The best days of the week to post your CV

Having dedicated time and effort into perfecting it and crafting a cover letter, you’re finally ready to send it off to prospective Employers in the hope of securing the job of your dreams.

Before you hit ‘send’, you may want to take a quick look at the clock and the calendar. Is now really the best time to be posting your CV? The last thing you want is for your application to be buried in a busy inbox for all eternity. If you want a hiring manager to take notice, it’s best to avoid the times in the week that they’re least likely to look.

The question is, which day is best?

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Off to a great start

Garfield isn’t alone in his hate for Mondays, but research has shown that the first working day of the week may be the best for job seekers eager to make an impression. While Monday mornings are manic for most managers, a recent study found Candidates were most likely to advance in the hiring process if they sent their CV on a Monday, as opposed to any other day.

This is likely due to the fact that CVs sent on Monday morning are on top of the pile, so to speak, when managers start their week. Refreshed from the weekend, a new CV presents an exciting opportunity for a manager to scope out potential talent. As the days go on, more CVs will flood their inbox and leave them with the overwhelming task of sorting through the pile. If you’re really keen, you may even send yours on Sunday night to get a head start on the competition, but early on Monday is usually sufficient in getting a response at the very least.

Tuesday tops the charts

According to data from SmartRecruiters, Tuesday seems to be the most popular day for Employers to post job listings. Examining a cross section of over 27,000 job postings, their study found 58% of vacancies were posted from between Monday and Wednesday, with Tuesday seeing the most significant spike of activity.

Naturally, Candidates who apply for a role as soon as the listing goes live have a better chance than those who leave it several days before sending their CV. Their research further revealed that 2pm was the most common time of day for Candidates to apply, so those looking to get in before the rush should avoid the post-lunch application piece.

Thursday is the new Friday

No one is in the mood to screen CVs on a Friday. At the end of the week, managers want nothing more than to tie up loose ends, take stock on projects and prepare for the week ahead. We’re all human, and we’re all guilty of mentally checking out before 5pm on a Friday: sending your CV when most managers want nothing more than to start their weekend is a one-way ticket to the inbox graveyard.

Thursday, on the other hand, has in fact proven an optimal time to send a CV to a prospective Employer. By this point, the initial rush of CVs may be over, so a sudden notification of a new applicant could spark interest and see your email get an immediate open.

While there is no scientific formula that specifies the best day of the week to send your CV, your chances of getting a call back are drastically increased by developing an awareness of most hiring managers’ schedules and understanding when not to bombard them with emails. If you haven’t heard back within a week, get in touch – just make sure it’s not on Friday at 5pm.

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