From 3595889de05167882168621af84f2f2ea712fc0a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Chinar Amrutkar Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2026 20:31:04 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Add application tracker guide for job seekers - New guide covering how to track job applications effectively - Includes what columns to track, tips, and free templates - Replaces 'coming soon' placeholder in employability index --- .../content/employability/_index.md | 2 +- .../application-tracker/index.md | 68 +++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 69 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md diff --git a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md index 4f9782b40..725a6ec2a 100644 --- a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md +++ b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Then before you apply ideally you will have the follow things ready. It is not m Once you have prepared the resources and know what sort of jobs you want to apply for, it's time to really start your search ### [Job Search](./job-search) -### High Level Application Process (coming soon) +### [Application Tracker](./application-tracker) ### [Cover Letters](./cover-letters) ### [Networking](./networking) ### [Interview](./interview) diff --git a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..7a595cfeb --- /dev/null +++ b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,68 @@ +--- +title: Application Tracker +description: Keep track of your job applications and follow-ups +emoji: 📊 +weight: 6 +--- + +# Application Tracker + +When you're applying for jobs, it's easy to lose track of where you've sent your CV, what stage you're at with each application, and when you need to follow up. An application tracker solves this problem. + +## Why Track Your Applications? + +- **Never miss a follow-up** - Know exactly when to chase companies +- **Spot patterns** - See which approaches are working +- **Stay organized** - Remember details for interviews +- **Reduce stress** - No more "where did I apply?" panic + +## What to Track + +Create a spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets) with these columns: + +| Column | What Goes Here | +|--------|----------------| +| Date Applied | When you sent the application | +| Company Name | The company you're applying to | +| Role Title | The exact job title | +| Job Link | URL to the original posting | +| Platform | Where you found it (LinkedIn, Indeed, company website) | +| Status | Applied, Screening, Interview, Offer, Rejected | +| Salary | If mentioned in the posting | +| Contact Person | Name of any recruiter or hiring manager | +| Next Action | What you need to do next | +| Follow-up Date | When to send a follow-up email | +| Notes | Any useful info about the role or company | + +## Example Tracker + +Here's a simple example of how your tracker might look: + +| Date | Company | Role | Status | Next Action | Follow-up | +|------|---------|------|--------|-------------|-----------| +| 01/03 | TechCorp | Junior Dev | Interview | Prepare for tech interview | 05/03 | +| 02/03 | DataSoft | Data Analyst | Applied | Wait | 09/03 | +| 03/03 | WebAgency | Frontend Dev | Rejected | - | - | + +## Tips for Using Your Tracker + +### Update Regularly +Add new applications the same day you apply. Update status changes immediately. + +### Follow Up Strategically +Wait 1-2 weeks after applying before following up. Add follow-up dates to your calendar so you don't forget. + +### Note Everything +Write down any conversations, interview questions, or company details. This helps for future interviews. + +### Review Weekly +Spend 15 minutes each week reviewing your tracker. What's working? Which applications need attention? + +## Free Templates + +- [Google Sheets Job Search Tracker](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets) - Create a copy of a free template +- [Notion Job Tracker](https://notion.so) - Many free job hunt templates available + +## The Key Habit + +The tracker only works if you use it consistently. Make it part of your daily routine - perhaps at the end of each day, spend 5 minutes updating where you applied. From 65f6c742a41db19b0ef374e5ca2b09a9a4051010 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Chinar Amrutkar Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2026 23:06:33 +0000 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Address PR feedback: link from job-search page instead --- .../content/employability/_index.md | 2 +- .../application-tracker/index.md | 24 +++++++++---------- .../employability/job-search/_index.md | 9 ++++--- 3 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) diff --git a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md index 725a6ec2a..4f9782b40 100644 --- a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md +++ b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/_index.md @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Then before you apply ideally you will have the follow things ready. It is not m Once you have prepared the resources and know what sort of jobs you want to apply for, it's time to really start your search ### [Job Search](./job-search) -### [Application Tracker](./application-tracker) +### High Level Application Process (coming soon) ### [Cover Letters](./cover-letters) ### [Networking](./networking) ### [Interview](./interview) diff --git a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md index 7a595cfeb..d2f1c4503 100644 --- a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md +++ b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/application-tracker/index.md @@ -20,19 +20,17 @@ When you're applying for jobs, it's easy to lose track of where you've sent your Create a spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets) with these columns: -| Column | What Goes Here | -|--------|----------------| -| Date Applied | When you sent the application | -| Company Name | The company you're applying to | -| Role Title | The exact job title | -| Job Link | URL to the original posting | -| Platform | Where you found it (LinkedIn, Indeed, company website) | -| Status | Applied, Screening, Interview, Offer, Rejected | -| Salary | If mentioned in the posting | -| Contact Person | Name of any recruiter or hiring manager | -| Next Action | What you need to do next | -| Follow-up Date | When to send a follow-up email | -| Notes | Any useful info about the role or company | +- **Date Applied** - When you sent the application +- **Company Name** - The company you're applying to +- **Role Title** - The exact job title +- **Job Link** - URL to the original posting +- **Platform** - Where you found it (LinkedIn, Indeed, company website) +- **Status** - Applied, Screening, Interview, Offer, Rejected +- **Salary** - If mentioned in the posting +- **Contact Person** - Name of any recruiter or hiring manager +- **Next Action** - What you need to do next +- **Follow-up Date** - When to send a follow-up email +- **Notes** - Any useful info about the role or company ## Example Tracker diff --git a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/job-search/_index.md b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/job-search/_index.md index 0abdcf269..ecfa7c1b9 100644 --- a/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/job-search/_index.md +++ b/org-cyf-guides/content/employability/job-search/_index.md @@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ This approach is helpful if you want to work with a particular language or techn ## Filters -As well as entering search terms you can usually use filters to save you time and focus on the roles that you’re aiming for, you can usually filter based on the following:  +As well as entering search terms you can usually use filters to save you time and focus on the roles that you're aiming for, you can usually filter based on the following: - Locations - Remote/Hybrid/In Person @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Alerts allow you to save your search terms and filters and get notifications whe It is often also advantageous to be an early applicant to a role and having alerts set up helps you to know as soon as a role goes online. -Each site has different ways of setting up alerts for example see [LinkedIn’s](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a511279)) but they normally link to your profile or email. +Each site has different ways of setting up alerts for example see [LinkedIn's](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a511279)) but they normally link to your profile or email. You may want to experiment tweaking the alerts getting set up so your inbox doesn't get overwhelmed. @@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ is to use an LLM to provide a summary of the company. An example prompt could be but modify it to include the things that you are interested in. Important: Make sure you check that the information from the LLM is correct - you can never trust it blindly. + ### Understanding whether you are suitable Often the job specification will include essential and optional requirements. Even when the requirements are stated to be essential, there is often flexibility if you meet most but not all of them. @@ -118,4 +119,6 @@ It is also important to bear in mind that where a job specification says "strong ## Organising your job search -In order to stay on top of your search we advise having a system to keep everything organised, as each application process can take several weeks and so it is easy to get details of roles mixed up or forget things. A simple way is to have a spreadsheet which lists the jobs that you have applied for and on which date, and has a link to the CV you tailored to the job, a cover letter and any other application information. You can then create a document for each application which includes your research about the company, as well as any key questions you want to ask in interviews, and anything else important you discover during the application process and add a link to this in the spreadsheet too. \ No newline at end of file +In order to stay on top of your search we advise having a system to keep everything organised, as each application process can take several weeks and so it is easy to get details of roles mixed up or forget things. A simple way is to have a spreadsheet which lists the jobs that you have applied for and on which date, and has a link to the CV you tailored to the job, a cover letter and any other application information. You can then create a document for each application which includes your research about the company, as well as any key questions you want to ask in interviews, and anything else important you discover during the application process and add a link to this in the spreadsheet too. + +For a more detailed guide on tracking your applications, see our [Application Tracker](../application-tracker) guide.