A job search generates a surprising amount of state: postings, tailored resumes, cover letters, follow-ups and contacts. I built a lightweight Job Tracker with Claude so every application has one record and every document traces back to a single master resume.
LinkedIn is the starting point
LinkedIn Jobs is my primary source for postings. Saved searches and job alerts surface new roles, and the LinkedIn posting URL becomes the ID for each row in the tracker. That way I can always get back to the original description, the hiring team and the company page.
The pipeline
- Found: the posting is captured from LinkedIn with company, role, location and link.
- Fit check: Claude compares the posting against my master resume and flags strong matches and real gaps, such as a stated degree or certification requirement.
- Tailored: Claude drafts a tailored resume and cover letter. I review every line before anything is sent.
- Applied: the date, channel and document versions are logged.
- Follow-up: a next-action date and any recruiter or hiring-manager contact (usually found on LinkedIn) are recorded.
- Outcome: interview, offer, closed, or archived.
What’s in each record
- Company, role title and the LinkedIn posting link
- Date found and date applied
- Application channel: company portal, LinkedIn Easy Apply, recruiter or referral
- Resume and cover-letter versions used
- Status, next action and date
- Contacts and notes
Rules I gave Claude
- One source of truth: every tailored resume starts from the same master resume. Superseded versions go to an archive folder, never the trash.
- Match the format to the channel: a single-column, ATS-friendly resume for company portals, and a designed two-column version for recruiters and referrals.
- Never inflate: Claude can reword and reorder, but it can’t add experience I don’t have. Gaps get flagged, not papered over.
- Human sends: Claude drafts and logs; I review and submit.
The stack
Google Sheets for the tracker, Google Drive for the resume library, LinkedIn for postings and contacts, and Claude for fit checks, drafting and keeping the log current.
I’m open to program management, business operations and partner- or customer-facing roles. If you’re hiring or want to swap job-search workflows, connect with me on LinkedIn.