Finance Recruiting Timeline Template

Reviewed by Fallon Han· Updated 2026-06-01 06:04:25.882

This conversation was generated using Cook'd AI's career assistant and reviewed by Fallon Han from our editorial team for accuracy.

I'm a junior business major in Paris, and I'm switching from retail banking toward capital markets. I have a French passport, so I want to target large-cap public banks here. I need a clean way to organize every open application by stage and expected timing. Can you give me a simple process timeline template I can use across all my applications?

Yes. Use one tracker with the same columns for every bank so you can compare timing fast. Keep it very simple: 1. Firm 2. Role 3. Date submitted 4. Current stage 5. Next step expected 6. Target timing 7. Status notes For stages, use the same labels every time: - Submitted - HireVue - First round - Superday - Offer or closed Example timeline row: - Submitted on Mar 4 - HireVue expected within 3 to 7 days - First round 1 to 2 weeks later - Superday if advanced, usually soon after That makes it easy to see whether a bank is moving fast or slow.

That helps. But I am applying to several large-cap public banks at once, and I want something even clearer for timing. How should I mark the expected window for each stage so I do not lose track?

Use a date plus a window, not just a stage name. For example: - Submitted: 12 Apr - HireVue window: 15 Apr to 22 Apr - First round window: 24 Apr to 3 May - Superday window: 5 May to 12 May Then add a simple color or tag system: - Green = on time - Yellow = waiting longer than expected - Red = follow up If you want to stay organized across many banks, add one more column called Last Action. That tells you when you last heard back or sent a follow-up.

I like that. Since I am aiming at banks in Paris with a French passport, should I track anything specific about eligibility or process differences too?

Yes, add two small columns: - Eligibility note - Process variation For a French passport, eligibility is usually straightforward, but some banks may still care about: - language requirements - internship conversion timeline - office preference in Paris - assessment format differences For example: - Bank A: no visa issue, HireVue first, then first round - Bank B: direct first round, no HireVue - Bank C: superday only after internal referral review This helps you avoid assuming every process is the same.

Can you show me a compact template I can copy into a spreadsheet? I want something that fits a lot of applications on one screen.

Absolutely. Use this compact layout: Firm Role Submitted Current stage Next step date Expected window Last action Notes Example: Bank X Off-cycle M&A Analyst 12 Apr HireVue 18 Apr 15 Apr to 22 Apr Email sent 14 Apr Paris office, French passport, positive recruiter reply That format stays readable even if you have 20 plus applications. The key is to always update the same fields, especially Current stage and Next step date.

Great. Final question: what is the best way to tell if an application is going cold versus just moving slowly through HireVue, first round, and superday?

Use the time since last movement against the normal window. A simple rule: - HireVue: if no update after 7 business days, mark yellow - First round: if no next step after 10 business days, mark yellow - Superday: if no decision after 5 business days, mark yellow - If it goes beyond those windows by a lot, mark red and follow up Also write the exact date of every touchpoint. If you can see submission, stage, and last contact in one line, you will know quickly whether a bank is active or stalled.