Job application tracker for new grads: a simple setup for your first search

A first job search is disorienting. You are applying to roles you have never done, through processes you have never seen, often while finishing a degree. The volume of small details piles up fast: which companies you applied to, which stage each is at, when the online assessment is due. A simple tracker takes most of that weight off your head.

Why it matters more for new grads

Experienced candidates have a network and a sense of the market. New grads often apply broadly, to many companies at once, with less feel for which will reply. That means more applications in flight and more chances to lose one.

New grad hiring also has its own rhythm: fixed application windows, online assessments with deadlines, and rounds that follow one another quickly. Miss a deadline and there is often no second chance.

What to track

Keep it small. You need these for every application:

Company and role. Including the internship or graduate program name.
Link. Postings close, so save the URL and the text.
Status. Wishlist, Applied, Assessment, Interviewing, Offer, Rejected.
Deadline. Application windows and assessment due dates. Put these first.
Next step and date. What to do and when.
Contact. Recruiter or campus contact.
Notes. What you learned about the role.

If you keep only two columns, keep status and next step date.

A weekly routine

Ten minutes, once a week:

Add any applications you forgot to log.
Check deadlines coming up in the next two weeks.
Follow up on anything quiet for a week or more. Use these templates.
Update statuses from the week's emails.
Pick five to ten roles to apply to next.

Interviews and assessments on a calendar

Assessments and interviews have dates, and dates belong on a calendar with a reminder, not in a note. jobwyre puts each interview round on a calendar you can subscribe to in Apple or Google Calendar and sends a reminder beforehand. The Free plan covers a real search.

Free tools to start with

You do not have to pay for anything. A spreadsheet works to begin with. Our free tracker template is set up with the columns above, and the Google Sheets guide shows how to add dropdowns and filters. Move to an app when you feel the strain, usually when several interview processes overlap. See spreadsheet vs app.

Let an assistant help

If you use Claude or ChatGPT to prepare, connect it to your board over MCP so it can tell you what is due this week or add an application from a sentence. Start with read-only access if you would rather it never change anything.

A note on how many to apply to

New grads often ask how many applications are enough. There is no single number, but you can work it out from your own reply rate. Read how many jobs should you apply to.

The tracker will not get you hired. It will make sure the effort you put in does not get lost.