If you look at the whole job search process, you would notice that the aspect that many people find the most challenging is the stage of applying for a job and getting an interview invite. You will want to apply to as many jobs as possible at least to increase your chances of getting an interview invite.

I know how this feels because I have been in this position too. Right before I started working at MyJobMag, I remembered that on one particular weekend I applied for about 50 jobs (lol). This is what desperation can make someone do.

During that period, I applied for so many jobs that, I sometimes could not remember the exact job role I applied for or even when I applied. I know you may be facing the same thing too especially if you have given yourself a target of when you would likely land a job.

Later on, a friend advised me to keep a record of my applications, I did, but It did not help much because I had so much to do that I could not keep up with making the details organized.

Looking at how disorganized I used to be and how being more organized would have helped me achieve more, I and all the amazing people in MyJobMag decided to create a JOB SEARCH TRACKER SPREADSHEETfor you.

This job search tracker will ensure you remain organized at every stage of your job search process. So that you can track your success and know when you need to change your strategy.

Yea! I almost forget to tell you something. When I was searching for a job, there were many times when I got interview invites from scammers. You heard it right “scammers”.

Whenever I got these invites, I would be so excited, until I go online to do my research only to discover that it was a “scam” job. I could not tell whether I applied for a certain role in a certain company because I applied to far too many without keep track of them.

I am grateful I did not fall into the hands of scammers because at least I knew how to identify fake/scam jobs.

I sincerely wish I had access to this spreadsheet I would be sharing with you when I needed it, but the good thing is that you have access to it now.

You can download the spreadsheet here but before you do that, I would like to show you how to use the spreadsheet.

Ready, let us go.

How to use MyJobMag Job Search Spread Sheet Tracker
1. Search for companies where you think you can thrive in
As soon as you visit a job board or come across job vacancies, the first thing to do before you apply is to research the company to find out if the job is real. Researching the company also helps you find out if you can thrive in that company.

Even if you think the role is something you can do, you still need to find out how the organization sees the role. Because every role is different in a different company. You need to find out this information before clicking the apply button.

2. Take note of the company name and the position you are applying for

These pieces of information are the most crucial job search information you need to track. Once you have seen some job postings that interests you, remember to put down the name of the company and the position that you applied for exactly as it appears in the job posting.

This segment of your job search-tracking sheet will help you track all the jobs that you have applied for, and at the same help, you ignore fake interview invites.

Using the exact words used in the job posting will help you engage with the recruiter during the interview.

3. Keep a record of the date you applied for the job

Keeping a record of the date of your applications is very important. It helps you track your job search activities daily. Many job seekers make the mistake of applying to one application multiple times (which may lead to their disqualification).

Keeping a record of the date you applied helps you prevent the occurrence of applying for one job role multiple times. This also gives you an idea of when you need to follow up on your interview.

4. Take note of how you heard about the job

Taking note of how you heard about a job opening will help answer when the interviewer asks you: “How did you hear about the opening?”. Employers often ask this question during the interview to know their most active job posting channels.

Asides from this, it also good you know the channel where you get the best job vacancies.

5. Note the kind of CV that you submitted

When you are applying for a job, you should not use a one-size-fits-all kind of CV. Every CV should be tailored to the particular role that you are applying for. The kind of role you are applying for and the kind of company would determine if you should use a video CV, website CV, hard copy CV, or the regular MS Word CV.

6. Application Status Column

The application status column helps you track the status of all your applications. For example, you applied for 5 jobs and you received a regret email for one of the jobs, an “application received” for 2 of the jobs, and then the remaining applications are pending. You know these pieces of information can be confusing right?

Tracking your application by simply selecting the best possible status for each of your applications will not just help you stay organized, but will also help you know the applications with the highest potential.

7. Adding the links to your job applications

Once you are invited for an interview, you would want to refer back to the job description to get some information about the role before the interview. Saving the link to your job applications will ensure you do that without having to face the hassle of searching online for the job advert.

8. Take note of the salary range

The salary range that a company is offering for a particular position will go a long way in influencing your decision on whether or not you will accept the offer. Some times, employers add the salary range to their job posting.

9. Take note of the contact

You must take note of the email that a company used to reach you and whatever contact information that you have access to as regards your application. This helps you know who to address when you want to follow up or send a thank you message.

This information can come in handy during the interview process too. The contact address, email, telephone number, etc. can also help you tell a fake job from a legitimate one.

10. Take notes and put down observations about your applications

When you go through your applications, take note of all the details you have imputed previously. From all the information that you have been able to gather so far, you should have a say or simply put down what you feel about each job that you have applied.

Doing this will help you make a better decision when you are considering the offer you should accept and the one you should reject.

Searching for a job comes with having a lot to do, but using this spreadsheet will help keep the whole process organized and make it less of a clumsy chore. This job search spreadsheet is easy and simple to use.