder so they stay flat and clean.

What do I bring to an interview for a care or healthcare job?

Bring your CV, photo ID, proof of address and any certificates such as the Care Certificate or professional registration, because the employer may start a DBS check on the day. Also bring notes on examples that show compassion, dignity and following care plans, which are the values these interviews test.

What should I bring to an online interview?

A tested laptop or phone with the meeting link, the interviewer's phone number in case the connection drops, your CV and the job advert open on screen, short notes kept off camera, water and a pen. Check your camera, microphone and lighting at least an hour before, and close any apps that send notifications.

Looking for a worked example for your job title? Browse the resume examples by job title.

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