The Only Spreadsheet You Need to Organize Your Job Search

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Looking for a job can feel like a fulltime job. On average it takes about nine weeks to find a full-time position. Those projections could be even longer in the current economic climate during COVID. It’s easy to get discouraged and want to give up during your job search especially after getting passed up for a job you really wanted. Being overwhelmed with managing several job applications, resumes, and follow up emails at one time is common. A job tracking spreadsheet can help you get your job search process organized and help you keep your sanity. Luckily, The Muse has got you covered with the perfect customizable job tracking spreadsheet

To get your job search organized today, download your own copy by clicking File > Download as > whatever file type you’d like. You can also make a copy in Google Sheets by clicking File > Make a copy. Change column names, add color-coding, or create your own system to add to the spreadsheet to make it work for you. 

To be fair, the job tracking spreadsheet won’t work unless you do. Here are 10 different ways to use the spreadsheet according to The Muse:

  1. Look for awesome companies where you could see yourself thriving.
  2. Check out job openings at those potential employers. When you see one that’s a great match, add it to a row under the columns “Company” and “Job Posting” (you can write down the name of the role or link the URL for easy access). Also, note, when you found it under “Date Job, Was Found” so you can keep track of how much time you have to apply before the job’s filled.
  3. Send in your application—including a tailored and proofread resume and cover letter. Once that’s done, check “Yes” under the “Apply” column and note the date next to it. (See, it’s pretty intuitive!)
  4. Haven’t heard back from the hiring manager in a couple of weeks? Send a follow-up email to check on the status of your application, then select “Yes” under “Send a Follow-Up Email” and note the date.
  5. If you get a call for an interview, congrats! It’s time to prepare. Don’t just work on answering some of the more common interview questions you could be asked—use your initial research into the company, its mission, and its culture to come up with your own questions to ask at the end, too. Once you do that, check “Yes” under the “Do Research” column.
  6. Do the interview! You’ve got this! (Then check it off under the column “Do Interview” and note the date.)
  7. After your meeting’s over, make sure to send a personalized thank-you note within 24 hours (trust us, it’ll help you make an even better impression), and don’t be afraid to follow up if you don’t hear back about next steps after a couple of weeks. Once these are both done, check “Yes” under “Send a Thank You Note” and “Send a Follow-Up Email” and note the dates they’re completed. (If you don’t do them for whatever reason, just choose “No” or “N/A.”)
  8. Repeat steps five through seven again for the second and third round of interviews.
  9. Some employers might also require a proficiency test—from a writing assignment to a code project—at some point in the process. If you complete one of these, check “Yes” under “Take the Test” (scroll all the way to the right in the spreadsheet) and follow up after you complete it if you don’t hear back after a while.
  10. As you make your way through the process, use the “Notes” column to jot down anything interesting or important you want to remember. For example, a coffee date you went on with someone at the company, or a question you want to follow up on after the interview, or the name of the hiring manager that you don’t want to forget. “