How to Write an Interview Thank You Letter

 

Writing a thank you letter or thank you email after an employment interview is a must. In fact, some employers even think less of those interviewees who fail to follow up promptly. An interview thank you letter is sent to the people who interview you for a job.

Your thank you letter (or thank you email message) lets the employer know that you appreciate being considered for the job. It also reiterates your interest in the position and can be used to provide additional information on your qualifications. Learn why and when to send a thank you note and get tips on what to include in your note with examples.

Why Send an Interview Thank You Note

In part, sending a thank you note is simply a traditional post-interview courtesy. It shows the employer you are polite and professional. It is also a way to remind the employer who you are, as he or she begins to make hiring decisions.

But more importantly, a thank you note is your chance to restate why you are ideal for the position. Think of this as your final pitch for why you should be hired.

A thank you note is also an opportunity to clear up any moments in the interview that didn't go perfectly. You can clarify an answer to a question that you feel you botched in person, or you can add more details about relevant experience or abilities that weren't mentioned during the conversation.

When to Write and Send Your Thank You Note

Immediately after the interview, jot down some notes and impressions. Think about the questions that were asked, and which skills and responsibilities seemed most important to the interviewer. These impressions are easily forgotten, so get them down on paper quickly.

Use these details to help personalize your thank you note. Send your note soon after the interview; ideally, you will email (or mail) a thank you note the same day as the interview, or on the following day.

Typed, Handwritten, or Emailed Thank You Notes

You can email a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview. This is a great, quick way to share your thanks. Most employers are fine with an emailed thank you note. However, some surveys suggest that some hiring managers like typed notes sent via snail mail. Others like handwritten thank notes.So, consider the "personality" of the organization and the rapport you felt during your interviews.

Tips for Writing a Thank You Note

• Keep your audience in mind. Like any piece of writing, it is best to keep your audience in mind. Address the interviewer’s issues and concerns. If there was any question brought up by the interviewer about your qualifications, address it here. On the other hand, if you bonded with the interviewer over a specific topic, you can mention it in your note as well, as a way to remind him or her of who you are.
• Think of the note as a sales pitch. You may also view your thank you letter as a follow-up "sales" letter. In other words, you can restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make significant contributions, and so on. This thank you letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer neglected to ask or that you neglected to answer as thoroughly, or as well, as you would have liked.

• Keep it brief. While you can include both a thank you and a “sales pitch” in your thank you letter, you still want to keep it short. This is not another cover letter, but instead a concise way to remind the employer why you’re the right choice for the job.
• Say no with a note. Even if you do not want the job, write a thank you letter respectfully withdrawing your application. You want to be polite because you never know what the future holds – why burn your bridges?
• Consider sending an influence letter. In certain circumstances, you may want to send a more detailed influence letter, which includes additional information on your skills and qualifications for the job. Here's when to write an influence letter, plus what to include, and samples.

• Proofread thoroughly. Check your spelling and grammar before sending your letter. If in doubt about the correct names, spellings, or titles of your interviewers, call the office to double-check. Your efforts will be worth it!

Review a Sample Interview Thank You Letter© The Balance, 2018

Review a Sample Interview Thank You Letter (Text Version)

<ADDRESS>

 

Dear Interviewer,

It was a great pleasure to meet you regarding the marketing manager position with your firm. After hearing about the new direction you are planning to take with your marketing division, especially the plans to incorporate more interactive media, I am even more confident that I would be very interested in joining your group. My background includes strong experience in social media and web development, and I have some great ideas already to help with the rebranding.
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’ll be in touch later this week to follow up with you,  I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Regards,
Signature (hard copy letter)
XXX

What To Do When You Interviewed With a Group

Choose your approach based on what you think will be most in keeping with the "personality" of the organization. Also, consider whether the interviews had very much in common with one another. If there was a great deal of similarity (i.e., shared concerns voiced by your interviewers), perhaps a "group" letter will suffice.

However, it never hurts to take the extra time and send an individual thank you letter to everyone you met with.

 

job interview tips and tricks

Tips for Great Job Interviews

 you want become a job holder .. then read follwing tips and then follow get offer... good luck

 Here are 20 tips to help you prepare.

1. First , Clarify your "selling points" and the reasons you want the job.
Prepare to go into every interview with three to five key selling points in mind, such as what makes you the best candidate for the position. Have an example of each selling point prepared ("I have good communication skills. For example, I persuaded an entire group to ..."). And be prepared to tell the interviewer why you want that job – including what interests you about it, what rewards it offers that you find valuable, and what abilities it requires that you possess. If an interviewer doesn't think you're really, really interested in the job, he or she won't give you an offer – no matter how good you are!
2. Anticipate the interviewer's concerns and reservations.
Always more candidates for positions than there are openings. So interviewers look for ways to screen people out. Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself why they might not want to hire you (“I don't have this,” “I'm not that,” etc.). Prepare your defense: “I know you may be thinking that I might not be the best fit for this position because [their reservation]. U should know that [reason the interviewer shouldn't be overly concerned]."

3. Main objective to Research the industry and company.
Interviewer may ask how you perceive his company's position in its industry, who the firm's competitors are, what its competitive advantages are, and how it should best go forward. For this reason, avoid trying to thoroughly research a dozen different industries. Focus your job search on just a few industries instead.

4. Just Prepare for common interview questions.
"how to interview" has a list of a hundred or more "common interview questions." (You might wonder just how long those interviews are if there are that many common questions!) So how do you prepare? Pick any list and think about which questions you're most likely to encounter, given your age and status (about to graduate, looking for a summer internship). Then prepare your answers so you won't have to fumble for them during the actual interview.

5. Better Line up your questions for the interviewer.
Come to the interview with some intelligent questions for the interviewer that demonstrate your knowledge of the company as well as your serious intent. Interviewers always ask if you have any questions, and no matter what, you should have one or two ready. If you say, "No, not really," he or she may conclude that you're not all that interested in the job or the company. A good all-purpose question is, "If you could design the ideal candidate for this position from the ground up, what would he or she be like?"
If you're having a series of interviews with the same company, you can use some of your prepared questions with each person you meet (for example, "What do you think is the best thing about working here?" and "What kind of person would you most like to see fill this position?") Then, try to think of one or two others during each interview itself.

6. Practice and Prepare

Review the typical job interview questions employers ask and practice your answers. Strong answers are those that are specific but concise, drawing on concrete examples that highlight your skills and back up your resume. Your answers should also emphasize the skills that are most important to the employer and relevant to the position. Be sure to review the job listing, make a list of the requirements, and match them to your experience.

Note that even the most well-prepared response will fall short if it does not answer the exact question you are being asked. While it’s important to familiarize yourself with best answers, it’s equally important to listen carefully during your interview in order to ensure your responses give the interviewer the information they are looking for.

Also, have a list of your own questions to ask the employer ready. In almost every interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. It is important to have at least one or two questions prepared in order to demonstrate your interest in the organization. Otherwise, you might come across as apathetic, which is a major turnoff for hiring managers.

8. Get on the same side as the interviewer.
Many interviewers view job interviews as adversarial: Candidates are going to try to pry an offer out of the interviewer, and the interviewer's job is to hold onto it. U'r job is to transform this "tug of war" into a relationship in which you're both on the same side. You could say something as simple as, "I'm happy to have the chance to learn more about your company and to let you learn more about me, so we can see if this is going to be a good match or not. I always think that the worst thing that can happen is to be hired into a job that's wrong for you – then nobody's happy!"

9. Score a success in the first five minutes.
Some studies indicate that interviewers make up their minds about candidates in the first five minutes of the interview – and then spend the rest of the interview looking for things to confirm that decision! So what can you do in those five minutes to get through the gate? Come in with energy and enthusiasm, and express your appreciation for the interviewer's time. (Remember: She may be seeing a lot of other candidates that day and may be tired from the flight in. So bring in that energy!)
Also, start off with a positive comment about the company – something like, "I've really been looking forward to this meeting [not "interview"]. I think [the company] is doing great work in [a particular field or project], and I'm really excited by the prospect of being able to contribute."


10. Be assertive and take responsibility for the interview.
Perhaps out of the effort to be polite, some usually assertive candidates become overly passive during job interviews. But politeness doesn't equal passivity. An interview is like any other conversation – it’s a dance in which you and a partner move together, both responding to the other. Don't make the mistake of just sitting there waiting for the interviewer to ask you about that Nobel Prize you won. It's your responsibility to make sure he walks away knowing your key selling points.

11. Think positive.
No one likes a complainer, so don't dwell on negative experiences during an interview. Even if the interviewer asks you point blank, "What courses have you liked least?" or "What did you like least about that previous job?" don't answer the question. Or more specifically, don't answer it as it's been asked. Instead, say something like, "Well, actually I've found something about all of my classes that I've liked. For example, although I found [class] to be very tough, I liked the fact that [positive point about the class]" or "I liked [a previous job] quite a bit, although now I know that I really want to [new job]."
12. Close on a positive note.
If a salesman came to you and demonstrated his product, then thanked you for your time and walked out the door, what did he do wrong? He didn't ask you to buy it! If you get to the end of an interview and think you'd really like that job, ask for it! Tell the interviewer that you'd really, really like the job – that you were excited about it before the interview and are even more excited now, and that you're convinced you'd like to work there. If there are two equally good candidates at the end of the search – you and someone else – the interviewer will think you're more likely to accept the offer, and thus may be more inclined to make an offer to you.
Even better, take what you've learned about yourself from your MyPath career assessment and use it to explain why you think this is the job for you: "I've done some careful career self-assessment, and I know that I'm most interested in [one or two of your most important career interest themes], and – correct me if I'm wrong – it seems that this position would allow me to express those interests. I also know that I'm most motivated by [two or three of your most important motivators from your MyPath assessment], and I have the sense that if I do well, I could get those rewards in this position.
Finally, I know that my strongest abilities are [two or three of your strongest abilities from your MyPath assessment], and I see those as being the abilities you most need for this position." If you follow this tip, you'll be (a) asking for the job, (b) explaining why you think it's a good match, (c) displaying your thoughtfulness and maturity, and (d) further disarming the tug-of-war dynamic that interviewers anticipate. You'll be making the strongest possible "close" – and that's worth a lot!
14. Bring a copy of your resume to every interview.
Have a copy of your resume with you when you go to every interview. If the interviewer has misplaced his or her copy, you'll save a lot of time (and embarrassment on the interviewer's part) if you can just pull your extra copy out and hand it over.
15. Don't worry about sounding "canned".
Some people are concerned that if they rehearse their answers, they'll sound "canned" (or overly polished or glib) during the interview. Don't worry. If you're well prepared, you'll sound smooth and articulate, not canned. And if you're not so well prepared, the anxiety of the situation will eliminate any "canned" quality.

16. Be ready to handle illegal and inappropriate questions.
Interview questions about your race, age, gender, religion, marital status, and sexual orientation are inappropriate and in many areas illegal. Nevertheless, you may get one or more of them. If you do, you have a couple of options. You can simply answer with a question ("I'm not sure how that's relevant to my application"), or you can try to answer "the question behind the question": "I don't know whether I'll decide to have children in the near future, but if you're wondering if I'll be leaving my job for an extended period of time, I can say that I'm very committed to my career and frankly can't imagine giving it up."
17. Make your selling points clear.
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, did it make a sound? More important, if you communicate your selling points during a job interview and the interviewer doesn't get it, did you score? On this question, the answer is clear: No! So don't bury your selling points in long-winded stories. Instead, tell the interviewer what your selling point is first, then give the example.


18. Make the most of the "Tell me about yourself" question.
Many interviewers begin interviews with this question. So how should you respond? You can go into a story about where you were born, what your parents do, how many brothers and sisters and dogs and cats you have, and that's okay. But would you rather have the interviewer writing down what kind of dog you have – or why the company should hire you?
Consider responding to this question with something like: "Well, obviously I could tell you about lots of things, and if I'm missing what you want, please let me know. But the three things I think are most important for you to know about me are [your selling points]. I can expand on those a little if you'd like." Interviewers will always say, "Sure, go ahead." Then you say, "Well, regarding the first point, [give your example]. And when I was working for [company], I [example of another selling point]." Etc. This strategy enables you to focus the first 10-15 minutes of the interview on all of your key selling points. The "Tell me about yourself" question is a golden opportunity. Don't miss it!
17. Speak the right body language.
Dress appropriately, make eye contact, give a firm handshake, have good posture, speak clearly, and don't wear perfume or cologne! Sometimes interview locations are small rooms that may lack good air circulation. You want the interviewer paying attention to your job qualifications -- not passing out because you've come in wearing Chanel No. 5 and the candidate before you was doused with Brut, and the two have mixed to form a poisonous gas that results in you not getting an offer!
18. Be ready for "behavior-based" interviews".
One of the most common interview styles today is to ask people to describe experiences they have had that demonstrate behaviors that the company thinks are important for a particular position. You might be asked to talk about a time when you made an unpopular decision, displayed a high level of persistence, or made a decision under time pressure and with limited information, for example.
Step 1 is to anticipate the behaviors this hiring manager is likely to be looking for. Step 2 is to identify at least one example of when you demonstrated each behavior. Step 3 is to prepare a story for each example. Many people recommend using SAR (Situation-Action-Result) as a model for the story. Step 4 is to practice telling the story. Also, make sure to review your resume before the interview with this kind of format in mind; this can help you to remember examples of behaviors you may not have anticipated in advance.
19. Send thank-you notes.
Write a thank-you note after every interview. Type each note on paper or send them by email, depending on the interviewers' preferences. Customize your notes by referring specifically to what you and the interviewer discussed; for example, "I was particularly excited about [or interested by, or glad to hear] what you said about ..." Handwritten notes might be better if you're thanking a personal contact for helping you in your job search, or if the company you're interviewing with is based in Europe. Whatever method you choose, notes should be sent within 48 hours of the interview.
To write a good thank-you note, you'll need to take time after each interview to jot down a few things about what the interviewer said. Also, write down what you could have done better in the interview, and make adjustments before you head off for your next interview.
20. Don't give up!
If you've had a bad interview for a job that you truly think would be a great fit for you (not just something you want badly), don't give up! Write a note, send an email, or call the interviewer to let him or her know that you think you did a poor job of communicating why you think this job would be a good match. Reiterate what you have to offer the company, and say that you'd like an opportunity to contribute. Whether this strategy will get you a job offer depends on the company and on you. But one thing's for sure: If you don't try, your chances are exactly zero. We've seen this approach work on numerous occasions, and we encourage you to give it that last shot.

Good luck!

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Top Software Engineering Interview Questions and Answers

Top 50 Software Engineering Interview Questions and Answers 

 

21) What is feasibility study?
It is a measure to find out how practical and beneficial the software project development will prove to the organization. The software analyzer conducts a study to know the economic, technical and operational feasibility of the project.

1. Economic: It includes the cost of training, cost of additional and tools and overall estimation of costs and benefits of the project.
2. Technical: It evaluate technical aspect. Is it possible to develop this system? Assessing the suitability of machine(s) and OS on which software will execute, knowledge of the software development and tools available for this project.
3. Operational: Here the analyst need to assess that the organization will able to adjust smoothly to the changes done as per the demand for the project. Is the problem worth solving at the estimated cost?

After, studying all this the final feasibility report is created.
22) What are functional and non-functional requirements?
Functional requirements are functional features which are expected by users from the proposed software product.
Non-functional requirements are related to security, performance, look, and feel of the user interface.
23) What is software metric?

Software Metrics offers measures for various aspects of software process which are divided into:

1. Requirement metrics: Length requirements, completeness
2. Product metrics: Number of coding Lines, Object-oriented metrics, design and test metrics.

25) What is modularization?
Modularization is a technique which is used for dividing a software system into various discreet modules. That is expected to carry out the tasks independently.
26) What is cohesion?
Cohesion is a measure that defines the intra-dependability among the elements of the module.
27) Mentions some software analysis & design tools?
Some of the most important software analysis and designing tools are:

• Data Flow Diagrams
• Structured Charts
• Structured English
• Data Dictionary
• Hierarchical Input Process Output diagrams
• Entity Relationship Diagrams and Decision tables

28) What is mean by level-0 Data flow diagram?
Highest abstraction level is called Level 0 of DFD. It is also called context level DFD. It portrays the entire information system as one diagram.
29) Tell me about some project management tools.
There are many types of management tools used as per the need for a software project. Some of them are Pert Chart, Gantt Chart, Resource Histogram, Status Reports, etc.
30) What are software requirements?
Software requirements are a functional description of a proposed software system. It is assumed to be the description of the target system, its functionalities, and features.


30) What is the major difference between structured English and Pseudo Code?
Structured English is native English language. It is used to write the structure of a program module. It uses programming language keywords. On the other hand, Pseudo Code is more like to the programming language without syntax of any specific language.
31) What is structured design?
Structured design is a conceptualization of problem. It also called solution design and which is based on ‘divide and conquer’ strategy.
32) What is functional programming?
It is a programming method, which uses the concepts of a mathematical function. It provides means of computation as mathematical functions, which also produces results irrespective of program state.
33) What is Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control?
Quality Assurance checks if proper process is followed while developing the software while Quality Control deals with maintaining the quality of software product.
34) What are CASE tools?
CASE means Computer Aided Software Engineering. They are set of automated software application programs, which are used to support, enhance and strengthen the SDLC activities.
35) Which process model removes defects before software get into trouble?
Clean room software engineering method removes defects before software gets into trouble.

36) Do you think that the maintenance of software is expensive?
According to me, maintenances of software will never be expensive if we are using proper development process.
37) Give me differences between tags and branches?
Tags are for versioning releases which are temporary holding places for doing such thing. However, branches are deleted when those changes are merged into the trunk.



38) Explain the differences between a Thread and a Process?
A process is instance of  the computer program.In a single program it is possible to have one or more threads.
39) Tell me the difference between an EXE and a DLL?
An exe is an executable program while a DLL is a file that can be loaded and executed by programs dynamically. It is an external code repository for programs.  As both are different programs, reuse the same DLL instead of having that code in their file. It also reduces required storage space.
40) What is strong-typing and weak-typing? Which is preferred? Why?
Strong typing checks the types of variables at compile time. On the other hand,  weak typing checks the types of the system at run-time. Among them, Strong typing is always preferred because it minimizes the bugs.
41) Describe the difference between Interface-oriented, Object-oriented and Aspect-oriented programming.

• Interface programming is contract based.
• Object-oriented is a way to write granular objects which have a single purpose.
• Aspect Oriented Programming is to segregate the code in such a manner that various objects carry the main tasks, and the subsidiary tasks are carried by independent objects.

42) Why using catch (exception) is always a bad idea?
It is a bad idea because:

• As there is no variable defined, it is not possible to read the exception
• It’s good to use an exception when you have known exception types.

43) What type of data is passed via HTTP Headers?
Script and metadata passed via HTTP headers.
44) How do you prioritize requirements?
First, you need to design a system by evaluating data structure. Then you should move on to the code structure needed to support it.
45) Give me differences between object-oriented and component-based design?
Object-oriented design can easily be encapsulated to some degree in component-based design.
46) When do you use polymorphism?
Polymorphism is used when there is a need for override functionality when inheriting class. It’s about shared classes and shared contracts.
47) What is the difference between stack and queue?

• Queue is always First In, First Out
• Stack is always Last In, First Out

48) What is essential for testing the quality of the code?
According to me, the unit testing framework is essential for testing the quality of the code.

51) Where is a protected class-level variable available?
Protected class-level variables are available to any sub-class derived from the base class.
52) Is it possible to execute multiple catch blocks for a single try statement?
Yes. Multiple catch blocks can be executed for a single try statement.
53) When do you need to declare a class as abstract?
We should declare a class as abstract in the following situations:

1. When the class is inherited from an abstract class, but not all the abstract methods have been overridden.
2. In the case when minimum one of the methods in the class is declared as an abstract

54) Solve this problem
There are twenty different socks of two types in a drawer in one dark room. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take to ensure you have a matching pair?”
If you pick up three socks, they may be of the same type even if the odds are 50%. Odds never an equal reality. Therefore, the only way to ‘ensure you have a matching pair’ is to pick up at least 11 number of shocks.
55) How you can make sure that your written code which can handle various kinds of error situation?
I can write tests that define the expected error situations.

To be continue...

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Top 10 Software Engineering Interview Questions and Answers 

1) What is the main difference between a computer program and computer software?
A computer program is a piece of programming code. It performs a well-defined task.  On the other hand, the software includes programming code, documentation and user guide.
2) What is software re-engineering?
It is a process of software development which is done to improve the maintainability of a software system.
3) Describe the software development process in brief:
The software development is a life cycle is composed of the following stages:

• Requirement analysis
• Specification
• Software architecture
• Implementation
• Testing
• Documentation
• Training and support
• Maintenance

4) What are the important categories of software?

• System software
• Application software
• Embedded software
• Web Applications
• Artificial Intelligence software
• Scientific software.

5) What are SDLC models available?
Waterfall Model, Spiral Model, Big-bag model, Iterative Model, and V- Model are some of the famous SDLC models.



6) What is verification and validation?
Verification:

Verification is a term that refers to the set of activities which ensure that software implements a specific function.
Validation:
It refers to the set of activities which ensure that software that has been built according to the need of clients.
7) In software development process what is the meaning of debugging?
Debugging is the process that results in the removal of error. It is very important part of the successful testing.
8) How can you make sure that your code is both safe and fast?
In the software, development security is always first. So if the execution of the program is slow then, I will try to identify the reason out ways to its time complexity.
9) Name two tools which are used for keeping track of software requirements?
There many l ways to keep track of requirements.
Two commonly used are:

• Make a requirements specifications document to list all of the requirements.
• Create an excel sheet the list down the requirement, type, dependency, priority, etc.

10) What is the main difference between a stubs, a mock?
A stub is a minimal implementation of an interface which generally returns hardcoded data while mock usually verifies outputs against expectations. Those expectations are set in the test.
11) What language do you like to write programming algorithms?
Every developer has their views when it comes to the programming language choices. Though, one should prefer high-level languages because they are dynamic. Like C and C++ languages.
12) What is computer software?
Computer software is a package which includes a software program, its documentation, and user guide on how to use the software.
13) According to you which SDLC model is the best?
There, is no such ranking, as SDLC Models are adopted as per the need for the development process. It may differ software-to-software.
14) Who is software project manager? What is his role?
A software project manager is a person responsible for managing the software development project.
The project manager is doing the project planning, monitoring the progress, communication. He or she also manages risks and resources to deliver the project within time, cost, and quality constraints.
15) What is mean by software scope?
Software scope is a well-defined boundary. It includes all kind of activities that are done to develop and deliver the software product.
The software scope defines all functionalities and artifacts to be delivered as a part of the software. The scope also identifies what the product will do? What is not the part of the project? What is project estimation?
This process is helpful to estimate various aspects of the software product. This estimation can be decided either consulting experts or by using pre-defined formulas.
16) How to find the size of a software product?
The size of software product can be calculated using by following two methods

• Counting the lines of delivered code
• Counting delivered function points

17) What are function points?
Function points are the features which are provided by the software product. It is considered as a most important measurement for software size.
18) What are software project estimation techniques available?
Most widely used estimation techniques are:

• Decomposition technique
• Empirical technique

19) What is Software configuration management?
Software configuration management is a process of tracking and controlling changes that happen in the software.
Change control is a function which ensures that all changes made into the software system are consistent and created using organizational rules and regulations.
20) How can you measure project execution?
We can measure project execution using Activity Monitoring, Status Reports, and Milestone Checklists.

  To be continue...

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