10 to 20 active applications is a manageable pipeline for most people. Many more than that tends to dilute the quality of each application and makes follow-up hard to sustain. Focus on roles where you have genuine interest and a credible profile. Source: practitioner career coaching guidance.
Track every application the day you submit it: company, role, date, where you found it, contact name if known, and a next-action date. The search will feel random until you can see the whole pipeline. Within 2-3 weeks of systematic tracking, patterns emerge: where your applications stall, which roles generate responses, which sectors move fastest. Source: practitioner career coaching consensus.
Log every meaningful conversation: name, role, date, what was discussed, next action. Referrals convert at significantly higher rates than cold applications, and referrals come from contacts. A contact log is the highest-value part of your job search record. Source: LinkedIn research on employee referral conversion rates.
At minimum: company, role title, date applied, source (where you found it), current status, key contact, last action date, next action date, and notes. Notes should include anything specific about the company or role that will help you in an interview. Generic notes ('good company') are not useful. Source: career management best practice.
After two follow-up attempts with no response (typically 3-4 weeks after applying), it is reasonable to consider the application inactive. Some applications resurface weeks later; track them as low-priority rather than deleting them. A rejection with feedback is more valuable than silence: note it and use it. Source: practitioner consensus on job search management.
| Role | Company | Area | Date Applied | Job Link | Interview 1 | Interview 2 | Interview 3 | Offer Date | Earning Potential | Documents | Notes | Actions |
|---|
| Role | Company | Area | Date Saved | Job Link | Documents | Notes | Actions |
|---|
| Role | Company | Area | Date Applied | Job Link | Actions |
|---|