Free job application tracker template

A spreadsheet for every job you apply for: where you found it, what stage it’s at, what to do next and when. A summary tab shows how your search is going. For Excel and Google Sheets, with no sign-up.

  • Excel and Google Sheets
  • Drop-downs and follow-up reminders
  • No sign-up
CompanyJob titleSourceDate appliedStatusNext stepFollow-up date
Harbour HealthData AnalystSEEK19 SepInterviewingSecond interview with the team lead3 Oct
Northwind LogisticsOperations AnalystLinkedIn22 SepAppliedEmail the recruiter if no reply29 Sep
Kestrel EnergyBusiness AnalystReferralSavedTailor resume and apply2 Oct
Bluegum CouncilReporting OfficerCompany website8 SepRejected
The Applications tab, with made-up rows. The amber row’s follow-up date has come. The download has 15 columns and one example row.

What’s in it

Four tabs, ready to fill in

Applications

One row per job: company, job title, link, location, source, date saved, date applied, status, next step, follow-up date, contact, salary, the resume version you sent, and notes. Days since applied works itself out.

Summary

Jobs tracked, how many at each status, applications sent, your interview rate, applications in the last seven days and follow-ups due now. All formulas: nothing to type.

Interviews

One row per round: who you met, the questions they asked, how it went and what to improve, and whether you sent a thank-you note.

How to use

Five steps, from saving a job to your weekly check. Status choices: Saved, Applied, Interviewing, Offer, Accepted, Rejected, Withdrawn and No response.

Google Sheets

Use the tracker in Google Sheets

  1. Download the tracker.
  2. In Google Drive, choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
  3. Open it, then choose Open with, then Google Sheets.
  4. In Sheets, choose File, then Save as Google Sheets, so it updates like any other sheet.

The drop-downs, colours and summary formulas all carry over.

Tips

Keeping a job search tracker that helps

Add jobs when you find them, not after you apply. Status Saved keeps the jobs you mean to apply for from slipping away.

Give every open row a next step and a date. “Email the recruiter on the 29th” gets done; “follow up sometime” doesn’t. The row turns amber when the date comes.

Note which resume you sent. When a recruiter calls weeks later, you’ll know what they read. It also shows which version gets interviews.

Write down the questions after every interview. They’re the best practice material you’ll get, and later rounds often build on them.

Look at the Summary once a week. Lots of applications and few interviews usually means the resume isn’t matching the jobs. Check a resume against a job ad to see what’s missing.

Or skip the typing

Let CandidThread track it for you

The CandidThread browser extension saves a job from 21 job sites, and most other job pages, in one click: the company, title, location and the full job description, with nothing to copy.

Each saved job keeps its status, the resume tailored for it, your cover letter and your interview prep in one place. It’s free to start.

Questions

About the job application tracker

Is the job application tracker free?

Yes. Download the spreadsheet directly, with no account and no email, and use it for as many jobs as you like.

Does it work in Google Sheets?

Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets, or in Sheets choose File, then Import. The drop-downs, colours and summary formulas carry over.

What should I track for each job application?

At least the company, the job, where you found it, when you applied, its status, the next step and a date to act on it. The resume version you sent and a contact name make follow-ups and interviews much easier.

When should I follow up on an application?

Check the job ad first: some give a closing date or say when they’ll be in touch. Otherwise set a follow-up date when you apply, a week or two later is common, and the tracker highlights the row when that day comes.

Can I use it on my phone?

Yes, in the Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel app. The layout is widest on a computer, but adding a row or changing a status works fine on a phone.