Want to land your dream job? When you apply might affect your odds

When you’re pumped about a dream job opportunity, it can feel impossible to resist submitting your résumé and cover letter the second you perfect them. But press pause and listen to a guided meditation: New research found that the time of day you apply can greatly affect your odds of scoring an interview.

TalentWorks—a job-listing and -application platform—looked at 1,610 applications and found those who turn in materials between 6 and 10 a.m. have a 13 percent chance of landing an interview, which is about five times more likely than later on in the day.

If your app isn’t ready during that morning window, it might be in your favor to wait until the next day (though try and aim to submit during the first three or four days of the posting being live). The odds drop 10 percent every 30 minutes after 10 a.m., with the worst possible time to send an application at 7:30 p.m. when you only have a 3 percent chance of getting an interview—yikes!  Basically, once the clock ticks past 4 p.m., you’re more likely to win a free tropical wellness retreat than get an interview.

Those who submitted applications between 6 and 10 a.m. had a 13 percent chance of landing an interview, which is about five times more likely than later on in the day.

If you really want to send in your application on a certain day but missed the morning window, submit around lunchtime at 12:30 p.m. (when there’s an ever-so-slight uptick in your chances). And, one more thing to note: Make sure you’re considering your potential employer’s time zone, not your own.

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