Story of a Fresher

Beating the System

We've all heard it: "You can't get a job if you don't have experience, but how do you get experience if no-one will give you a job?". Doesn't seem fair, does it? Some kids are lucky. They've got an uncle or brother or cousin who can pull a few strings for them. Once they're in, they can say they've got that magical stuff called "job experience" that every boss looks for. Some kids are so smart. You know the type. They skip grades in school and all the colleges are begging for them. They're too busy being smart to be cool. They really make an impression on potential bosses, and they get hired. Then there are the kids who find underhanded ways to make money. They don't want a real job. They usually look pretty cool driving around in big fancy cars flashing wads of money. They don't look so cool years later sitting in a jail cell. And finally, there's the rest of us. We walk into one personnel office after another, filling out job applications. By the time you're finished, you've memorized your Social Security number for life. They all say the same thing: "We'll let you know."

Only they don't. You never hear from them again. There is a way to beat the system. It's a pretty ingenious solution, too! But you've got to want it. What I wanted was to be a bartender, but my idea will work for almost any job. It started when I signed up for a bartending school. The contract gave me three days to change my mind and cancel. In those three days, I went around to different bars and asked the managers if they'd hire someone who'd gone to this school. They all said no, not if the person didn't have any real-life job experience.

Presentations: In The Interview

Presentations In The Interview

In many information agencies, it is customary for the candidate to make some sort of a presentation before a group as part of the interview situation. Ask if this will be true in your situation. If it is, be certain that you understand how much time is available, the nature of the audience, and the purpose of the presentation. The presentation should be specifically designed to meet the audience needs and interests. If you will be using ANY information technology, verify the availability of hardware and software. Let your host know your hardware/software requirements and how much setup time you will need before your presentation.

Always take manual backup material in case something doesn't work. Often, something will not work! Make your presentation as interesting and as interactive as possible. DO NOT look at the slides and present your back to your audience. DO NOT have 57 slides each crowded with bulleted items. Do limit slides to three to five bullets and no more than five words for each. The presentation needs to be clean, clear, and focused. It is a summary of something interesting and important. It is NOT a detailed research presentation. A common error is including too much content and then rushing toward the end.

Eye contact and interactivity with the audience are especially important. Your body language should be welcoming and positive -- even relaxed. Do use gestures. Walk around a bit.

If a question and answer session follows, provide relatively brief but focused responses to questions. Don't be afraid to say that you don't know or are uncertain. You can't know everything. However do consider that sort of questions that might be asked about your presentation.

The presentation will be evaluated as evidence of your knowledge and comfort level with technology, your ability to deal with the unexpected, and your speaking/teaching effectiveness. It is a major moment.

While presentations are not a major concern for many search committees, they are especially important for public service positions. Most search committees understand that a presentation in a strange place with strange equipment that does not always go well.

INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENT

This scenario emphasises the vital importance of a good industrial placement as an integral part of an engineering degree. There is no doubt that students who do not undergo an industrial placement are less likely to find employment than those with industrial experience.

Commonly, universities leave the task of finding an industrial placement entirely to the student. The consequence of this is that the student is poorly prepared to make a job application and, in the event of an interview, is not able to present themself in the best light. Also, because many companies have built up long-term relationships with specific universities the individual applicant will often simply not be considered.

The solution to this problem lies in your careful selection of your university. Some universities approach the placement of students in industry in a highly serious and efficient manner. These universities employ full-time industrial placement officers whose task it is to assist the students in finding high-grade and challenging industrial placements. Also assistance can be given in preparation of job applications and in improvement of interview techniques.

Experience & Employment
These placements can be in a wide range of industry ranging from the large blue-chip companies to smaller companies as well as companies in all parts of the world. Placement officers will ensure that the students receive good work experience whilst on placement and that they receive formal visits from academic staff members to check on progress. Often an industrial placement leads to a highly relevant and challenging final year project, possible sponsorship and sometimes the offer of permanent employment. Some employers view the industrial placement as a year long interview!

Earning & Learning
An additional bonus of the industrial placement is the opportunity to earn some extra money whilst continuing with your academic career by. You will also interpret your final year degree subjects in a different way as a result of your industrial placement.
So if the objective of your studies at university is to obtain a good well-paid job after the successful completion of your degree then the sensible route to take is via a sandwich degree with a high quality industrial placement.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE IN RECRUITMENT

IT recruitment is caught in a paradoxical situation. On the one hand companies are eager to induct new hires, while on the other the right candidate often proves elusive. On the other hand, hundreds (even thousands) of hopefuls who have sent in their particulars wait anxiously for an interview call. The twain seldom meet to their mutual satisfaction.
Data analysis can go a long way in making the hiring process faster and more efficient. This is where the application of business intelligence (BI) has a considerable impact on the hiring process.
BI relates to the tools and systems that play a key role in the strategic planning process of an organisation by gathering, storing and accessing data. Traditionally used by companies to solve problems related to distribution, sales, marketing and logistics, the next step is to use BI to supercharge the hiring process.
To make 250 offers, our team met 5,000 people and went through 20,000 biodatas.

Kris Lakshmikanth Managing DirectorHeadhunters India
BI tools can be used to track blacklisted candidates. It becomes easier to weed them out

Rajaram Agarwal Managing DirectorTalentAhead India
Bangalore-based Headhunters India has been using an in-house-developed proprietary BI tool for the last two years. Says Kris Lakshmikanth, its founder and managing director, “Search or recruitment companies like ours conduct recruitment day-in and day-out. In December, we generated over 250 offers with an average CTC of over Rs 3.5 lakh.” As a rule of thumb, Headhunters India would have to meet 5,000 people in order to make 250 offers. To meet 5,000 people, its team would have gone through 20,000 biodatas. “This is a massive task anytime, so BI tools are useful to us,” says Lakshmikanth. For executive search companies, whose earnings are solely dependent on the joining of the candidate, the BI tool is vital for converting offers into hires.

BI can help recruiters:
Identify cities, companies or media from where they can recruit talent.
Find the right recruitment company to partner with.
Pick the college campuses that must be targeted.

Experts agree that the hiring process can be made more efficient by analysing data regarding existing employees to create a hiring profile. An organisation also needs to know the right mix of skills needed to achieve its business goals. Nirupama V G, executive vice-president, TeamLease Services, points out that some employers use data mining techniques to understand the characteristics of their top performers. “By understanding the characteristics of this group and rating them on parameters such as education, years of experience, skills and personality traits, a hiring profile can be established to recruit individuals who possess similar characteristics,” she says, adding that while this technique has been used many times, one must realise that the profiling is based on historical data which may not always successfully indicate who will be a top performers in the future as changes in social, economic and environmental conditions can throw a spanner in the works.

How Temporary Agencies Match Your Skills With The Right Job

The purpose of a temporary agency is to find employers skilled workers to fill their temporary job positions. During these troubled economic times, many people have found temporary agencies to be helpful while seeking full time work. The agency keeps a list of qualified people to match the position that an employer needs to be filled for a short period.

There are a number of benefits to signing on with a temporary agency. One such benefit is the agency can match a worker's skills with the right job. Most temporary agencies will help you create aprofessional resume that highlights the skills that make you qualified for a particular job. As well, they will offer training to keep your skills current as well as learn new skills. You will be prepared to use all of your skills on the first day of the temporary job. Because you will be working for short periods at a variety of work environment, you will be acquiring more skills and discovering what job environment meets your needs. The more experience and training you acquire, the more valuable you will become to a potential full time employer. Employers love acquiring employees that they do not have to train.

When you first meet with a temporary agency recruiter, you will normally be interviewed and have your skills and qualifications reviewed. You may also have to do a test such as a computer test. The higher you score on the test, the more chance you have of obtaining a placement quickly. These tests and the interview help the agency determine what type of job you are best suited for.

Because temporary agencies have access to jobs that may not be advertised to the public, the agency can go through your resume to find the position that best matches your skills and education. In a matter of minutes, a temporary job placementagency will go through all of their applications and locate the right job for you. If you apply yourself and work hard, you may be noticed by an employer. If you are successful at your temporary job, you may find yourself working full time as many companies will hire full time employees that have worked for them for a short period. Because there are so many benefits to working with a temporary agency, the likelihood of finding your perfect job will be significantly increased.

If you are new to the job market, and do not have many skills, a temporary job agency can work with you to acquire new jobskills by providing such training as computer skills, typing, accounting, math, office administration, and spelling. You will also have access to resources on creating professional resumes and preparing for a job interview. They will help you incorporate theses skills for use in a position that is suitable to your experience and skills.

Temporary agencies provide a great opportunity to fill in any gaps in your employment history. You can acquire new skills, maintain your current skills, and most importantly, provide you with a source of income while you are seeking a permanent job.

Tips for Personality Development

Tips for Personality Development

Self-confidence- Self-confidence is a great mantra for a powerful personality. If you are not confident of your actions and decisions, you can never get success. Have a firm faith, determination and confidence in yourself as if you are sure of your decision, you will put your best efforts to achieve the goal, other persons will also show the confidence in you and then nothing can stop you from stepping the stairs of success.

Organize your mind- Organizing the mind means taking the charge of your thoughts, emotions and imagination and controlling the reactions, being systematic in every field of life, increasing the efficiency and tackling the difficulties and obstacles by preplanning and anticipation. The more organized you are, the more focused you are for your goals of life. Somebody has said that the way you think is the way you live. So organized thinking paves the way to success in every sphere of life.

Be loyal, honest and truthful- these qualities go a long way. By being mean or by ditching someone you can’t get anything in life. Remember one thing that there is no short cut to success and you can be successful only by being honest, determined to achieve what you want and by working hard.

Try to like other people- If you want that other people should give you attention and appreciate you, try to give attention to other people also. Be a good listener, listen to them politely and if you don’t like other person’s idea, never condemn or make a complaint about his idea, instead praise his good qualities. While communicating with others, always give honest and sincere replies. Never boost of yourself. Make other person feel that he is important and talk about other person’s interests. Be kind and show basic courtesies to other people.

Avoid indecisiveness- Take all the decisions yourself. Never depend on anybody for taking the decisions on your behalf. Don’t let indecision plague you as indecisiveness may cause failure and future leads to regretful conditions.

Feel good about your accomplishments and analyze your mistakes- Analyze your mistakes and learn a lesson from them and never ever compare yourself with anybody else as everybody commits some mistakes in life and no one is perfect on this earth. Your confidence and self esteem should not get eclipsed by the fear of failure. Feel good about your accomplishments and maintain a list of them. Every time you achieve some goal, give yourself a reward. Be a true friend of yourself and try to find and recognize your weaknesses as well as your strong points, jot them down on a paper and start working on your weaknesses to replace them with your strong qualities.

Try to look good- At first sight, a person is judged by his physical personality as it is said first impression is the last impression. Maintain the right posture of your body. It means that you should always sit and stand straight. Try to look good and you will feel good about yourself. It will increase your confidence level also. Whenever you feel lack of confidence, go for some change in your wardrobe, get your hair style changed or if you are a little heavy, try to shed some weight by exercise or cutting down some extra calories and you will more energetic, confident and fresh since a change is as good as a rest.

Maintain a good life style- Maintain a good and healthy life style as it is a key to healthy body and sound mind. Don’t be a fast food junkie, instead have a balanced diet that contains lots of green leafy vegetables and fruits. Sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours a day because if you don’t sleep for adequate amount of time, your efficiency decreases and it hampers your productivity. Say no to alcohol, smoking or sleeping pills. Reduce your intake of tea or coffee as caffeine is very harmful for your body. Indulge in some physical activities like brisk walk, swimming or aerobics daily. To improve your concentration and decision making quality, practice yoga and meditation.

Sense of humor- Sense of humor is also an important component of a pleasing personality. Maintain good sense of humor and learn to laugh at yourself also. But sense of humor does not mean laughing when something wrong happens with other person.

Positive thinking and positive doing- Avoid negative attitude towards life as positive thinking is the key to success in any field of life. But we should replace positive thinking into positive doing also. Many a times, we think of so many positive things and like to do them but the fear of failure or difficulties stop us from turning those positive thoughts into reality. You should understand that these obstacles test your capabilities and you should not let them bother you too much. At this time, just think of your past accomplishments no matter how small or big they are and just go through the difficulties or hurdles you faced to accomplish them. It will give a sense of confidence. Face these challenges, do your best under all circumstances and you will feel the great feeling of accomplishment.

Be a good speaker- To be a good speaker is also an aspect of a good personality. If you have to make a speech, first of all make a lay out of the speech and write down each and every thought in a proper sequence that you want to include in your speech and while giving the speech, you can refer to these points. Give a proper introduction and conclusion as they are very important parts of the speech. Never cram your speech word to word. Don’t try to be too loud. Keep your speech short and to the point. 

Physical gestures and expressions are also important to connect with the audience. Take pause at the proper points and put emphasis on certain important words. Speak with authority and don’t be monotonous. Bring a little humor in your speech and make the audience laugh occasionally. If there is a large audience and you are feeling nervous, look into the eyes of only one person at a time as if you are talking to him. Make the

Control your fear and worries- Conquer your fears and worries, stress and anxiety. When these thoughts come in your mind, instead of wasting your time in thinking what will happen to you in future, think of new ideas and solutions and keep yourself as busy as you can. You should know that most of our fears and worries don’t get materialized at all. Prepare yourself for the unexpected and always be ready to face what comes in your way.

Strike a balance among your personal, professional and social life- Maintaining a balance in your life for harmony and happiness. Don’t bring office work at home on weekends and in office be determined to give your 100%. Develop a social circle and try to spend your time with people who have positive attitude towards life.

Concentrate your goals- Be focused and concentrate on your goals. Avoid all the distractions and give put your entire attention to one goal. By doing this, you will be ale to identify the obstacles and hurdles associated with it and once you identify the obstacles, half of your job is done. Now focus on every problem according to its priority.

Student Placement Policy

Student Placement Policy

Rationale and Objective(s)

1.1. The policy will ensure that:
there is appropriate consistency and Quality Assurance in the management and administration of placements across the University;
placements achieve their educational outcomes;
reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the health and safety of students are not jeopardised by activities undertaken during placement;
reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the University is not rendered liable for any conduct by either a student or placement supervisor during an external placement; and
reasonable accommodations are made for students with disabilities.

2. Definitions and Acronyms

In the context of this policy:
Course Coordinator means the member of the University’s academic staff designated by the Head of School as responsible for planning and coordinating the delivery of a Course and for ensuring its appropriate assessment, in consultation with the Program Convenor and with the Head of School, who has the final responsibility. The Course Coordinator may also be the/a placement supervisor;
misconduct means unacceptable behaviour that includes but is not limited to conduct that:
engages in unlawful or criminal activity on the premises of the placement agency; o r
disrupts, interferes with, or is detrimental to the conduct of the agency; or
obstructs any officer or employee of the placement agency in the performance of their duties; or
damages or wrongfully deals with any property on a location where a student is present under the auspices of the University; or
disobeys, without reasonable cause, any instruction of an officer of the University or the placement agency, including the failure to leave any building or part of a building when directed to do so; or
refuses, withholds, or fails to identify oneself truthfully or furnishes false personal information to any officer of the placement agency; or
disobeys or fails, without reasonable cause, to observe any policy, procedure, or regulation of the placement agency; or
assaults or threatens a person, or causes others to fear for their personal safety; or
breaches confidentiality or privacy requirements or obligations in respect of the placement agency, its staff, or other relevant parties.
placement means a clinical placement, practicum, internship and any other like form of professional, industrial or vocational experience included in a course or required for a program;
placement supervisor means a member of the University’s academic staff responsible for the supervision and assessment of students undertaking placements included in a course;
placement agency means any agency or body which provides placements for students of the University;
placement agency supervisor means a member of staff of a placement agency who is responsible for supervising and/or contributing to the assessment of students on placement;
Pro Vice-Chancellor means the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty which offers the placement .
unprofessional conduct means behaviour that is not characteristic of or befitting the profession; it includes but is not limited to conduct that:
is unethical,;
departs from the standards set by the profession;
uses language that is unacceptable in the presence of co-workers; supervisors of clients; or
demonstrates a lack of respect or sensitivity to clients.

3. Scope

3.1. This policy relates to all clinical, professional, industrial or other placements that form part of a course or program coordinated by the University1 and for which
students will be assessed; and/or
a grade is awarded; and/or
completion is required for an award of the University.

4. Provisions

4.1. Placement supervisors, placement agency supervisors and students will be provided with appropriate preparation for undertaking placement which will include information regarding their role and responsibilities before, during and after the placement (refer the Guidelines attached to this policy).

4.2. Documentation for each placement will provide a clear statement regarding:
the procedures for allocation of placements;
criteria for determining eligibility to undertake placement if any, for example, completion of required courses or program schedule requirements;
the completion by students of any additional requirements, for example, vaccinations, first aid certificate, essential criteria or course requisites;
the provision by students of any required documentation, for example, Criminal Record Check, Prohibited Employment Declaration or health checks;
procedures for students with disabilities seeking to negotiate adjustments (refer Procedures attached to this policy);
the roles and responsibilities of placement supervisors, placement agency supervisors and students before, during and after the placement;
how the placement fits into the learning objectives of the course and program;
whether the placement is required to comply with relevant professional accreditation;
the specific learning objectives of the placement;
how the placement is to be assessed including the means by which assessment will measure the achievement of the learning objectives;
requirements for complying with privacy legislation within the agency in which the placement is to be undertaken;
procedures for dealing with absences, conflict or other difficulties encountered during the placement, including breakdown of the placement due to student performance and /or other unforeseen circumstances (refer Procedures attached to this policy);
an indication of the cost involved in the placement and clear advice that the cost must be borne by the student; and
the date determined by the Head of School and advised in the Course Outline after which a student may not withdraw from a course containing a placement without academic penalty other than in exceptional circumstances and with approval from the Head of School.

4.3. All students undertaking a placement will be supervised by a professional in the field preferably with at least two years professional experience, or a designated individual supervisor of equivalent clinical/professional/industrial experience.

4.4. All students undertaking a placement will be in regular communication with agency and/or University supervisors.

4.5. All students undertaking a placement will be provided with feedback during the placement regarding their progress towards the learning objectives of the placement.

4.6. Placement agencies and placement agency supervisors will be provided with the necessary information, training and support to enable them to fulfil their role and responsibilities to the satisfaction of the University, the placement agency and students

.
4.7. Placement agencies, placement agency supervisors, placement supervisors and students will be advised of their responsibilities under Anti Discrimination, OH&S and Privacy legislation and the University’s risk assessment policy.

B SCHOOLS PLACEMENT WOES THIS YEAR (2009)

A year ago, as the India story peaked with the economy racing at more than 9% for the third year on the trot, the elite Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) took just six days to place all its 270 graduates from its 2008 batch. Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business (ISB) took a day more to hand over its 440-odd wards to blue-chip Indian and global firms.
But that was then. As a decade of exponential job growth drowned under a rising tide of pink slips in 2009, faculty at IIMs and other top Indian business schools realised early on that placements in 2009 was going to be a long haul.The reasons were obvious. Very few are left standing in the world of investment banking, the traditional favourite at B-schools.
Much of the Western world is in the grip of a severe recession, pushing multinational firms based there into layoff mode. The dearth of credit and its knock-on effects on demand have made marketing-intensive sectors like FMCG and durables freeze expansion plans.
Cut to the first week of March. More than a week into placements, IIM-A has just managed to place 200 of its 259 students. IIM-Calcutta (IIM-C), which placed all its 290 students in four days flat last year, has managed jobs for its 265 students after 10 days of a placement session conducted in two parts.
This year, ISB - rated by the Financial Times as one among the Top 20 B-schools in the world - started its campus recruitment season in January. But as of last week, only 250 of its batch of 440 have got offers. Placement officials at IIM-A, IIM-Kozhikode and ISB say the process would spill over into more weeks in the hope that more companies will visit their campuses.
With companies becoming increasingly choosy, B-school managements have also done away with traditional eligibility thresholds. The upshot: Even a firm with a Rs 3-crore turnover managed to grab an IIM-A graduate in 2009. “This year, since the number of visiting companies has come down, we are inviting a lot of firms. We obviously cannot issue them any deadline,” says IIM-Bangalore’s placements chairperson Sourav Mukherjee.
IIM-B saw a lukewarm turnout on Day Zero, and faculty members say salaries being offered are 40% lower than in 2008. However, one student at IIM-B was offered Rs 1 crore salary from an investment bank for an overseas position, said a faculty member who didn’t want to be identified. Reports also abound of students from flagship PGP and PGPX (executive) programmes of IIMs opting out of the recruitment drive to pursue independent ventures. Eleven IIM-A students had opted out of the PGP placement last year, and that number may go up this year, say institute officials.
The slowdown will affect IIMs far less than other institutes, simply because of our brand equity, but nonetheless, they will get affected all the same,” said a senior faculty member at one of the IIMs, summing up the mood.
That sentiment echoes in Tier II business schools where faculty members describe the situation as “precarious”. Many top companies have given them the slip and the placement process in these institutes has been extended indefinitely.
At the Jamanlal Bajaj Institute of Management, officials who didn’t want to be named reported a 30% drop in the number of recruiters. Replying to an email from ET, a spokesperson of the Wellingkar Institute of Management said.

HISTORY OF GLOBAL PLACEMENT, HYDERABAD

INCORPORATED in 1993, Global Placements, Hyderabad , India is a professionally managed overseas manpower recruitment organisation registered with Ministry of Labour, Government of India, dealing with the placement of Indian Professionals in various fields.
Global Placements is run by a team of qualified professionals with its main objective of rendering reliable and prompt services to its clients and job seekers It has unparalleled experience in recruitment and enjoys immense trust and respect among the professionals seeking overseas jobs.
Global Placements has recruited Professors/Lecturers , Polytechnic lecturerss, School Teachers, Nurses, Engineers, Technicians, IT professional, etc , to various countries .
We at Global Placements are dedicated to bridging the gap between the requirements in various countries and the career aspirations of individuals We seek to establish a lasting relationship between the employer and the job seeker. We are dedicated to overall organising, processing and need understanding capabilities. We are proud of our efficiency and instant response to any given situation.

Interview Do's and Dont's

To Do's -
- Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is never excusable. Clarify questions. Be sure you answered the questions the employer really asked. Get the interviewer to describe the position and responsibilities early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and background to the position throughout the interview. Give your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job. Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact, don’t slouch and maintain composure. Anticipate tough questions. Prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths. Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one. Ask questions throughout the interview. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation. Listen. This is probably the most important "do" of all. By concentrating not only on the employer’s words, but also on the tone of voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on the employer’s style. Once you understand how a hiring authority thinks, pattern your answers accordingly and you will be able to better relate to him or her.
Not To Do's -
- Don’t answer vague questions. Rather than answering questions you think you hear, get the employer to be more specific and then respond. Never interrupt the employer. If you don’t have time to listen, neither does the employer. Don’t smoke, chew gum or place anything on the employer’s desk. Don’t be overly familiar, even if the employer is doing all of these things. Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. Don’t ramble. Long answers often make the speaker sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don’t answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain whenever possible. Do not lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible. Do not make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies.
Too many people second-guess themselves after an interview. By closing strongly and asking the right questions, you can eliminate the post-interview doubts that tend to plague most interviewees. If you feel that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, express your interest to the hiring authority and turn the tables a bit. Try something like the following:
"After hearing more about your company, the position and the responsibilities at hand, I am certain that I possess the qualities that you are looking for in the (title) position. Based on our conversation and my qualifications, are there any issues or concerns that you have that would lead you to believe otherwise?"
You have a right to be assertive. This is a great closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, this is a great opportunity to overcome them. You have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on positive note.
A few things to remember during the closing process: Don’t be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the office first, or interview other applicants, before making a decision.
Make sure you answer the following two questions: "why are you interested in the company?," and "what can you offer?"
Express thanks for the interviewer’s time and consideration. Ask for their business card so you can write a thank you letter as soon as possible.
When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered during the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. This follow-up processes is very critical. A "thank you" letter should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview.