Write one action and one date in the Next step column, in the form "verb + what + YYYY-MM-DD". For example, "Follow up 2026-11-19". If a row has no action, it has no next step, and you will forget it. The Job Log tracker has a Next step column, and its FAQ says to put the date there and sort by it.
What makes a good next step?
It starts with a verb, has a date, and fits on one line. "Wait" only counts as a next step if it comes with the day you stop waiting.
Use the date format YYYY-MM-DD. It sorts correctly, and Google Sheets reads it as a date.
Here is the template:
[Verb] [what] [date], plus a name or a time if you need one.
What do 8 filled-in examples look like?
This is a made-up list, read on Monday 2026-11-09.
| # | Situation | Status | Next step entry | How the date was set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sent it today | Applied | Follow up 2026-11-19 | 2026-11-09 + 10 days |
| 2 | Sent it a week ago, 2026-11-02 | Applied | Follow up 2026-11-12 | 2026-11-02 + 10 days |
| 3 | Confirmation email on 2026-11-04 said they would review within 14 days | Received | Ask for an update 2026-11-18 | 2026-11-04 + 14 days |
| 4 | Call booked for tomorrow | Interview | Prep today, call 2026-11-10 2pm | Date from their invite |
| 5 | Interviewed Thursday 2026-11-05, they said a decision within a week | Interview | Thank-you 2026-11-06, ask for an update 2026-11-13 | 2026-11-05 + 1 day, then + 7 days + 1 day |
| 6 | Offer arrived today with a four-day deadline | Offer | Send questions, answer by 2026-11-13 | 2026-11-09 + 4 days |
| 7 | They said no | Rejected | none | Nothing left to do |
| 8 | Sent 2026-10-12, 28 days of silence | Applied | Last nudge today, then set Closed | 2026-11-09 minus 2026-10-12 = 28 days |
Rows 1 and 2 use 10 days because the Job Log FAQ says most replies take 3 to 10 days. A follow-up on day 10 means you waited out the normal window first. Row 3 uses the date they gave you, which beats any rule of thumb. After an interview the timing changes: the follow-up email article covers the thank-you and the check-in.
What do I do when the next step changes?
Overwrite the entry. Do not stack old ones in the cell. When you finish an action, type the next one with its own date, as in row 5, where the thank-you becomes the update request. Put names, links and what they told you in Notes.
Rejected rows can stay as "none". If a row is dead but not rejected, as in row 8, set Status to Closed ("you stopped, or the role closed").
How do I use the column each week?
- Read down the Next step column and find every date that is today or earlier.
- Do those first.
- Write a new Next step on each row you touched.
- Check for any row with no date. Give it one.
Job Log keeps your list in this browser on this device, and clearing site data removes it. Export a CSV first.
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