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For the first time, resume writing has been studied as a time series, offering a completely new lens on the rhythms of American work.
Exclusive data from MyPerfectResume’s Resume Rhythm Indicator (RRI) reveals what pulls workers into career mode and what pushes them away.
One key finding: Workers write resumes during the work week, holidays are the ultimate “off switch” for resume writing, and no holiday hits harder than Thanksgiving.
Key Findings of the Resume Rhythm Indicator
- Thanksgiving is the most disruptive holiday. Resume writing drops more than 82% compared to a normal Thursday.
- Other major holidays also suppress activity. Christmas, New Year’s, and July 4 each cut resume activity by half or more.
- Weekly rhythm matters. Employed Americans treat resume writing as a weekday task—something done at work, not on weekends. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are peak days, while Saturdays hit the weekly low point at 41% below average.
- Occupational differences exist. Healthcare workers show smaller holiday drops, while office/admin staff resume writing nearly vanishes.
Introducing the Holiday Impact Coefficient
To measure holiday effects, MyPerfectResume researchers created a new metric: the Holiday Impact Coefficient.
This compares each holiday to a typical weekday baseline, isolating cultural and seasonal impacts from normal workweek rhythms.
- Major suppression: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, New Year’s
- Moderate suppression: Memorial Day, Labor Day, MLK Day, Juneteenth
- Minimal suppression: Veterans Day, Columbus (or Indigenous Peoples) Day
Why it matters: Holidays don’t just shift schedules; they reshape career behavior. For example, on Thanksgiving, job search behavior dwindles. Thanksgiving and July 4 create “hard stops,” while other holidays show spillover effects tied to seasonal breaks.
The Normal Weekly Rhythm
Outside holidays, resume writing follows a predictable weekly cycle:
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Peak career focus, 25%–26% above average
- Fridays: Activity begins to taper off
- Saturdays: The lowest point, 41% below average
- Sundays: Partial rebound, but still below weekday levels
This rhythm confirms that employed Americans often treat resume writing as a weekday task, something done at work, not on weekends.
Why it matters: Timing reveals intent. Midweek resume updates signal active job search behavior, while weekend lows reflect disengagement from career planning.
Occupation Lens: Office Workers vs Healthcare
The RRI also compared how resume activity shifts across professions with different work schedules.
- Office & administrative support: Resume activity plummets during holidays—Thanksgiving cuts resume writing to just one-tenth of normal levels.
- Healthcare practitioners: Drops are smaller, with activity only falling to about one-fifth.
Why? Healthcare workers often work weekends and holidays, so their career activity is less tied to a Monday–Friday rhythm.
Why it matters: Occupation-specific rhythms reveal how much resume writing is tied to being at work. Office roles track the weekday calendar closely, while healthcare shows a more resilient pattern.
Toward a New Lens on the Workforce
This research is the first large-scale time series of resume writing, analyzing more than 11 million anonymized resumes created between July 2022 and July 2025.
By treating resumes as a continuous behavioral dataset, the RRI captures:
- Weekly cycles of job-seeking behavior
- Holiday anomalies tied to culture and tradition
- Early signals of career intent that traditional labor statistics miss
Why it matters: Updating a resume is one of the earliest, most private signals of job search intent, before applications or interviews. By analyzing when resumes are created, researchers gain a time-sensitive indicator of how the workforce is really feeling.
For press inquiries, contact Nathan Barber at nathan.barber@bold.com.
Methodology
The Resume Rhythm Indicator (RRI) is a time-based labor market metric developed by Dr. David Nordfors, Principal Research Scientist at MyPerfectResume.
It tracks resume activity across weekdays, weekends, and holidays to reveal hidden patterns in workforce behavior. Explore our report on the 2026 state of the workforce for additional insights.
- Dataset: 11 million anonymized resumes created by employed U.S. workers (July 2022–July 2025)
- Approach: Treats resumes as a continuous time series to detect weekly cycles and holiday-driven anomalies
- Applications: Detecting hiring surges, spotting early job search intent, and linking career behavior to economic shifts
About MyPerfectResume
MyPerfectResume Resume Builder with professional templates is designed to help job seekers elevate their careers. The easy-to-use platform was created to eliminate the hassle of resume writing, offering professionally written examples, free expert tips, step-by-step guidance to make a resume, and valuable interview advice to create an outstanding job application effortlessly. Since 2012, MyPerfectResume's Resume Builder has helped more than 11 million job seekers create their perfect resumes online. Its comprehensive employment surveys have been featured in Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, Newsweek, USA Today, BBC, Workable, and more. Stay connected with MyPerfectResume’s latest Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and Pinterest updates.
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Americans Write Resumes at Work, Not on Weekends
Jasmine is certified career coach and recognized expert in job search strategy. She is committed to helping job seekers navigate the job market and succeed in their careers.
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