If you are aggressively searching for a new role in product, I highly recommend that you track your applications and learnings from your applications.

Tracking Template

I have created this template for tracking your progress. I try to update it regularly.

You can easily customize it to track what you want. I have included some core fields that help me monitor my progress and efforts.

Core Fields

• Status - Active vs Rejected. I have a number of different active states.

• Days since Applied - After 14 days I consider an application expired. 10% of the time recruiters will reach out after 14 days but you shouldn’t be waiting around hoping. If they get back after 14 days, consider it a bonus.

• Rejection Date - I like to track when I was rejected and roughly how long it takes to get a response, even if a negative response. Quick responses often mean they at least thoughtfully considered your application within days of application. I consider this a good thing.

• Desirability - I like to get a sense of how many I really want versus what I would take to be employed again.

• Company - You can apply to multiple roles at the same company. (Listing company and title together limit your ability to sort and filter to identify patterns.)

• Title - Was it a PM or Sr. PM role? Was it an IC or a leadership role?

• Recruiter - Did a recruiter reach out or did I apply directly? In the world of PMs, you have a better shot if the recruiter found you.

• Notes - I keep track of things like interview performance failures.

Other customizations you might consider:

• Job Board Source - To learn which job boards are more effective than others.

• Practice - Are you knowingly just practicing? I typically consider desirability low = practice, but not everyone has the same perspective.

• Interview Type - Think Case vs Behavioral vs Mixed

• Process Progress - How far did I get through the process? Recruiter screen? Hiring Manager Screen?

• Industry - If you are considering different industries or product types: think autonomous vehicles vs e-commerce.

• Specialization - Growth vs AI vs Generalist, etc. If you have an ideal specialization but have broadened your options given a tight job market, this distinction might be helpful.

I hope you find this list helpful. It can be very helpful to identify patterns in the market or patterns in your own performance. Also, we often feel as if we have applied more times than we actually did. (Or we can forget where we applied.) Keeping track keeps us honest with ourselves and reduces wasted efforts.