Indeed Hiring Lab publishes its daily job-posting indices and methodology. New postings and total postings measure different indexed activity. The comparisons below describe historical patterns, not the number of offers, hires or currently available roles for one applicant.
How this monthly comparison was calculated
For each country and series, pair the daily seasonally adjusted (SA) and non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) index observations for 2021–2025. Compute NSA divided by SA, average those daily ratios within each calendar month across the five years, then divide each monthly average by the arithmetic mean of all 12 monthly averages and multiply by 100. The resulting values are normalized monthly factors rather than raw counts.
| Month | New postings | Total postings |
|---|---|---|
| January | 92.7 | 96.4 |
| February | 101.6 | 98.4 |
| March | 105.9 | 100.2 |
| April | 104.4 | 100.8 |
| May | 103.2 | 101.2 |
| June | 99.1 | 100.5 |
| July | 99.1 | 99.9 |
| August | 104.9 | 101.0 |
| September | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| October | 101.9 | 101.6 |
| November | 97.7 | 100.7 |
| December | 86.8 | 98.1 |
In this calculation, March’s US new-posting factor is 105.9 and December’s is 86.8. The peak-to-trough spread is (105.9 / 86.8 − 1) × 100, approximately 22%. January’s lower monthly mean can coexist with variation inside January; a monthly average is not an application deadline.
What these indices cannot tell you
The new- and total-posting series use separate index baselines. Comparing their seasonal factors does not establish the share of fresh listings or prove that remaining advertisements are filled, inactive or ghost jobs. The data also do not measure how many applicants compete for a particular role, how quickly it closes or when you should submit to improve your odds.
Countries have different historical shapes
| Country | Peak month | Trough month | Peak to trough gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March (106) | December (87) | 22% |
| United Kingdom | February (106) | December (82) | 29% |
| Canada | September (108) | December (81) | 32% |
| Australia | September (109) | January (85) | 28% |
| Germany | February (109) | January (88) | 23% |
| France | September (106) | August (88) | 20% |
These differences are descriptive. The calculation does not isolate holidays, budgets, industry composition or employer schedules as a cause. France’s September peak is close to its March factor; rounding should not turn that small difference into a strong planning rule.
Separate seasonality from market levels
| Year | Seasonally adjusted index |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 156.5 |
| 2022 | 172.1 |
| 2023 | 149.0 |
| 2024 | 124.4 |
| 2025 | 107.1 |
| 2026 (through September 18) | 99.2 |
An annual mean of a seasonally adjusted index describes activity relative to that series’ baseline. The 2026 entry covers only January 1–September 18, so it should not be read as a final annual result. Market levels and seasonal factors answer different questions, and neither supplies an individual probability of getting hired.
Revisions and recent seasonal factors
Indeed’s methodology, adopted in November 2024, projects the latest-year seasonal factors from the preceding three years, and historical data can be revised. A close comparison between recent factors and earlier years is therefore not an independent out-of-sample prediction test. The tables are calculations from the source used in this review; later revisions may alter them.
How to use the calendar constructively
- ▸Apply when you find a relevant opening and follow its stated deadline.
- ▸Maintain an accurate base resume and tailor it when a suitable role appears.
- ▸Use your own responses and the employer’s timeline to evaluate your search; do not diagnose an individual rejection from a monthly index.
- ▸Review application-timing evidence before treating an early submission as a guaranteed advantage.
Key takeaway
Historical posting seasonality is useful context for market activity. It does not establish a universally best month to apply, prove why employers behave as they do or justify delaying a suitable application.