Welcome to The Hero 🗞️. This is approximately a 2.5-minute read.
📩 Why sending at 9am Monday is actually hurting your outreach
📊 What data says about when candidates actually engage
💡 A 3-step timing strategy to double your replies
TL;DR
Most recruiters send messages at the wrong time.
Try weekends or early-morning (kind like this email) to improve your reply rate.
Your timing can completely change your success margins.
So you can achieve campaigns like this:
Everyone's Sending at The Same Time
You craft the perfect message.
You hit send at 9:15 AM Monday -
And…
Crickets.
Turns out, Monday mornings are the worst time to email.
Candidates are busy kicking off their week - and your message gets buried.
Based on our data from over 1 million messages, reply rates on Monday mornings drop as low as 21%.
That means you’re basically shouting into a hurricane.
How to fix this is just below - don’t miss it 🫡
Links of the Day:
🔗 Best Links
Here are some of the best links I’ve found since last time I emailed you:
🗺️ Interview Scheduling & Process
🔎 Hiring Metrics and KPIs
🤖 AI & Automation in Hiring
✅ Employer Branding
📊 The Data
Weekend edge: AI platform Gem reports Saturday and Sunday emails get ~66% open rates
Because no one is fighting for (your candidate’s) attention..
Mid-week sweet spot: InMails sent Tue–Thu at 9–10am have the highest reply rates.
Follow-up matters: Four-message sequences DOUBLE reply rates vs. single emails.
Email vs InMail: InMail typically sees 3x the replies of cold email. Time it right.
How To Improve Your Conversion Rates
Step 1 - Expand Your Windows
Stop defaulting to the same send times as everyone else.
Test these instead:
Saturday or Sunday afternoons - less noise, more attention
Tuesday - Thursday mid-mornings - peak response hours
Evenings for passive talent - prime “after work” scroll time
Step 2 - Build the Right Cadence
Never rely on a single email.
Most success comes from a multi-touch outreach sequence that keeps you top of mind.
Day 1: Intro
Day 2: Follow-up (boosts open rates)
Day 4: Follow-up (catches people who missed earlier emails)
Day 7: Re-engage (captures fresh eyes)
Day 14+: Add context, or introduce the hiring manager
Gem’ data shows 6-day gaps between follow-ups increase "interested" replies.
🙌 Pro tip: Mix in other channels like text or LinkedIn for even higher engagement.
Step 3 - Match the Channel to the Candidate
Active candidates: Move fast. Use weekday mornings.
Passive candidates: Use InMail during mid-week and emails at off-hours.
Bonus: Mention mutual connections. That can 2x your reply rates.
To Sum It Up…
Timing isn’t a footnote - it’s a strategy.
Shift your outreach to when people actually want to hear from you:
Avoid Monday 9 a.m. pileups
Embrace weekends and off-hours
Follow up smart, not spammy
Keep in mind:
Timing = reply-rate multiplier
Test new days, channels, and cadences
Treat send time like a subject line - it’s worth optimizing
✅ Actionable Tip - Weekend Experiment
Next campaign, schedule one message for Saturday morning.
Measure open and reply rates vs. your weekday sends.
You might find your best time… is when no one else is emailing.
And To Wrap It Up…
If you want better replies, stop sending when you think it's convenient -
And start sending when your candidate is ready to listen.
HOW WE CAN HELP?
There are a few ways:
Or you can just reply to this email.
I reply to absolutely everyone who writes me back 🙂
