The Best Time to Apply for Jobs

When it comes to connecting with the right job opportunity, timing isn't everything, but it's certainly something.

By Dawn Papandrea & Jennifer Verta

Being in the right place at the right time can be a reason why some people get hired over others. But how do you know if you’re timing your job search just right? Is there actually a best time to apply for jobs?

After all, there are so many moving parts like staff turnover rates, seasonal needs, and earnings reports, not to mention the state of the economy. Somehow, you’re supposed to hit this moving target and walk away with a job.

So, if you’re wondering when the best time to apply for a job is, while there’s no absolute answer, knowing the general trends can help you increase your chances of success. Here's a look at the best times to apply for jobs.

Mondays Can Be Hit or Miss

Recruiters and hiring managers typically come in after their weekend to a full inbox. Some might therefore, have a slow start to the week and get through the day by prioritizing tasks. But others might begin super energized and rush to get everything done, including looking at job applications.

Tuesdays Through Thursdays: the Best Days of the Week to Apply for a Job

By Tuesday, the Monday blues are over, the most urgent issues and meetings have been dealt with, and people are back to their usual routines. Then, Wednesdays and Thursdays are typically the core days for getting things done, including analyzing job applications.

Beware Fridays: Probably the Worst Time to Look for a Job

At the end of the week, recruiters – like everyone else - might be rushing to close tasks and plan for the following week. If you send in your resume on a Friday, it more than likely won’t get much attention, and might even be forgotten altogether.

What About the Weekend?

Hiring managers and recruiters don’t typically work over the weekends, so you most certainly won’t get any reply on Saturdays or Sundays. If you decide to apply over the weekend, rest assured your resume will end up on Monday’s pile. If you can, send your resume on Sunday night. That way, your resume will hopefully pop up at the top of the recruiter’s inbox and have more chance of being noticed.

What Is the Best Time to Submit Job Applications During the Day?

When it comes to finding the best time to send your resume, keep in mind that different businesses have different schedules, so there’s not a one size fits all. Therefore, it’s useful to research whether the company, or industry, you’re targeting has particular working hours.

For instance, companies working on 24-hour shift patterns might have earlier lunch hours than others. Or businesses operating over the weekend might end up opening your application on a Saturday or Sunday.

Once you know this information, you can consider what the best time to apply for jobs is. The following are therefore general trends, remember to always check how they apply to your targeted company.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Similar to applying late on a Sunday night, sending in your job application early in the morning can give you a prime spot in the recruiters’ inbox. The sweet spot is anywhere from 6a.m. to 10a.m., so as to get in before the day picks really gets going and the tasks add up.

The Post-Lunch Crash Is Your Best Friend

After lunch is one of the best times to apply for a job, as checking emails after the lunch break is common practice. Not only is a recruiter more likely to see your application but you might even have more luck having them spend more time on your resume before they get to other tasks.

Late at Night

If you already have a busy full-time job, late at night might be the best time to apply for jobs for you. Regardless, it can also be a good choice in general to ensure you show up in the recruiter’s morning emails.

General Recruitment Trends Throughout the Year

To get hired, you want to think like a recruiter, namely, figuring out when demand for new hires is the greatest. It’s easiest to think of hiring in seasons:

Winter Recruitment Trends

The New Year means a new budget—and recruiters are eager to use those available funds to hire for open positions, making the first quarter is a very busy time for recruiting. Staffers are generally taking less time off this time of year since they’re just coming out of the holiday season, which helps speed up the hiring process in quarter one, as well.

For job seekers at the executive level, the first half of the year is prime time for recruiting and hiring. January through mid-June is the biggest time for senior job searches.

Spring Recruitment Trends

Spring is when recruiters tend to snatch up soon-to-be college graduates. Companies start recruiting in April to have recent grads in place by June 1.

Summer Recruitment Trends

Once summer hits, you can expect a recruiting slowdown, as people start taking vacations and offices shift to more relaxed summer hours and flextime schedules.

That’s not to say that you should never look for work in the summer; just expect that it will be a slower-moving process. It can take longer for HR to sift through applications, set up interviews, and respond to emails, as competing vacation schedules get in the way. Job searches for higher-level roles tend to drag even more because they require interviews with several people in the organization.

The exception to this? Seasonal jobs for the holidays. Get your resume out by the end of the summer to apply to seasonal jobs.

Fall Recruitment Trends

Once the fall comes and staffs return to full force, recruitment and hiring pick up again. Both candidates and hiring managers return to work, refreshed from summer vacations and eager to fill any vacant roles before hiring grinds to a halt during the holidays. Department heads are also motivated to use up any remaining budget before they run out.

What does this mean for job seekers? If you apply to a job after Labor Day, expect quick responses from recruiters and hiring managers and less downtime between rounds of interviews.

Exceptions to the Rules of Recruitment

It’s important to recognize that some companies and industries have unique recruitment cycles. For example, January through April is peak season for tax and accounting professionals, so there may not be a lot of vacancies for those seeking such positions in the first quarter. After April 15, job seekers can expect to see more open positions as firms concentrate on recruiting before the start of the busy season.

Teachers and other school employees may find that a lot of recruiting takes place over the early summer to replace people who decide not to return for the following school year. Paying attention to economic trends in your field can also help you predict when recruiters and hiring managers will be on the hunt. Positions in construction or real estate, for example, are often dependent on the current housing market. Other industries may be particularly sensitive to supply chain disruptions and turnover rates.

How to Work the Recruitment Cycles

To get a better sense of the best time to apply for jobs in your field, try these strategies:

During the Winter: Apply, Apply, Apply

Winter is the best time to apply to new jobs. Usually, there’s a flurry of hiring in January and February, followed by a lull in March.

How can you get in the recruitment pipeline? Get ready to spend more time on your job search during winter. Establish a daily job search routine that includes looking at new job postings, researching interesting companies, updating your resume and cover letter, responding to recruiters and hiring managers, and following up after interviews.

During the Spring: Get Ready to Graduate

In between last-semester classes and celebrating with college friends, it’s important to lock down your post-graduation plan. Spend some time on your job search once or twice a week by creating a new resume, visiting your college’s career center, attending any on-campus recruiting events, and reaching out to alumni who have your dream job.

During the Summer: Expand Your Network

The summer is a slower period for hiring, but between trips to the beach and family vacations, spend some time networking. Networking during the summer downtime can yield great results. That’s because during the calmer summer months and the holiday season, people may have more free time to connect and be a little more relaxed when they do. This is also a great time to schedule informational interviews.

During the Fall: Think Ahead

The budgets for some hires, especially for newly created roles, are often lumped into the next fiscal year budget. As a result, companies will sometimes start searching for candidates before the holidays. That way, they’ll have someone locked down, ready to start as soon as those funds become available.

So, if your New Year's Resolution is to start a new job in January, don’t wait until winter to send out applications—start updating your resume, looking at job ads, and sharpening your interviewing skills in the fall.

Stay Up-to-Date Year-Round

No matter when you look for work, the best approach is to hope for a sprint, but plan for a marathon. Train daily for your job search by researching companies, updating your resume, looking for and applying to opportunities, and networking.

In times of talent shortage, things may move quickly. If a job is open and companies are looking to hire soon, there is no slow period. This means that if a company—or their hiring team—is well-organized, you might do an interview one day and get an offer the next.

To get insight into a company’s individual hiring process, do your research. Look through companies’ social media pages to try to get a sense of their hiring practices and timelines. You might be able to pick up on a particular pattern. Or you might be able to contact someone at the company directly to ask about their hiring cycle.

Finally, if there’s a particular company you’re interested in, stay up to date on news announcements that might indicate a hiring boom is on the way. For example, an expansion, new product lines, or an influx of capital funding. Ultimately though, keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers are affected by many variables, including market conditions, industry, having to fill roles unexpectedly, and more.

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