Best Time to Submit Job Applications: Morning vs Evening (Data Study)
You’ve perfected your resume. You’ve tailored your cover letter. You’re about to hit “Submit.”
But wait—is Friday at 5pm the worst time to apply? Should you hold off until Monday morning?
The internet is full of theories. We decided to test them with data.
The Study: 500,000 Applications Analyzed
Data Source:
- 502,847 job applications submitted through JobPilot.
- Tracked submission timestamp (day and hour, adjusted for recipient’s local time).
- Measured response rate (any recruiter response within 14 days).
Time Periods Analyzed:
- Day of week (Monday-Sunday).
- Time of day (6am-12am, broken into 2-hour blocks).
- Combined (day + time).
Day of Week: When to Apply
Response Rate by Day
| Day | Applications | Response Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 18.2% | 12.4% |
| Wednesday | 17.8% | 12.1% |
| Monday | 19.5% | 11.8% |
| Thursday | 16.4% | 11.5% |
| Friday | 14.1% | 10.2% |
| Saturday | 7.2% | 9.8% |
| Sunday | 6.8% | 10.1% |
Key Finding: Tuesday has the highest response rate (12.4%), followed by Wednesday (12.1%).
Friday and weekends have noticeably lower response rates.
Why Tuesday Works
- Monday Inbox Clear: Recruiters spend Monday clearing weekend emails. By Tuesday, they’re ready to engage with new applications.
- Mid-Week Focus: Tuesday-Wednesday is peak productivity for most professionals. Recruiters are actively reviewing applicants.
- Pre-Weekend Slowdown: By Thursday afternoon, attention starts shifting to closing out the week.
Time of Day: When to Apply
Response Rate by Time Block
| Time (Local to Company) | Response Rate |
|---|---|
| 6am-8am | 10.8% |
| 8am-10am | 12.6% |
| 10am-12pm | 12.3% |
| 12pm-2pm | 11.5% |
| 2pm-4pm | 11.0% |
| 4pm-6pm | 10.2% |
| 6pm-8pm | 9.8% |
| 8pm-10pm | 9.5% |
| 10pm-12am | 9.2% |
Key Finding: 8am-10am (company’s local time) has the highest response rate (12.6%).
Late evening submissions (after 8pm) perform worst.
Why Morning Works
- Top of Inbox: Applications submitted at 8am appear at the top of ATS queues when recruiters start their day.
- Fresh Eyes: Recruiters are more alert and thorough in the morning vs. end-of-day fatigue.
- Signal of Intentionality: A morning application signals “serious professional” vs. a midnight submission that signals “last-minute desperation.”
The Optimal Window: Tuesday 8am-10am
Combining day and time data, the single best window is:
Tuesday, 8am-10am (in the company’s local timezone)
Applications submitted in this window had a 13.1% response rate—significantly higher than the overall average of 11.2%.
The Full Ranking
| Rank | Day + Time | Response Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuesday 8am-10am | 13.1% |
| 2 | Wednesday 8am-10am | 12.8% |
| 3 | Monday 8am-10am | 12.5% |
| 4 | Tuesday 10am-12pm | 12.4% |
| 5 | Wednesday 10am-12pm | 12.2% |
| … | … | … |
| Last | Sunday 10pm-12am | 8.9% |
The “Worst” Times to Apply
Based on our data, avoid:
- Friday afternoon (especially after 2pm): Recruiters are wrapping up for the week.
- Sunday night (after 8pm): Your application gets buried under Monday morning’s flood.
- Holidays and company-specific events: Check if the company has all-hands, conference weeks, or office closures.
Does It Really Matter?
Let’s put the data in perspective:
- Best window: 13.1% response rate
- Worst window: 8.9% response rate
- Difference: 4.2 percentage points (47% relative improvement)
That’s meaningful—but not transformative.
The verdict: Timing helps at the margins, but resume quality, job match, and application method matter far more.
If you have to choose between:
- Submitting a well-tailored application at 10pm, OR
- Submitting a rushed application at 9am to “catch the window”
Choose quality over timing every time.
Practical Application: How to Time Your Submissions
Strategy 1: Time Zone Awareness
If you’re on the West Coast applying to companies in NYC, remember they’re 3 hours ahead. Submit at 5am PST to hit 8am EST.
JobPilot (and most job boards) don’t adjust for this. You need to do the math.
Strategy 2: Batch and Schedule
Prepare applications in batches:
- Sunday evening: Research and tailor 10 applications.
- Monday morning: Submit at 8am to top targets.
- Tuesday morning: Submit remaining applications at 8am.
Strategy 3: Use “Scheduled Send” (Where Available)
Some email clients and job boards allow scheduled submissions. Draft your application Sunday night, schedule for Tuesday 8am.
Strategy 4: Don’t Overthink It
If you find a perfect role on Friday at 4pm, apply immediately. The role might close over the weekend. A late Friday application is infinitely better than missing the posting.
What About Global/Remote Roles?
For roles that don’t have a clear “home office,” use:
- US roles: Target 8am EST (covers East Coast and is noon-ish for Europe).
- European roles: Target 9am CET.
- APAC roles: Target 9am SGT/HKT.
If the role is “fully remote” with no timezone specified, default to US Eastern time—it’s the most common for US companies.
Speed vs. Timing: The Trade-Off
Our data also revealed an interesting finding:
| Application Speed | Response Rate |
|---|---|
| Applied within 24 hours of job posting | 14.2% |
| Applied 2-7 days after posting | 10.8% |
| Applied 7+ days after posting | 7.3% |
Key Finding: Fresh job postings get 2x the response rate of stale ones.
Speed matters more than timing. If you find a role posted today, apply today—even if it’s 9pm on a Friday.
The Optimal Strategy
- Apply fast: Within 24-48 hours of job posting.
- Aim for Tuesday morning (8am-10am local time) when possible.
- Avoid Friday afternoon and Sunday night for lower-priority applications.
- Never delay a strong application just to hit a “better” window.
- Adjust for time zones if applying across regions.
Summary
| Factor | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Tuesday | Sunday |
| Time | 8am-10am | 10pm-12am |
| Combined | Tuesday 8am-10am | Sunday 10pm-12am |
| Speed | Within 24 hours | After 7 days |
Timing gives you a small edge—but speed and quality give you a big one.
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