Keeping track of job opportunities can become complicated quickly. Each role may involve different contacts, documents, interviews, follow-ups, and deadlines, and it is easy for important details to become scattered across emails, notes, and files.
To make the process easier, I created three reusable job opportunity templates:
- Minimalist for quick and simple tracking
- Standard for a balanced level of detail
- Maximalist for a complete record of each opportunity
These templates were created for my Jira Job Search Tracker to be used in a template story in Jira, but they can also be used in OneNote, Notion, Word, Google Docs, or almost any other tool where you keep job-search notes.
Choose the version that best fits your needs, or start with the maximalist template and remove anything you do not plan to use.
How to Use These Templates
Each template is designed to serve as the main record for one job opportunity.
You can:
- Copy the full template into a Jira Story
- Paste it into a OneNote page or document
- Remove sections you do not need
- Add your own prompts or categories
- Save the customized version as your personal reusable template
For Jira, I recommend creating three template Stories and storing them in the Kanban backlog:
- TEMPLATE – Job Opportunity – Minimalist
- TEMPLATE – Job Opportunity – Standard
- TEMPLATE – Job Opportunity – Maximalist
When you find a new job, clone the version you want to use and update the copy with the details for that opportunity.
Choose a Template
Minimalist
Best for users who want a fast, simple way to save the most important information without maintaining a large record.
Standard
Best for most job seekers. It includes enough structure to track applications, contacts, interviews, documents, and decisions without becoming overwhelming.
Maximalist
Best for users who want a complete case file for each opportunity or want a master template they can customize and reduce over time.
Quick links to jump to a template below:
- Minimalist Job Opportunity Story Template
- Standard Job Opportunity Story Template
- Maximalist Job Opportunity Story Template
Using Jira Comments as a Job Activity Log
The Story description should contain the main information about the opportunity: the job details, company research, contacts, documents, questions, and current next steps.
Use the comments section to record what happens over time.
Each time you apply, receive an email, complete an interview, send a follow-up, or provide additional materials, add a dated comment. This creates a simple chronological history of the entire opportunity.
For example:
July 18
Submitted application through the company website. Attached the resume and cover letter used.
July 22
Recruiter emailed to schedule a phone screen for July 24.
July 24
Completed recruiter screen with Jane Smith. Discussed salary expectations, remote work, and team structure. Next step is a hiring manager interview.
This approach separates two kinds of information:
- Story description: What you need to know about the job
- Comments: What happened and when
That makes the Story easier to scan while preserving a complete timeline.
Reusable Comment Templates
Below are two comment templates that can be used to log activities related to a job – just copy and paste the information as needed. Using a template ensures your content is consistent and no important details get missed.
General Activity Template
Date:
Activity type:
Application, email, phone call, interview, follow-up, assessment, or other
People involved:
What was discussed:
Important details:
Next steps:
Follow-up date:
Interview Activity Template
Date and time:
Interview type:
People involved:
Topics discussed:
Questions they asked:
Questions I asked:
Key takeaways:
Concerns or observations:
Next steps:
Follow-up due:
A Simple Starting Recommendation
People new to Jira or job tracking should probably begin with the Standard template.
Use the Minimalist version if the Standard template feels like too much. Use the Maximalist version when you want detailed research, comparison, and decision-making information.
The goal is not to complete every field. The goal is to create a system that helps you stay organized and makes it easy to understand where each opportunity stands.
Minimalist Job Opportunity Story Template
Best for those who mainly want to track opportunities, save key information, and keep their board organized without maintaining a large record.
Links
- Job posting URL
- Company website
- Other relevant links
Quick Reference
- Job title
- Company
- How the opportunity was found
- Application deadline
- Current next step
- Most important note
Avoid duplicating the current application status here because the Story’s workflow status already provides that information.
Contacts
- Name
- Title
- Company
- Phone
- Notes
Job Information
- Job title
- Company
- Location
- Remote, hybrid, or on-site
- Full-time, part-time, or contract
- Salary range
- Job description
Why I’m Interested
- Main reason for applying
- Strongest point of interest
- Any initial concerns
How My Experience Aligns
- Most relevant skills
- Most relevant experience
- Strongest examples to mention
Application Checklist
- Research company
- Review job description
- Customize resume
- Customize cover letter
- Submit application
- Attach submitted documents
- Record submission in a comment
Questions
- Questions about the role
- Questions about the team
- Questions about expectations
- Questions to ask during interviews
Notes
- General notes
- Important reminders
- Anything that does not fit elsewhere
Standard Job Opportunity Story Template
This is the version I would recommend as the default. It provides enough structure to keep a job search organized without requiring additional research or maintain information that may not be needed.
Links
- Job posting URL
- Company website
- LinkedIn company page
- Hiring manager or recruiter profile
- Other relevant links
Quick Reference
- Job title
- Company
- Job requisition ID
- How the opportunity was found
- Application deadline
- Referral or connection
- Main reason to apply
- Biggest concern
- Immediate next action
Contacts and Connections
Track anyone involved in the process:
- Name
- Title
- Company
- Role in the hiring process
- Phone
- Notes
Include:
- Recruiters
- Hiring managers
- Interviewers
- HR contacts
- Referrals
- Former coworkers
- Other company connections
Job Information
- Job title
- Company
- Department
- Direct supervisor
- Job function
- Location
- Remote, hybrid, or on-site
- Employment type
- Experience level
- Salary range
- Travel requirements
- Application deadline
- Job requisition ID
- Benefits summary
- Job description
Company Information
- Company headquarters
- Company size
- Industry
- Main products or services
- Primary customers
- Company mission
- Company values
- Parent company, if applicable
- Recent news or major changes
- Remote-work policy
- Relevant technology or software
- Important company connections
Why I’m Interested
- Interesting mission
- Strong culture
- Relevant products or services
- Familiar software or industry
- Opportunity to grow
- Other personal reasons
How My Experience Aligns
- Relevant skills
- Similar responsibilities
- Industry experience
- Software knowledge
- Leadership or project examples
- Documentation or training experience
- Process improvement examples
- Portfolio items to mention
Questions
- Remote-work expectations
- Team structure
- Manager and reporting relationship
- Role priorities
- Success measures
- Software stack
- Training and onboarding
- Growth opportunities
- Hiring timeline
- Any concerns that need clarification
Application Tracking
Use this section as the quick-view summary while logging detailed activity chronologically in comments.
- Date discovered
- Application deadline
- Date submitted
- Application method
- Resume version submitted
- Cover letter submitted
- Portfolio or work samples submitted
- Last contact date
- Next follow-up date
- Known next step
- Expected decision date
Documents and Materials
- Job description saved
- Resume attached
- Cover letter attached
- Portfolio or samples attached
- References attached
- Assessment attached
- Presentation attached
- Other relevant files attached
Hiring Process
- Expected hiring stages
- Recruiter screen
- Hiring manager interview
- Panel or team interview
- Assessment
- Presentation
- Reference check
- Background check
- Expected decision date
- Known next step
Interview and Communication Guidance
Use Jira comments to create the chronological log. This can be done by adding a new comment for each communication and interview.
Suggested comment template:
- Date:
- Interaction type:
- Email, phone call, recruiter screen, interview, follow-up, or other
- People involved:
- Purpose:
- Topics discussed:
- Key takeaways:
- Questions asked:
- Concerns or observations:
- Next steps:
- Follow-up due:
Decision Factor
- Strongest advantages
- Concerns or red flags
- Must-have requirements met
- Dealbreakers
- Compensation fit
- Work arrangement
- Schedule expectations
- Travel requirements
- Career growth
- Company stability
- Work-life balance
- Overall fit
Outcome
- Final outcome
- Date closed
- Accepted
- Declined
- Withdrawn
- Rejected
- Position canceled
- No response
- Offer details
- Reason for decision
- Lessons learned
- Would I apply to this company again?
- Potential future networking opportunity
Potential Tasks
- Research company
- Review job description
- Customize resume
- Write cover letter
- Update portfolio
- Submit application
- Complete assessment
- Prepare for interview
- Send thank-you email
- Follow up
- Negotiate offer
Maximalist Job Opportunity Story Template
This version is for users who want a complete case file for every opportunity. It can also be used as a master template to copy and reduce over time.
This template intentionally includes more information than most users will need. Delete any sections or prompts that do not support your job-search process.
Links
- Job posting URL
- Company website
- Company LinkedIn page
- Recruiter profile
- Hiring manager profile
- Interviewer profiles
- Glassdoor or review sites
- Company newsroom
- Investor relations page
- Product pages
- Relevant articles
- Other links related to the role or company
Quick Reference
- Job title
- Company
- Job requisition ID
- Date discovered
- Source
- Referral
- Application deadline
- Current next step
- Next action due
- Main reason to apply
- Strongest qualification
- Biggest concern
- Salary range
- Work arrangement
- Employment type
- Hiring timeline
- Expected decision date
Contacts and Connections
Track all people associated with the opportunity:
- Name
- Title
- Company
- Department
- Role in the hiring process
- Phone
- Preferred contact method
- Date first contacted
- Last contact date
- Relationship or connection
- Notes
Possible contacts:
- Recruiter
- Recruiting coordinator
- Hiring manager
- Direct supervisor
- Department leader
- Interview panel members
- HR representative
- Referral
- Former coworker
- LinkedIn connection
- Future teammate
Job Information
- Job title
- Company
- Job requisition ID
- Department
- Direct supervisor
- Reporting structure
- Job function
- Seniority level
- Location
- Remote, hybrid, or on-site
- Employment type
- Schedule
- Time-zone requirements
- Travel requirements
- Salary range
- Bonus or commission
- Equity
- Benefits
- Application deadline
- Expected start date
- Job description
- Required qualifications
- Preferred qualifications
- Key responsibilities
- Performance expectations
- Success measures
- Tools and software
- Compliance or certification requirements
Company Information
- Year founded
- Headquarters
- Company size
- Number of employees
- Geographic presence
- Time zone
- Industry
- Company type
- Public, private, nonprofit, government, or startup
- Parent company
- Subsidiaries
- Main products or services
- Primary customers
- Target market
- Business model
- Revenue model
- Company mission
- Company values
- Leadership team
- CEO
- Major competitors
- Market position
- Funding stage
- Recent funding
- Financial performance
- Recent growth
- Restructuring or layoffs
- Major acquisitions
- Recent news
- Remote-work history
- Return-to-office policy
- Technology stack
- Employee reputation
- Common themes in employee reviews
- Relevant former employees
- Existing personal connections
- Potential referrals
Why I’m Interested
- Mission alignment
- Culture
- Product interest
- Familiar industry
- Familiar technology
- Career growth
- Compensation
- Work arrangement
- Team or leadership
- Learning opportunities
- Strategic value for future career goals
- Personal reasons
- Other motivations
How My Experience Aligns
- Required qualification match
- Preferred qualification match
- Relevant job responsibilities
- Industry experience
- Technical skills
- Software experience
- Learning and development experience
- Technical writing
- Documentation
- Knowledge management
- Product adoption
- Process improvement
- Change management
- Data experience
- AI experience
- Leadership experience
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Customer or user research
- Relevant accomplishments
- Portfolio projects to share
- Stories to use in interviews
- Potential skill gaps
- How to address those gaps
Questions
Role Questions
- What are the top priorities?
- What does success look like?
- Why is the position open?
- What challenges will this person inherit?
- What projects are planned?
- How is performance measured?
Team Questions
- Team structure
- Reporting relationship
- Cross-functional partners
- Team strengths
- Team challenges
- Decision-making process
- Communication expectations
Company Questions
- Company direction
- Leadership priorities
- Financial stability
- Recent changes
- Culture
- Remote-work philosophy
- Growth plans
Process Questions
- Hiring stages
- Expected timeline
- Assessment requirements
- References
- Background check
- Decision date
Personal Fit Questions
- Work-life balance
- Meeting load
- Travel
- Schedule
- Autonomy
- Growth opportunities
- Training and onboarding
Application Tracking
Keep the summary here and log each event as a dated comment.
- Date discovered
- Source
- Referral
- Application deadline
- Date submitted
- Time submitted
- Application method
- Confirmation received
- Resume version
- Cover letter version
- Portfolio submitted
- Work samples submitted
- Recruiter assigned
- First contact date
- Last contact date
- Follow-up dates
- Interview dates
- Assessment dates
- Expected decision date
- Offer date
- Date closed
- Final outcome
Documents and Materials
- Original job posting
- Job description PDF
- Resume submitted
- Cover letter
- Portfolio
- Work samples
- Reference list
- Interview preparation notes
- Questions list
- Recruiter emails
- Assessment instructions
- Completed assessment
- Presentation
- Offer letter
- Benefits documentation
- Compensation details
- Background-check information
- Other attachments
Hiring Process
- Application review
- Recruiter screen
- Hiring manager interview
- Technical interview
- Functional interview
- Panel interview
- Team interview
- Leadership interview
- Assessment
- Writing sample
- Presentation
- Portfolio review
- Reference check
- Background check
- Offer review
- Negotiation
- Final decision
For each stage, track:
- Date
- Time
- Format
- Participants
- Purpose
- Preparation needed
- Outcome
- Next step
Interview and Communication Log
Use this block in a Jira comment for every interaction:
- Date and time:
- Interaction type:
- People involved:
- Purpose:
- Preparation completed:
- Topics discussed:
- Questions they asked:
- Questions i asked:
- Important details:
- Positive signals:
- Concerns or red flags:
- Commitments i made:
- Documents or links requested:
- Next steps:
- Follow-up date:
Decision Factors
Compensation
- Base salary
- Bonus
- Commission
- Equity
- Retirement benefits
- Health benefits
- Paid time off
- Professional development
- Equipment
- Home-office support
Work Arrangement
- Remote policy
- Hybrid requirements
- Office location
- Schedule
- Time zone
- Travel
- Meeting expectations
Career Factors
- Growth potential
- Promotion path
- Learning opportunities
- Visibility
- Leadership exposure
- Skill development
- Resume value
- Industry value
Company Factors
- Mission
- Culture
- Stability
- Leadership
- Reputation
- Financial health
- Product direction
- Employee turnover
Personal Assessment
- Strongest advantages
- Biggest concerns
- Dealbreakers
- Must-haves met
- Overall excitement
- Overall fit
- Risk level
- Preferred ranking among current opportunities
Optional rating table:
| Factor | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Role fit | ||
| Compensation | ||
| Work arrangement | ||
| Culture | ||
| Growth | ||
| Stability | ||
| Overall interest |
Outcome
- Final outcome
- Date closed
- Offer received
- Offer accepted
- Offer declined
- Withdrew
- Rejected
- Position canceled
- Hiring paused
- No response
- Accepted another opportunity
- Compensation offered
- Negotiation notes
- Start date
- Reason for decision
- Lessons learned
- Interview performance notes
- Resume improvements identified
- Skills to strengthen
- Contacts worth maintaining
- Future follow-up opportunity
- Would I apply again?
- Would I recommend the company?
Potential Tasks
Application Tasks
- Research company
- Review job description
- Identify qualification matches
- Identify gaps
- Customize resume
- Write cover letter
- Update portfolio
- Collect work samples
- Submit application
- Save confirmation
- Attach submitted materials
Interview Tasks
- Research interviewers
- Prepare examples
- Prepare questions
- Review company news
- Practice responses
- Prepare presentation
- Test meeting technology
- Attend interview
- Log notes
- Send thank-you message
Follow-Up Tasks
- Follow up with recruiter
- Send requested materials
- Complete assessment
- Provide references
- Check application status
- Review offer
- Negotiate compensation
- Accept or decline offer
- Record final outcome
Related Tutorial
Ready to use one of these templates in Jira? Follow the companion tutorial to create a reusable template story, store it in the Kanban backlog, and clone it whenever you add a new job opportunity.
How to Create a Template Story in Jira
Learn how to create a reusable template Story in Jira, store it safely in the Kanban backlog, and clone it whenever you add a new job opportunity. This guide also explains how to organize job details, contacts, documents, and comments into one complete record.
Or check out my complete guide:
How to Build a Job Search Tracker in Jira (Complete Guide)
Build a practical job search tracker in Jira from start to finish. This complete guide covers creating a space, planning a workflow, customizing Kanban columns, building reusable job-opportunity templates, tracking application activity, and organizing every job, contact, document, interview, follow-up, and outcome in one place.
Simple Software Tutorials 