THE METHOD
How this tool works
Create or import applications → verify the official posting → record the stage and next action → export a backup.
Track decisions, not just applications
A useful row answers four questions: what is the role, am I eligible, what have I already sent, and what happens next? Keep the role ID and official posting URL so similar openings do not blur together.
Contact notes can record a relationship and the last conversation. Resume version and confirmation reference make it possible to reconstruct what you submitted. The tracker does not contact employers or apply on your behalf.
Import without replacing your work
The original 21 CSV columns are retained. Contact is the only optional extra column. The preview identifies new rows and skips existing identities, using firm plus role ID, official URL, or program/location/year when no stronger identifier is present.
An imported revision of an existing role is skipped rather than overwriting your saved notes. Open the existing record and edit it deliberately. Files with missing or unknown columns are rejected so data is not silently discarded.
Keep an export you control
Entries live only in this browser. Export regularly and before clearing browser data or changing devices. CSV preserves quoted commas, quotation marks and multiline notes; formula-like text is escaped on export.
Spreadsheet programs can alter protection when resaving a file. Use imported text as data and review the file before opening it in another tool. The browser holds up to 300 applications; imports are limited to 2 MB.
WORKED EXAMPLE
One role, one next action
For a fictional analyst role, save the official URL, record that the graduation window still needs checking, set the stage to Researching and write “Verify eligibility, then tailor the resume.” Add the source-check date when you confirm it. No employer deadline is supplied by this tool.
Assumptions and limits
- The tracker does not verify that an employer posting is current.
- Deadlines, eligibility and application limits must come from the official source.
- Local storage is device-specific; exports are your portable backup.
- Identical firm/role identities are skipped during import, not merged field by field.
Common questions
Can I import the existing 2028 recruiting tracker?
Yes. Its 21 original columns are supported, including deadlines, time zones, source checks and resume versions. You review the import before appending any new rows.
Will importing a CSV overwrite my notes?
No. Existing application identities are skipped. Edit an existing row to make an intentional update; import adds only new records.
Does the tracker send networking emails or applications?
No. It records your stages, contacts and next actions locally. You decide what to send and use the employer’s official application process.
Sources and methodology
Reviewed November 6, 2026. Sources support the method described above. Examples are illustrative; results depend on your inputs and require your review.