The Best Excel Spreadsheet for Job Hunting (Free Template)
A free, opinionated Excel spreadsheet for job hunting — built around the 10 columns that actually keep your search organized past week three.
Why most job-hunt spreadsheets get abandoned
Most Excel spreadsheets for job hunting die in week two. Not because spreadsheets are wrong — they're great — but because the template has 22 columns, half of which you don't fill in, and there's no signal for what to do next.
A good job-hunt spreadsheet is opinionated: few columns, clear next-action dates, automatic flags when something's stale.
The columns
Company. Role. Source. Date Applied. Stage (Applied, Screen, Interview, Offer, Rejected, Ghosted). Last Contact. Next Action. Next Action Date. Salary Range. Notes. Ten columns, no more.
The flag formula
Add an 11th column called Status. Formula: =IF(I2<TODAY(),"⚠️ overdue",IF(I2=TODAY(),"📅 today","")) where I is Next Action Date. Now every morning, sort by Status and you have a 30-second view of what to chase today.
Grab the template
Our free applicant tracking spreadsheet template is the exact shape above and works in Excel and Google Sheets. Copy it, save your own version, start applying. No sign-up.
If you'd rather not touch Excel, our browser-based job application tracker does the same job with a UI — your data stays in your browser, no account needed.
Run this pipeline in RecruitFlow
A calm, focused hiring tracker for recruiters and small teams. Table and Kanban views, real candidate timelines, stale-stage alerts — no configuration project required.
Sign up to RecruitFlowCreate your account · verify your email · choose a plan · move in today.
Useful next steps
Keep reading
The applicant tracking spreadsheet, done properly (free template + when to upgrade)
A practical guide to the applicant tracking spreadsheet: the six columns small teams actually use, a free Excel and Google Sheets template, and the honest moment to switch to a recruiting candidate tracker.
Recruitment Pipeline Template: A Free Framework You Can Set Up Today
A practical recruitment pipeline template covering every stage from sourcing to placement, plus when to graduate from a spreadsheet to real tracking software.
Spreadsheet to ATS: A 30-Minute Migration for Small Teams
How to migrate your hiring spreadsheet to a real ATS without losing candidates, history, or your weekend. A 30-minute playbook built for teams hiring 1–25 roles a year.