How long to hear back after job application?

[pancakeboobies]

I was just wondering if anyone knows how long HR departments usually take to let applicants know they have been invited to interview?
I applied for a dream job which had a closing date of last Friday. I applied online and it is showing as submitted.
Do you think I would have heard by now if they wanted to interview me? Not sure whether to remain hopeful or not.
Also do you think they would reply by email if applied that way?
Thanks

Shameless bump - still haven't heard back yet....

Depends on the job. You're currently talking less than a week, which in my company would be a new record for responding. Bigger companies usually take longer, but these days there are often so many applications for a job that a company has to wade through it can take rather a while. 2-3 weeks is normal, a month is not out of the question. One major international company a couple years ago put me through three interviews and despite two follow up requests never told me I didn't have the job, another at least stayed intouch while they took four and a half months after second interview to offer me the job (I declined) and I hear that many companies these days never even bother to reject initial applicants. So no news a week in is just no news. Nothing good or bad about it.

But applying for only one job in this economy is a tough way to go. You need to hedge those bets, and massively.

And yes, if you applied by e-mail they may well reply by e-mail. Or phone. I tend to find that interview requests come by phone, but occasionally they do come by e-mail.

Thanks for your reply Thamesmead. Glad to hear that there is still hope!
I already have a job which is fine and I am not in a desperate rush to leave, but this is a dream job which I think I may have a shot at and is not too far from where I live so I felt I had to apply.