For job seekers, Fridays shouldn’t be spent dreaming of the weekend, sorting out the biggest odds to gamble on sports or planning to spend that little money (you probably don’t have).
Applying for a role at the end of the workweek could give you an edge over the competition.
Friday’s have traditionally been the day of the week when people wind down, However, hiring managers are under pressure to find the right candidate, so it’s unlikely that they’d slack off too much in the current climate.
With unemployment still at its highest levels in decades, people looking for jobs need every edge possible. According to the data research, recruiters are busiest looking at resumes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with nearly 40% of CV searches carried out those days. Meanwhile 34.5% of all applications by job seekers take place those days.
It’s naïve to think that Friday is an off day, there are no off days anymore. I remember our Head Recruiter is usually edgy on Fridays especially if we are on deadlines to shortlist candidates. At this point writing a resume that easily catches the attention of a recruiter is vital to standing out (Read how you can grab the recruiter’s attention).
If you are going to target your application for Fridays, get it in early in the morning. That’s when recruiters are keen to end the week with a flurry of activity, before thoughts inevitably turn to the weekend.
Friday afternoon also has traditionally been a time when most recruitment consultants leave the office early and head out for drinks or any other social activities.
However, some professionals may argue stating Monday is best suited for job application as most Monday mornings are generally spent going through emails and preparing for the week ahead, so if you can time your application accordingly, you will be top of mind.
While this is true, I suggest if you miss Monday, your target should be Friday for strategic reasons. As long as you read the job description properly and modify your resume to fit into it and highlight the qualities that is required for the role, it doesn’t matter what day you submit your CVs
