Monday and Tuesday lunchtimes are the peak time for job applications, according to research by Reed Employment.

It says employers should take note, as the overwhelming majority of companies post their new vacancies onto the Reed Employment website on Fridays at 5pm (21%), fully expecting jobseekers to be searching for their dream jobs over the weekend. 

It found that November is the busiest month for permanent job placements, a trend which has been consistent year on year. The next most popular months are September and June. July is the peak time for registrations, closely followed by January, when New Year resolutions often include career changes.

Janine Parry, head of marketing at Reed Employment, says: “November is always our busiest period for placing applicants into permanent roles. Companies often find they have budget still remaining and are keen to fill their positions before next year’s figures are decided, and before the Christmas lull.

“However, employers should not be dissuaded from recruiting in December; there are plenty of good candidates on the market still and employers will have more time to interview them at their leisure and ensure these employees settle in well before next year. This is a good time for candidates too, with less competition from other jobseekers, they are in a stronger position to negotiate a better salary.”

The research shows that on average jobseekers’ salaries drop in July and September when there many more jobseekers on the market and employers have more choice.