JobOwl

Free job application tracker template for Google Sheets and Excel

One row per job, with its status, follow-up date, interviews and the resume you sent. Free, no sign-up, no email.

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The Applications tab in Google Sheets: three example jobs with colored status dropdowns, the resume sent to each, an overdue follow-up date in red and a deadline in amber

What's in the job application tracker template

Five tabs. You fill in Applications, Interviews and Contacts. The Dashboard counts for you.

Tabs of the template
The Dashboard tab: applications sent, response, interview and offer rates, follow-ups due, jobs by status, interviews by source and by tailored resume

Rates, what's due this week, and where your interviews come from. It fills in by itself.

The Applications tab, column by column

The job

Company, Job title, Posting link, Location, Work type, Salary range, Source, Priority, Apply by

Your application

Status, Date applied, Resume sent, Tailored?, Cover letter

Following up

Contact, Last contact, Interview date, Next step, Follow up onauto, Days since appliedauto

The posting

Job description, Notes

Nine statuses

  • Saved
  • Applied
  • Screening
  • Interviewing
  • Offer
  • Accepted
  • Rejected
  • No response
  • Withdrawn

Two columns you'll be glad of later. Resume sent tells you which version a recruiter is holding when they call. Job description keeps the posting after it comes down.

How to use the job application tracker

  1. 1

    Make your copy

    Google Sheets keeps it in your Drive. The Excel file works offline.

  2. 2

    Add jobs as you find them

    Paste the whole job description and set Status to Saved.

  3. 3

    Log what you send

    When you apply, add the date and the resume and cover letter you sent.

  4. 4

    Follow up when it turns red

    Follow up on fills itself in. Check the Dashboard once a week.

How to make a job application tracker in Google Sheets or Excel

Prefer to build your own? Five steps, in either app.

1. Add headers
BothIn row 1: Company, Job title, Status, Date applied, Follow up on, Resume sent, Job description, Notes
2. Make Status a dropdown
Google SheetsSelect column C, then Insert > Dropdown
ExcelData > Data Validation > Allow: List
3. Add a follow-up date
BothIn E2, type =IF(D2="","",D2+7) and fill it down
4. Turn due dates red
Google SheetsFormat > Conditional formatting > Custom formula is
ExcelHome > Conditional Formatting > New Rule > Use a formula
Rule for step 4
BothWith column E selected: =AND(E2<>"",E2<=TODAY()), red fill
5. Freeze the header and add filters
Google SheetsView > Freeze > 1 row, then Data > Create a filter
ExcelView > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row, then Data > Filter

Or skip the setup: the template has all of this, plus the Dashboard, Interviews and Contacts.

When to follow up after applying and after an interview

You apply7 to 14 daysFollow up

Interview24 hoursThank-you note5 business daysFollow up

  • After applying, Indeed suggests waiting 7 to 14 days, or 1 to 2 days after the posted deadline.1
  • After an interview, send a thank-you within 24 hours.2, 3 If you haven't heard back, wait until the timeline they gave you has passed. Without one, a common guideline is 5 business days.2
  • Stop at one or two follow-ups, about a week apart.2, 3

The template uses 7 days and 5 business days; change them on the Dashboard. Log each round on the Interviews tab and the thank-you date fills itself in.

What your job search numbers mean

The Dashboard works out three rates from your own rows.

Response rate

Jobs that replied at all (a screening call, an interview, an offer or a rejection), out of all you applied to.

Interview rate

Jobs with at least one interview date, out of all you applied to.

Offer rate

Offers, out of all you applied to.

There's no "good" rate here on purpose: it depends on your field, level and market. Compare yourself with yourself instead. The Dashboard splits your interview rate by whether you tailored your resume, so you can see what works for you. Small numbers swing a lot: 1 reply out of 4 is 25%.

A spreadsheet or an app?

Both work. Here's the honest difference.

This spreadsheet

  • Pro: Free, and the file is yours
  • Pro: Any job, any column you want to add
  • Pro: Works offline in Excel
  • Con: You type every job in yourself
  • Con: A wide sheet is fiddly on a phone

JobOwl's job tracker

  • Pro: Every job you tailor a resume for lands on your board, with that resume (and cover letters, on Pro)
  • Pro: Drag cards between stages, on a computer or a phone
  • Con: No form for jobs you haven't tailored a resume for
  • Con: No reminders: you update statuses yourself

See how JobOwl's job application tracker works

Tips that save you trouble later

  • Paste the job description the day you save the job. Postings can come down before your interview, which is when you need them most. Double-click the cell before you paste, so the whole posting stays in one cell.
  • Name each resume after the job, like Northwind_DataAnalyst.pdf, and put the name in Resume sent.
  • Before you apply, match your resume to the job description to see which of its requirements your resume shows.

Tailor your resume to each job you track

Paste the job description and JobOwl rewrites your resume for it.

Tailor my resume to a job

Uses only what's in your resume. First 3 free, no credit card.

Questions about tracking job applications

How do I track my job applications?
Keep one row per job with the company, job title, status, date applied and when to follow up. Add each job when you save it, and change its status whenever you hear back. This template has those columns ready, with dropdowns and follow-up dates that fill in by themselves.
What is a job application tracker?
A list of every job you're applying to and where each one stands. It can be a spreadsheet like this one or an app. It keeps you from losing track of follow-ups, interviews and which resume you sent where.
What should a job application tracker include?
At least the company, job title, posting link, status, date applied and a follow-up date. Worth adding: the resume version you sent, the job description itself and your contact there. This template also has tabs for interviews and contacts.
Is the template free? Do I need to sign up?
Yes, it's free, with no sign-up and no email. The file is yours to keep and change. To use it in Google Sheets you need a Google account, because the sheet lives in your own Drive.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. Open it in the Google Sheets app or the Excel app, and the dropdowns and colors work there too. A wide sheet is easier to fill in on a computer, so many people add a job on the phone and tidy up later.
How long should I wait before following up on a job application?
Indeed suggests 7 to 14 days after you apply, or 1 to 2 days after the posted deadline. After an interview, send a thank-you within 24 hours. If you haven't heard back, wait until the timeline they gave you has passed, or about 5 business days if they gave none.
Is there a job application tracker for students?
This one works for internships and first jobs too. Use Apply by for application deadlines, and pick Handshake or Career fair as the Source to see which gets you interviews.
Google Sheets or Excel: which should I use?
Same template, same formulas. Google Sheets saves to your Drive and opens on any device. Excel works offline. Pick the one you already use.

Sources

  1. Indeed Career Guide, "How To Follow Up on a Job Application," Jennifer Herrity, updated November 10, 2026.
  2. Indeed Career Guide, "How Long To Wait After an Interview to Follow Up?," Jamie Birt, updated September 4, 2026.
  3. Boston University Center for Career Development, "After the Interview," read November 11, 2026.