Not every job application will get you an interview. However, if you have created a CV that is tailored to the job, ensured it is ATS and job board friendly, and you feel you are the perfect match but still hear nothing back, you should consider the day and time when applying. When you apply, the timing can make a big difference and increase your odds of getting that interview invitation you have been waiting for.
We did some research, and here is what you need to know:
What Days Of The Week Do Companies Post Jobs?
A SmartRecruiters study examined over 270,000 job postings, and according to their findings, nearly 58 per cent of jobs were posted between Mondays and Wednesdays. However, with 20 per cent, Tuesdays seem to be the most popular day for companies to post new jobs.
CV Library UK's largest independent and general job board records so far for 2022, Tuesday and Wednesday as the most popular days for posting jobs, with Wednesday just marginally 0.01% more popular. An hourly split shows 4 and 5 pm seem to be the most popular times, followed by 11, and 12 am when most jobs are posted.
Steven Benson, Managing Director at Energyjobline.com - the largest and fastest-growing global energy job site, confirms: The beginning of the week tends to be the busiest day for job postings, with Friday and the weekends the quietest days.
WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK DO MOST PEOPLE APPLY TO A JOB?
With more than 54 per cent of applications being submitted at the beginning of the week, between Monday and Wednesday, most job seekers are applying on a Tuesday. However, it is not the most successful day, with barely a 20 per cent success rate.
Bright.com (now acquired by LinkedIn) compared job application timing and success rates. Their study found that 30 per cent of candidates who applied on Mondays received an interview. It might not sound much, but it is almost one out of three people moving forward to the next application stage.
The worst day was Saturday, with only 14 per cent of candidates who applied on this day receiving an interview.
CONCLUSION
With Tuesdays being the most popular day for job postings, it is also the day with the most application traffic. We also found that most employees are interviewed and hired on Tuesdays.
However, the best time to apply for a job is the one that will help you go through the application process and gets you an interview invite. Even though most of us dread Mondays, data shows, that it is actually the most productive day of the week. Applying on a Monday increases your chance of landing an interview by 10 per cent.
To increase your odds of getting that first interview, apply to a job within the first week it is posted. Being one of the first to get your CV in front of a recruiter's eye will only benefit you. Your best bet is to send your application in the early morning, so it is the first thing on top of the recruiter's inbox and to get noticed by HR Managers. Sending your job application between 6 am and 10 am increased the odds of landing an interview by another 13 per cent.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Stick to applying on Mondays and Tuesdays, ideally in the mornings, and you will be fine. Our research and other data all seem to point to these two days and times as the best when applying online.
