ClickUp bills itself as “one app to replace them all” — I like to describe it as “Microsoft Planner on steroids.” Best of all (from a Friday Goody Bag standpoint), it has a robust free version.
Here’s how I used ClickUp to run my last job search. The approach described here can be taken with Jira, Trello, Microsoft Planner, or any other ticket-based planing system.
- Set up a project called “Job Search.”
- Set up columns to track the progress of jobs you’ve applied for. My columns included “Applied,” “Screener,” “Assessment,” “Hiring Manager,” and “Waiting.”
- Create a ticket for every single position you apply for. Store documents such as cover letters, email responses from the staff, etc. with this ticket. Also, schedule your follow-up tasks using the ticket. Typical follow-up tasks are “Send handwritten note to Grover thanking him for the referral,” “Circle back with Taneesha about her offer to write a recommendation.”
- For each job you’ve applied for, move the ticket to the appropriate column as it reaches the corresponding milestone. Review the tickets periodically to make sure you haven’t missed a follow-up task.
- When you hear back about a job you’ve applied for, consult the ticket. If you have different versions of your resume and cover letter, storing them with the ticket will help you respond appropriately to a discussion that may have been dormant for days or weeks. True story: I had applied for a job at one company and had not heard back; weeks later, the job poster contacted me inviting me to apply for a different job. It was super easy to respond appropriately to her because I knew what I had told her in my cover letter.
- Also create columns for other job search–related tasks, like “Engage with LinkedIn posts,” “Register for networking events,” etc. Create a ticket for each networking event you’ve attended. Remember to follow up with people you’ve met—these tasks can also be tracked in the ticket for that networking event, or in a CRM like HubSpot if you’ve set one up. (Yes, CRMs can be useful in a job search. Yes, HubSpot has a free version).
The real benefit of this approach is it helps you treat your job search as a professional project. Making sure you plan, perform, and track meaningful tasks may keep you from either feeling paralyzed or getting hyperactive on social media (Pro Tip: LinkedIn is not Facebook).
Friday Goody Bag has a few other posts written especially for job seekers — good luck, and hang in there!