One of the questions I get asked most often is how to best manage a job search (and your career) and keep track of your applications, your resumes, and your contacts.

There is a solution. JibberJobber provides an easy way to keep track of all of the information that you collect during a job search. You can track where you have sent your resumes, the jobs you apply for, and log the status of each job as you proceed through the hiring process.

In addition, you can track your personal networking contacts and keep a log of how they have helped you, as well as connect with them on LinkedIn.

Career Management

Another reason that JibberJobber is useful is because it allows you to manage and track important relationship information over time. Most people change jobs every few years, and keeping your JibberJobber account up-to-date with information on your contacts and companies will help you on an ongoing basis as you build your career. You'll also be well positioned for your next job search, without having to start from scratch.

JibberJobber is an excellent resource for anyone who gets overwhelmed by managing job search information - it's easily accessible online and simple to use. The basic version is free (premium features like expense tracking are available for a fee) so it's an excellent tool for getting and staying organized.

Jason Alba, CEO, JibberJobber, has provided tips using JibberJobber to effectively manage your career:

1. Get started right – Import your data. When you first sign up for JibberJobber you get 14 days of premium services for free.

During the first 14 days the most important thing to do is import your data. Go to Outlook, LinkedIn, and any other system where you can get contacts and do a quick import. Also, take your business cards, put them into a spreadsheet, and import those.

2. Figure out your Categories and Tags for network contacts. One of the most useful things in JibberJobber is the categories and tags features. Figure out what your categories should be, and what tags you’ll use. Perhaps categories could be industries, and tags could be professions… or tags could be something like "interviewed_me" if the person interviewed you, or "Christmas" if you want this person to receive a Christmas card during the holiday season.

3. Enter your target companies. All career experts recommend you track target companies, so list them in JibberJobber. Having them here allows you to put log entries on them, create action items, and even tie contacts and resumes to a company.

4. Track your jobs. Put in all of the jobs you’ve applied to, and tie them to a company. This way you can keep track of where you are with each position you are interested in.