If you’ve explored our Refactor Talent blog, you’ve found lots of resources for job searching. If it all sounds like a lot, maybe you just need some help getting organized! In this blog post, our Senior Talent Partner, India Meder, will teach you exactly how to stay organized in your job search!

Start a Written or Digital Notebook: Buy a notebook or create a Google Doc just for Job Searching, and detail your job search process! The notes will be useful once you start following up on applications, preparing for interviews, or job searching again in the future.

Note Each Job You Apply to: It can be hard to remember every job you’ve applied for. Save the Job Descriptions along with company name, position title, compensation and benefits if noted, and fringe benefits (reasons it appeals beyond compensation). Note any job application movement.

Map Out Your Connections: Do a quick search through your phone contacts and LinkedIn connections and note who may be of help in your job search. Organize these contacts by name and note their contact info, company, and title. Create a few tailored excerpts to send to your connections letting them know of your current career interests, what types of opportunities you are exploring, and that you would be open to having them refer you for opportunities or meet you to reconnect. Make a plan to reach out to them weekly or monthly, and note any updates.

Save Each Version of Your Resume and Cover Letter: You may need to tailor your resume each time you apply to a role as job titles and responsibilities differ, and you’ll want your experience to match the role you’re applying for. Save each version you create with a clear title and to a digital folder so that you don’t have to keep recreating the wheel as new roles come open. Keep one longer copy of your resume as a repository for all of the company specific acronyms, successes and details to be used later.

Create a Strategy for Following Up with Recruiters and Hiring Managers: Once you’ve applied to a job, use LinkedIn to find the internal Recruiter or Hiring Manager and reach out to let them know how interested you are in the posted opportunity. Once you’ve connected with or been submitted to a job by a Recruiter, continue to follow up with them to see what progress has been made or what new opportunities they may have heard of. You can also ask your recruiter if they have any connections to the Hiring Manager you’ve applied with.

Debrief Each Interview: Once you interview for a job, debrief the interview noting what was asked, what you wish you’d had better answers to, good answers you came up with, questions you still have, interview feedback given, and how you might need to better yourself for future interviews.