Job Applications: What Works and What Doesn't?
It's difficult to measure how many people get interviews when they apply for a job because it depends on the job, the person applying, and the economy at the time.
According to Glassdoor, the average corporate job receives about 250 resumes, but only four to six people will be offered an interview. So what works, and what doesn't?
According to Talent Works, applying at the right time of day matters. A good application sent at 7:30 p.m. only has a 3 percent chance of getting an interview. The best time to apply is between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., two to four days after the job is advertised. This gives you about a 12 percent chance of getting an interview.
Networking is also important. LinkedIn has found that people are about seven times more likely to help find a job for someone they know than someone they don't know. In fact, people often say that it's not what you know, but who you know, that matters.
Author Hamza Khan says, "find the person who has the job you want. Follow them online … and then message them requesting 15 to 30 minutes of their time." He says when you meet them, ask them to stay in contact with you, and ask who else you should try to meet.
Rebecca Laramée, who works in human resources, says "people will tell you to apply for jobs that you are not qualified for," but that's not always a good idea. She says it can annoy the person who's offering the job, and make them less likely to hire you in the future.
