A pipeline gives a search a shared vocabulary: saved, applied, interviewing, on hold and decided. It should help you see movement without pretending every process is linear.
A practical workflow
Use the following as a working sequence, then adapt it to the companies and conversations in front of you.
- Choose stages that reflect decisions you actually make
- Keep a stage change tied to a dated event or message
- Review the whole pipeline before starting another application batch
Keep the system workable
Keep one clear record for the opportunity, its current stage, the people involved and the next action. That gives you enough structure to return to the search without adding ceremony.
Candidate keeps this context together so a useful update after an application, conversation or exercise does not need to be copied across several tools.