Why and How to Track Your Job Applications
The Power of Organization in Job Searching
Keeping track of your job applications during a job search is crucial for several reasons. It helps you stay organized, maintain focus, and increase your chances of success.
1. Stay Organized and Avoid Duplication
Why it matters: Job searching can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you're applying to multiple positions at once. Without a tracking system, you might accidentally apply to the same job twice or forget which stage you're at with certain applications.
How it helps: A job application tracker helps you record all the jobs you've applied to, including the company name, role, application date, status, and follow-up deadlines. This ensures you don't make redundant applications and keeps your process streamlined.
2. Monitor Progress and Stay Motivated
Why it matters: The job search process can take time, and it's easy to lose track of how many applications you've submitted or how far along you are in the process. Without a system, it can feel like you're not making any progress, which can be demotivating.
How it helps: By tracking your applications, you can clearly see how many jobs you've applied for, the number of interviews you've secured, and other milestones. This can help keep you motivated, as you can visually track progress and adjust your approach as needed.
3. Follow Up Effectively
Why it matters: Following up after submitting an application or attending an interview is a crucial step in demonstrating interest and professionalism. However, keeping track of when to follow up can be tricky without a system in place.
How it helps: A tracker can include follow-up dates for each application or interview, ensuring you stay on top of your communication. For example, you can schedule a follow-up email 7-10 days after applying or after an interview. Being organized about this can help you stay proactive without seeming pushy.
4. Evaluate What's Working and What's Not
Why it matters: If you're not getting responses to your applications, you may need to adjust your strategy. However, without tracking, it's difficult to identify trends in your applications, such as which types of roles or companies are yielding better results.
How it helps: By tracking your applications, you can identify patterns in what types of jobs or companies you're getting responses from, and which ones aren't working as well. This can help you refine your approach, whether it's adjusting your resume, researching companies more deeply, or targeting different industries.
5. Stay On Top of Multiple Applications
Why it matters: In today's competitive job market, it's common to apply for multiple jobs at once. Each position may have its own set of deadlines, interview schedules, and next steps.
How it helps: A tracker allows you to see at a glance which applications are still in progress, which have been rejected, and which are moving to the interview stage. This is especially important when you're juggling multiple timelines so you don't miss important deadlines or opportunities.
6. Tailor Future Applications Based on Past Ones
Why it matters: As you go through the job search process, you may notice certain employers or roles that you didn't fully research or weren't as interested in once you had more information. Understanding your own preferences is key to improving your future applications.
How it helps: By reviewing your application history, you can analyze what roles you enjoyed applying for and which ones didn't align with your goals. This self-reflection will help you focus on roles that align better with your values and aspirations.
7. Track Networking and Referrals
Why it matters: Networking plays a key role in today's job market. You may apply to roles where you've been referred by someone in your network, or where you've connected with someone at the company.
How it helps: Including networking and referral details in your tracker ensures that you follow up with connections and maintain relationships that can assist you later. It also helps you see which referrals or network connections are yielding results, so you can refine your networking strategy.
8. Prepare for Interviews and Final Stages
Why it matters: When you're advancing through interview stages, it's important to know exactly where you stand with each application and when interviews or assessments are scheduled.
How it helps: With an application tracker, you can easily identify which companies are in the interview stage, note upcoming interviews, and prepare in advance. You can also track which positions are nearing final decisions, so you know when to follow up or make other plans.
9. Measure Your Job Search Effectiveness
Why it matters: If you're applying to many jobs but not landing interviews, or if interviews aren't converting into offers, it's important to evaluate your strategy and figure out what's missing.
How it helps: Tracking key details such as the number of applications, interviews, and offers can help you evaluate how effective your job search efforts are. If you're not getting responses, you can adjust your resume, approach, or search strategy to improve your results.
10. Keep a Professional Record for Future Applications
Why it matters: Sometimes job seekers go through the process of applying for jobs and might forget the exact details of their interactions with companies or the specific versions of their resume and cover letters they sent.
How it helps: A job application tracker can store important information about the jobs you've applied to, including job descriptions, deadlines, and the specific documents you used. This allows you to refer back to this information if you reapply to a company or need to follow up after a long period.
How to Track Your Applications
Spreadsheet
Create a simple spreadsheet in Google Sheets or Excel with columns for:
- Job title
- Company name
- Date of application
- Status (e.g., applied, interview, offer, rejection)
- Follow-up date
- Notes
Job Search Tools
- Some job boards (like Jobscan or ZipRecruiter) allow you to track your applications directly on the platform
- Project management tools like Trello or Airtable can be used to set up custom boards
Job Tracker Apps
- Apps like JibberJobber and Huntr are designed specifically for job search tracking
- Offer templates and easy-to-use interfaces
Making Tracking Work for You
Keeping track of your job applications ensures that you stay organized, improve your strategy, and maintain momentum throughout the search process. It allows you to follow up efficiently, reflect on your approach, and increase your chances of landing the right role. Whether you use a simple spreadsheet or a specialized app, tracking your progress is a crucial step toward success.
