Job search tracker: how to organize applications and follow-ups
By Justin KullaLast updated
What to record for each opportunity
- Company, role, the link to the posting, and the date you applied.
- The person you know there, and how you found the role.
- Status: applied, in conversation, interviewing, offer, closed.
- The next step and its date, such as “follow up Tuesday”.
Habits that make it useful
- Update it the same day, not at the end of the week.
- Review it every morning and do the follow-ups that are due.
- Keep a separate tab for people: who you spoke with, when, and what you promised.
- Save the posting text, because many postings disappear once filled.
What it tells you
Count conversations as well as applications. If you are applying a lot and hearing nothing, the tracker shows where the search is stuck: few replies points to the resume or targeting, interviews that do not convert point to preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Spreadsheet or an app?
Either. The best tracker is the one you will update every day. A spreadsheet is free and easy to change.
How often should I follow up?
Once, about a week after applying or after an interview, then again after another one to two weeks if you have heard nothing.
How many applications should I track?
All of them. The number matters less than the quality of each and the follow-up on the ones that are warm.
Should I track networking too?
Yes. Most offers come through a person, so a record of who you talked to and what is next is part of the search.
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