How to track your job search in a spreadsheet (Plus a free template)

People that track their job searches are generally more successful than those that don’t

As a resume writer, I work with job seekers every single day. Something that I’ve noticed most people still don’t do is keep track of their job searches.

Not tracking your search is like not tracking what you buy - it’s a recipe for chaos!

Why it’s important…

Documenting your search and keeping track of important details will make your life easier in more ways than one, such as:

• You develop a list of important contacts (i.e., recruiters and hiring managers), and companies that you can use later

• You know which jobs you’ve applied to

• You know what the response rate has been so far

• You can go back and troubleshoot in case you don’t initially see the results you want

You don’t need anything fancy to do this. Any spreadsheet like Excel or Google Sheets will work fine.

Below, I’m going to share one I normally give out to my clients - it contains five sheets:

• Important People

• Target Companies

• Job Applications

• Interviews

• Career Websites

Here’s an example of how you’d use the first three…

Important People

The ‘Important People’ sheet is for listing names, contact information, and notes (like where you met them or conversation topics) for each contact. Use it to:

• Add new contacts as you network.

• Keep track of meetings or phone calls with those people.

• Identify how each person can assist you. Maybe they work for a company you’re interested in or know someone that can refer you.

Target Companies

The ‘Target Companies’ sheet is for listing out all of the companies you want to work for. Use it to:

• Research companies in your industry and prioritize them based on things like interest level and available opportunities (Pro tip: Excel’s sort function can help you sort companies in order of how interested you are and whether or not they have available openings - good for cutting a long list down to a manageable size).

• Document your interactions with each company. You could keep track of people you have meetings with, people you’re still pursuing, etc.

Job Applications/Resume Submissions

• For each application, note the job title, application date, and follow-up actions.

• Regularly update the status (e.g., 'Interview Scheduled', 'Awaiting Response').

• Use this data to identify which types of roles or companies are giving positive responses.

These are just some ways you could use these sheets, but the key is to actually use them. Being organized and methodical with your approach is guaranteed to produce better results in the long term.

Access that template here.

Use it to make your job search more strategic. This should fit into a broader strategy that also involves toning down the 200 random applications per day, instead going for a quality over quantity approach, where you spend 30-60 minutes only up to 10 applications per day. If you want to learn about another great job search strategy, check out these past issues of JSG:

• The LAMP Method

• Find referrals

• Write cold outreach emails

If I were a job seeker, here’s how I’d network

To me, networking consists of three stages:

Stage 1

During this stage, you’re doing the basic meet and greet at conferences, meet ups, lunch and learns, seminars, and so on. This is where you first meet the person and spark up a good conversation.

This then leads to connecting on Linkedin, exchanging business cards, and so on. If things really go well, you connect on a professional AND personal level (i.e., maybe you both love hockey or enjoy deer hunting).

Stage 2

This is where you grow a relationship by spending time with them in some way, shape, or form.

Getting together for lunch, continuing to attend conferences with that person and talk with them, or just exchanging emails back and forth. The relationship goes both ways so you are learning more about this person as much as they are learning about you.

The advantage of going this far is that these people will recommend you for jobs consistently. You will also recommend them for jobs as well. The like and respect you have for each other will be a difference maker.

Not growing the relationship will just result in the person being in your business card pile or just being a connection on Linkedin. If you contact them about a job and you haven't grown the relationship, the odds of you being recommended will be slim.

Stage 3

When you connect both professionally and personally, you reach stage 3, where you develop a friendship with the person. Maybe you continue to have lunch or grab a drink after work.

The advantage of this stage is that these people will not only recommend you for jobs, but will become friends and mentors. Maintaining relationships take a lot of work, and since both of you are taking effort to meet up outside of work, you both will be all in on helping each other be successful.

Failing to maintain a relationship at this level isn't all bad. You can't maintain high level relationships with everyone. So value the ones you take to this level.

To wrap up

Networking isn’t just about collecting contacts; it's about building meaningful relationships with real people. Each stage of the process, from the initial meet-and-greet to developing deep professional friendships, plays an important role in your career growth and personal development.

Not every connection will reach stage 3, and that's okay. The goal is to build a network that supports your career goals, aligns with your personal values, and contributes to your professional journey.

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