The Best Day to Send Your Resume

The Best Day to Send Your ResumeThe Best Day to Send Your ResumeAs if finding your dream job welchesnt hard enough, it can seem that once you send your email and cover letter to a potential employer, it disappears into a black hole in cyber space. With the exception of an automated email response, which appears almost immediately thanking you for applying and saying something about getting back to you if youre a good fit, it can feel as though you have to be on the inside to get noticed, let alone an interview. But there are tricks, such as using the best day to send your resume as your job search dayFor many, the lack of response can be maddening. Weve all been there, constantly checking our email every hour and experiencing a glimmer of hope with every ping, only to discover a friend has forwarded yet another silly cat video.At times you may even find yourself looking for something of a scientific formula to nab an interview and wondering things like, What is the best day to send y our resume? Should I send it in the morning or afternoon? Should I follow up with a resume Ive already sent? and How many other candidates are applying?Whether its scientific or statistic, there are definite answers to these questions that may just help you get your email read, your phone calls returned, and your foot in the door.When is the best day to send your resume?Youve spent hours putting your resume together and crafting the perfect cover letter, so it makes sense that you want to send it as quickly as possible. Besides, the sooner you get your resume in, the faster your chances of beating the next candidateright? WrongIn a world driven by technology and communication, we all tend to follow the school of thought that faster is better. However, when it comes to success in applying for a job, the more time and thought you put into your application process, the better.According to Dee Thomas, a top recruiter at a popular staffing company in New York City, you should never apply for a job on a Friday. She says, Recruiters, hiring managers, and human resource professionals are human too. We are guilty of checking out and thinking about the weekend by 2pm on Friday just as the next person. So, it is in your best interest to never submit your resume on a Friday, and especially never on a Friday afternoon. No one will see it and, when Monday comes and they sit down to check emails, yours will be at the very bottom of the queue.Research has shown that the best day to send your resume is on Monday- as early as possible. Your resume will be on the top of the pile and the chances of getting noticed are much higher. In fact, a recent study done by LinkedIn showed that on more than half a million job submissions, almost one out of every three people who applied on a Monday were the most successful in moving forward. So, while the question of How many other candidates have applied? may be on your mind, it probably doesnt matter. Your chances of bypassing the competit ion is greater if you wait and apply on Monday morning. Jacob Bollinger, a senior analyst at LinkedIn, believes that its the Monday applications that are more likely to be perused simply because the workweek is fresh. Resumes are inclined to pile up as the week goes on.Ms. Thomas suggests that if you do decide to apply Tuesday through Thursday, try to submit your resume from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You wont be ignored by the morning rush and reading resumes is often a fun activity for employers as they are letting their lunch settle. Thomas says, I know of many employers who find that reading candidate emails and resumes after lunch is a nice break before the afternoon meetings kick in.How can I get my resume noticed?While the thought of bringing back the singing telegram or mailing in your resume on neon green paper may feel like your only hope of getting noticed, there are actually some creative, and less embarrassing, ways to catch a hiring managers eye. The following are a few tips fo r standing outYou cant send a cookie cutter resume to 15 different jobs, even if they are all in the same industry. You need to read each job description closely and compare the language to what is on your resume. Be as detailed as possible, without being wordy, so the hiring manager sees how you fit into the specific position.Your cover letter should reflect your understanding of the role and precisely why your experience and hintergrund make you a perfect fit. Keep the letter short and straight to the point.Have references available. Many people think that references need to be their bosses from their previous jobs. That is not always the case. If you worked in a team, had more than one manager, had a good relationship with human resources, or even a friend with a high position at the company who knew your capabilities, all of them can be solid references.How many others are applying?Its already been said that you shouldnt worry about that as long as you get your resume on the top of the pile on Monday morning however, if youre like most people, youre still wondering.Whether the post has been up three months, or three days, understanding something known as the recruiting hiring funnel can help you gauge your chances. According to a popular job searching website, on average, 1,000 individuals will see a job post, 200 will begin the application process, but only 100 will complete the process. Out of those 100, a whopping 75 will be screened out for a variety of reasons from invalid email address to completely wrong fit. Twenty-five resumes will be seen by a hiring manager and a lucky four to six will be called for an interview. One to three will be invited back for a final interview and the one person who will receive a job offer accepts it 80 percent of the time. While the numbers may seem big, your chances of getting a call back are actually better than you may think.From knowing what to put on your resume, to what day to send it out, following the above gui delines can make the job hunt much easier. Taking the guesswork out of applying for a job can be an excellent confident booster and help you land the gig.Readers, did you know that Monday was the best day to send your resume? When do you normally send yours out? Will you change your process, or have you had success with other days? Share with us belowTodays post comes from Amanda Caswell, a copywriter based on Toronto, Ontario.