The Job Seekers Cheat Sheet

Welcome to the future where companies no longer post jobs in the weekly classified ads and candidates scarcely submit paper applications any more. It's time to go out with the paper and time to get in with the World Wide Web.

Contrary to popular belief, most job boards generate more traffic during weekdays than on weekends simply because many job seekers are hunting for jobs while at work. Hunting for a job on the internet can be overwhelming, but using the tips below will inform you of the best days and times for job seeking online.

• 60% of jobs are posted between Monday and Wednesday.
• Tuesday is the most popular day for companies to post jobs.

• Tuesday is the day with the highest volume of applications submitted. 
• 2 p.m. is the most popular time of day for people to apply for jobs. Get your application on top of the pile by applying to new positions on Tuesdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• CAUTION: 60% of applicants apply within the first week of a job being posted, so get your application in ASAP!

• Tuesday and Thursday are the two most popular days for offers to be extended.
• Many times, recruiters are wrapping up for the weekend and get the offers out on the table for candidates to take the weekend to consider everything and talk to their families.

• Yes, networking! It's a cruicial part of job seeking and is the most beneficial activity for a job seeker.
• In fact, 60% of your job seeking efforts should be networking.
• As you establish relationships, these social groups will enhance your search and give you an edge over your competition. Candidates from referrals are 5-10 times more likely to get an interview than those applying without a connection. 

• The alumni association affiliated with your college or university. These groups offer a wealth of resources for job seekers and are a great way to connect with people in an industry or field of interest. 
• LinkedIn is not just for connecting with professionals, but has it's own public job board as well. 
• Monster has one of the largest job search databases with over a million job postings. 
• Indeed aggregates jobs from job boards and is a central location for pinpointing the perfect position. 
• Career Builder is one of the oldest job boards, and similar to Monster, houses more than a million job postings. 
• Craigslist is great for major metropolitan areas and for job seekers looking for general administrative, customer service, food service, and retail roles.