A useful job-search system helps you decide what to apply for, prepare the right evidence and remember what you submitted. This Jobconnect guide describes a simple process you can maintain in a notebook or spreadsheet. The sample entries are fictional, not current vacancies.
Define a realistic search range
Choose two or three role families that fit your training or experience. For each, list alternative titles, a location you can work in and any mandatory qualification. For example, a finance applicant might search for accounts assistant, finance assistant and assistant accountant. Do not assume that similar titles have identical requirements.
Search by a task as well as a title. Reconciliation, inventory, laboratory testing or customer support may reveal a relevant role with an unfamiliar title. Check the full advert before deciding that a result fits.
Use a decision table before writing a letter
| Question | Record | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Do I meet mandatory requirements? | Met, not met or unclear, with supporting evidence | Apply when suitable; clarify uncertainty rather than claiming a qualification you lack |
| Is the job practical for me? | Location, work arrangement and relocation constraints | Confirm unclear arrangements with the employer |
| Can I submit correctly? | Deadline, channel, documents and reference number | Resolve missing instructions before sending personal documents |
Track one application per opportunity
Record employer, title, reference, official source URL, deadline, application status and document filenames. If you find the same vacancy on two job boards, compare the employer reference and deadline before treating it as a second opportunity. Different closing dates may mean an extension or a separate campaign; verify rather than guessing.
Fictional record: Example Company; Accounts Assistant; reference FIN-04; deadline confirmed in the advert; CV version Accounts_Assistant_v2.pdf; status submitted; acknowledgement reference recorded. Keep the real confirmation privately, not in a public shared document.
Use statuses with clear meanings
- To verify: the source or a key detail is uncertain.
- Preparing: you have selected the role and are tailoring documents.
- Submitted: the application was actually sent or completed in the portal.
- Interview: an invitation has arrived and you have checked the details.
- Closed: the process ended or you decided not to proceed.
Do not mark a portal application submitted just because you uploaded a CV. Check whether there is a final submit step and keep any confirmation.
Plan a repeatable week
Set aside separate time for finding roles, verifying details and preparing applications. Prioritise an approaching confirmed deadline over browsing more listings. Reserve another short session to practise interview examples and improve a skill repeatedly mentioned in suitable adverts.
Review results by stage. If few roles fit your qualifications, adjust search terms. If suitable applications receive little response, inspect the clarity of your CV evidence and whether submissions were complete. If interviews do not progress, review answers and seek specific feedback when available. A rejection alone does not establish why an employer chose another candidate.
Verify an application channel, tailor your CV, and prepare interview examples as separate steps.