Key takeaways
  • Track every application with date, role, link, contact and status.
  • Follow up once after seven to ten working days.
  • Measure your interview rate; below 5% means the CV or targeting needs work.
  • Review the tracker every Friday and adjust the next week.

In my program, every person gets a weekly tracker that shows every application. The reason is simple: what you measure, you can improve.

What to record

DateWhen you applied
Company and roleWith the ad link
SourceCareer page, LinkedIn, portal
ContactRecruiter or hiring manager
StatusApplied, interview, offer, rejected
Next stepFollow up date

When to follow up

Seven to ten working days after applying, send one short message to the recruiter or hiring manager. If there is no answer, move on. More messages rarely help.

Measure and adjust

  1. Calculate your interview rate. Interviews divided by applications.
  2. Below 5%? Your CV or targeting is the problem. Rewrite the top third of your CV and review the roles you choose.
  3. Interviews but no offers? Practise interviews and research companies more deeply.
  4. Review every Friday. Decide the targets and changes for next week.

Common questions

Is a spreadsheet enough?

Yes. A simple sheet is better than a complex tool you stop using.

How many applications per week?

Ten to fifteen tailored applications is a good pace for most people.

Should I track networking too?

Yes. Contacts often lead to interviews faster than applications.

Free PDF: 12 week job search workbookDownload it free in under a minute, or send WORKBOOK to @swapnil_in_germany on Instagram.

Sources

Written by Swapnil (Samadhan Mule)

I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.