Job Search Tracking Tool

Use these steps to help you keep track of your job search, including companies of interest, job applications, and networking conversations (both Excel and Word tables work well).

COMPANIES OF INTEREST

Explore and generate a list of companies at which you would be interested in working. For each company, consider including the following pieces of information:

  • Company name
  • What they do
  • What differentiates the company from others in their field?
  • Why you are particularly excited about this company?
  • When applying for a job, which skills would you emphasize?
  • What is the company’s hiring timeline?
  • What, if any, networking contacts do you have at this company? If you had a conversation with them, what did you talk about?

JOB APPLICATIONS

Create a list of jobs to which you plan to apply or have applied. For each job, consider including the following:

  • Company name
  • Position title
  • Main skills required for the job
  • Deadline to apply and materials needed
  • Date you applied
  • When you expect to hear back
  • Any network contacts you have and details of conversations you may have had

NETWORKING CONTACTS

Using things like the Yale Cross Campus, LinkedIn, employer events, and Office of Career Strategy peer networking lists create a list of networking contacts at companies in which you are most interested. For each person, include the following:

  • Name (include both full name and preferred name)
  • Company
  • Position Title
  • How did you find this person (e.g. LinkedIn, spoke at an employer event)?
  • If you had an informational interview, what did you talk about? What were some highlights of the conversation?
  • What tips, if any, did they give you regarding your application to this company?
  • Did you send a thank you following your conversation? Did you include any materials they asked you to send them?