Real Talk | Real Recruitment. Chapter Seven - Now? Or, how about now?

Now? How about now? Apply later? Be the first? Be the last? Is anyone else's head ringing with all the confusing theories on WHEN to apply for a job?

If you've been following along, you know we've tackled WHERE to search,?WHO ?different types of jobseekers are,?WHAT ?a job search really is,?WHY ?the job?is available in the first place, and?WHY ?a jobseeker might be looking for a job. So today, let's tackle WHEN!

** PS, you can click those hyperlinks to catch up on previous newsletters, if you missed them :)

Contrary to what people think, not all companies post jobs in the same way or even for the same length of time. For that reason, my very best recommendation of WHEN to apply is ....... drumroll please...

... before the job closes!

There is no standard, black and white definition, perfect time to apply. I know, I know .... that is not what all the "experts" have been cautioning you about. What you have been hearing is likely the same things as me, like:

1. "You have to apply immediately after the job posting goes live because you have to be first!"
2. "Set a reminder the day before the job posting expires so you can submit your application then. You need to be last so that the recruiter sees your application at the top of the 'pile'."
3. "Don't apply during the day! They don't want to interview people who are job searching during work hours!"
4. "Apply first thing in the morning so the recruiter's eyes are fresh. This will give you a better chance of getting an interview!"
5. "Whatever you do, don't apply on the weekend because your application will get lost!"

I could go on, but I won't. I have heard sooooo many other ridiculous recommendations on timing, but the reality is that they don't hold any true value. Let me tell you why.

Myth One: The Time Stamp

Over my career, I have looked at hundreds of thousands of resumes at this point, and I can 'hand on my heart' promise each one of you that I have never looked at an application to see what time of the day they applied.

I actually can't even think of a detail that is less important from your application.

Why? Because we work in an era where people work in different time zones, people work night shifts and could be off during the day, and/or they have flexible work schedules and don't work the standard 9-5 schedule.

Assuming that a recruiter would waste the time to look at the exact time that you specifically applied is time you don't need to spend during your job search. When you have time to do it, do it!

Myth Two: First of the Day

If you are listening to the advice to be the very first application of the day, you are assuming two very big things.

One - you are assuming that a recruiter sits down at their desk first thing in the morning, and checks your specific job posting first before any other task. Plus, how do you even know what time they start their work day?

Two - you are assuming that a recruiter only recruits for one job at a time. In reality, I know very very few recruiters that only recruit for one job at a time so how could you know what order they will be reviewing their applicants in?

Everyone has their own workflow for their day, but I know there are many recruiters like me who start the day by: reviewing emails, checking in with candidates who are interviewing that day, and emailing hiring managers for feedback on candidates. Then, we will dive into reviewing applicants in job postings so don't spend your time worrying about being first!

Myth Three: Last Application vs. The First

Concentrating on being the last applicant or the very first implies that all organizations post jobs for the same length of time, and start the interview process at the same time. Wrong!

Some companies will post a job for a month, some post for two weeks, and some post according to union collective agreements by following a rigid one week schedule.

Some recruiters review applications as they come in, and some recruiters will review applications only when the job closes.

Some hiring managers will start interviewing right away, and some will wait until the posting closes to start interviewing.

Because of this many unknown variables and with organizations all doing it differently, it isn't using your time wisely to worry about being first or last!

** Let me ask you this ..... would you seriously not apply to a job that looked like the perfect one for you just because it was posted three days ago and you didn't see it until today?

I'm confident that most people would say no to that question so let's move past those "expert" opinions of being the first or the last, and let's just focus on actually applying!!!

The Moral of the Story.

For these reasons and many more, I can't stress this point enough: it does not matter when you apply as long as you make it happen and actually APPLY!

Bothering yourself with worrying about WHEN is time you don't need to spend during your job search! There are sooooo many other parts to a job search that can cause someone stress .... don't worry about your timing!

I hope you'll join me next time when we move on to talking all about HOW to conquer job applications! Until then, happy job seeking!!