How can I track progress on my job search? Is my job search working?
Ideal scenario: You submit a resume for an opportunity of interest and within a couple of days you receive a follow-up message specifying whether you have been selected for an interview.
Reality: You submit a resume for an opportunity of interest and receive an auto-generated email within 1-2 business days specifying that your resume has been received and you will be contacted if your skills and experience are aligned with the position requirements. You receive no additional communication from this employer and assume that you have not been selected. Three months go by and unexpectedly you receive a call from a recruiter at this company indicating that they would like to schedule a first-round interview.
Influence the factors that are within your control
Unfortunately, none of us have the power to determine recruiting timelines—on the contrary, you will often be left questioning them. However, you do have the opportunity to influence how you manage this process from your side, including how you track your progress.
Put yourself in the “reality” scenario for a moment with no tracking process in place. Will you feel prepared to respond to this recruiter with limited to no knowledge of the role, when you applied, alumni within the company, and other key company vitals? Remember, you will work hard to capture these opportunities to promote your brand—make sure you are prepared to represent your best self!
You will be encouraged to maintain a tracking mechanism for your application process, including key information and contacts associated with each company and role. The table below is a recommended framework.
Sample tracking document
The table below is just example content – the networking contacts listed are not real.
| DATE | COMPANY | JOB TITLE | APPLICATION OUTCOME | NETWORKING ENGAGEMENTS | REFERRAL SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/15/24 | AEGON USA | LDP Intership | Invited to interview; no offer | John Smith (title, ph/em) Jane Doe (title, ph/em) | On campus |
| 9/18/24 | Best Buy | SFA Intern | Applied; not invited | Kevin Jones (title, ph/em) Ashutosh Sethi (title, ph/em) | On campus |
| 9/20/24 | St. of Wisconsin Investment Board | Associate | Invited ; 2 rounds; offer | Deeksha Agrawal (title, ph/em) | Job posting |
| 9/26/24 | Summer Assoc | Applied; not invited | Paula Hill (title, ph/em) Sam Johnson (title, ph/em) | Career website | |
| 10/5/24 | Scotia Capital | Summer Assoc | Invited to interview; no offer | Bernardo Gauna (title, ph/em) Jason Klein (title, ph/em) | CS Referral |
| 10/15/24 | RW Baird | Investment Assoc | Applied; not invited | Ted Jackson (title, ph/em) | Job posting |
| 10/18/24 | Vanguard | Finance Summer Intern | Invited to interview; no offer | Ziyi Gao (title, ph/em) | Career fair |
| 10/21/24 | Amazon.com | Finance LDP | Applied; not invited | Jack Kelly (title, ph/em) | Job posting |
| 11/5/24 | UBS | Summer Assoc | Applied; awaiting feedback | Personal contact: Jill Tam (title, ph/em) | Personal networking |
| 11/15/24 | Citigroup | Consumer Banking Associate | Applied; awaiting feedback | Contact from career fair: Jim Bremmer (title, ph/em) | Job posting & Career fair |
| 11/18/24 | Allstate Investments | Summer Assoc | Applied; awaiting feedback | Maria Guerrero, Tippie Alum (title, ph/em) - encouraged me to apply | Alumni outreach |
Alumni insight
"When I look at recruiting someone from a school like the University of Iowa, my expectation is that they are more polished than other candidates and that they can contribute immediately. I expect that they have not only thought out but rehearsed their value proposition and can clearly articulate how they can (specifically) add value.
Working closely with the Career Services team is critical - as they can help you strengthen your pitch. When I bring a Tippie candidate in for a final interview, senior management is looking for a candidate to have already explored the company, industry, and competitors in the space. They want to see that candidates are intellectually curious and that they ask great questions.
Always bring paper and pen to jot down notes in an interview. This is also helpful so that you can reference the questions that you thought up before the interview. Once in an internship or role, try to think through questions that you have and explore if you have the resources to produce an answer. It is always more impressive to show managers that you attempted to figure it out. Typically, they are more than happy to help, but I bet you will surprise yourself with what you are able to figure out using the content from all the amazing classes that you took at Tippie!"