🎨 When you're applying to multiple roles across industries — like design, marketing, engineering, or operations — everything can blur together fast. Color-coding your opportunities by role type is a small trick that brings massive clarity to your application process.
🚀 I’ve used this method in Google Sheets and Notion to quickly visualize what kinds of roles I’m chasing, where I’m getting traction, and where I might need to shift strategy. It’s like heat-mapping your job hunt — and once you start using it, you’ll never go back.
🌈 Why Color Coding Works
Color coding is one of those tiny strategies that delivers big impact. When you're managing dozens of applications, your brain naturally craves patterns — color helps you build those patterns visually without having to read every line of your tracker.
Instead of scanning through job titles and company names trying to remember what each role is, your eyes instantly spot what matters. Design roles? Blue. Marketing? Yellow. Engineering? Red. Operations? Green. Your entire job search dashboard becomes readable at a glance. 💡
I’ve found this super useful when I want to check how balanced my applications are. Am I focusing too much on one type of role? Are all my callbacks coming from a specific category? With colors, those insights jump out instantly — no sorting or filtering required.
Color also adds a little motivation boost. When my tracker looks like a rainbow, I feel like I’m covering my bases well. But if it’s all red, maybe I’m stuck in one comfort zone. A quick glance can nudge me to diversify.
🎯 Top Benefits of Color Coding by Role
| Benefit | How It Helps | When It’s Useful |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Clarity | Quickly identify roles without reading everything | Every time you open your tracker |
| Application Balance | See if you're spreading efforts across fields | Weekly reviews or strategy resets |
| Decision Support | Filter faster when comparing offers | When offers or interviews roll in |
| Focus & Energy | Stay organized without burnout | When juggling many roles |
I’ve personally noticed that when I skip color coding, I feel more scattered. But when I keep it up, even for just 10 roles, the entire application process feels smoother and smarter. It’s such a simple shift — but it’s one that truly pays off. 🧠
Next, I’ll show you exactly how I define my role categories — because setting those up right is key to making the color code work.
🗂️ How I Define My Role Categories
Before you start color coding, you need to decide: what kinds of roles are you applying for? The categories you choose should reflect how you think about your career, your skill sets, and your goals. These categories become your system’s backbone.
I recommend keeping it simple: 4 to 6 categories max. Too many, and the color scheme becomes chaotic. Too few, and you lose nuance. You want it to be both flexible and focused.
Here’s how I set mine up. I look at my skill clusters and long-term goals, then group job titles accordingly. For example, “Product Designer” and “UX Researcher” might fall under the same category if I’m open to both in the same job family.
You can define your categories by department (like “Engineering”) or function (“People & Culture”), depending on what makes sense for you. The goal is to create buckets that help you make smarter decisions later on.
📦 Example Role Type Categories
| Category | Example Job Titles | Why I Use It |
|---|---|---|
| 🧠 Product & UX | UX Designer, Product Manager, UX Researcher | I love user-focused roles that solve real problems |
| 💬 Marketing & Brand | Content Strategist, Social Media Manager | I'm drawn to storytelling and audience-building |
| 🔧 Engineering & Data | Frontend Dev, Backend Engineer, Data Analyst | These are technical tracks I'm also exploring |
| 📦 Operations | Project Coordinator, BizOps, Admin | Good fallback roles when I need stability |
| 🌐 Remote-Only | Any role offered remotely | I prioritize location flexibility |
Once I define these categories, I assign each one a specific color. That way, even if the job titles vary a lot, the color still reflects what “type” of opportunity it is.
Next, I’ll show you the actual color palette I use — with hex codes — so you can plug it right into your own tracker! 🎨
🎨 My Color Coding System
Once your role categories are defined, it’s time to assign a consistent color to each one. This is where the fun begins — and where your spreadsheet or Notion board really starts to come to life.
I stick to bold, high-contrast colors that are easy to distinguish at a glance. Each color should instantly signal a category to your brain. I use the same color scheme across all my tools — Google Sheets, Notion, and even my calendar — so I don’t have to re-learn the meaning every time.
Consistency is key. If Product roles are blue, they’re always blue. If Operations is green, keep it green across every view. This makes your system intuitive over time and minimizes mental effort.
Below is the exact color coding setup I use — complete with hex codes you can copy into your own tracker. Feel free to adjust based on your personal preference or accessibility needs!
🌈 Color Mapping for Role Categories
| Role Type | Hex Code | Color Preview | Why This Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🧠 Product & UX | #4A90E2 | Blue | Cool, logical, creative |
| 💬 Marketing & Brand | #F5A623 | Orange | Energetic and attention-grabbing |
| 🔧 Engineering & Data | #D0021B | Red | High-focus, intense, analytical |
| 📦 Operations | #7ED321 | Green | Stable, reliable, process-driven |
| 🌐 Remote-Only | #9013FE | Purple | Flexible, modern, globally-minded |
I use these colors as fill colors in my spreadsheet rows, tag colors in Notion databases, and sometimes even in Google Calendar events if interviews or deadlines are scheduled. After a while, you start to “read” your tracker in color — and that’s when the system becomes second nature.
Next up, I’ll walk you through exactly how I apply these colors inside my tools (like Google Sheets and Notion) — step-by-step.
🧰 How I Apply Colors in My Tools
Once you've picked your colors and categories, the next step is applying them in your actual workflow. Whether you're a spreadsheet person or a Notion superfan, color coding should be seamless — not a chore. Let me show you exactly how I set this up across my favorite tools.
I personally use both Google Sheets and Notion. Sheets is great for fast filtering and scanning, while Notion gives me a more visual dashboard feel. Both support color coding — it just takes a little setup up front.
Here’s how I do it in each tool (plus bonus tips if you're using Airtable or Trello). 🛠️
📊 Google Sheets: Conditional Formatting
| Step | What to Do | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Select Role Type Column | Highlight all rows in that column | Use keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow |
| 2. Go to Format → Conditional Formatting | Add a rule: “Text contains” → Category Name | Use exact labels like “Product & UX” |
| 3. Choose Fill Color | Use the hex codes from earlier | Custom hex colors make it pop! |
| 4. Repeat for Each Category | Add multiple rules for different roles | You can stack up to 10+ formats easily |
📁 Notion: Color Tags & Grouping
| Field | How to Set It | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Select Property: “Role Type” | Set property to “Multi-select” or “Select” | Lets you tag each opportunity |
| Assign Colors | Click the tag and choose a color | Makes filtering & grouping easier |
| Group by Role | Use the “Group by” view at the top | Creates mini dashboards per category |
⚡ Bonus: Airtable & Trello Users
- Airtable: Use single select fields with custom color swatches. Works great for kanban or grid view.
- Trello: Use colored labels and apply them directly to cards. Use filters to quickly sort by color.
Once you've built this into your tools, your job tracker becomes way easier to manage. I barely even read the role titles anymore — I know exactly what kind of role I’m looking at based on the color bar or background.
Up next: I’ll show you how I use these colors to track overall application volume — and what it tells me about my strategy. 📈
📈 Tracking Application Volume by Color
Once your color-coded tracker is up and running, it becomes more than just a pretty spreadsheet — it becomes a visual feedback loop. I use these colors to track not only what I’ve applied to, but how much effort I’m putting into each role type over time.
This helps answer questions like:
- Am I over-applying to one role type and ignoring others?
- Which categories are giving me callbacks?
- Is my job hunt aligned with my long-term goals?
I do a mini audit every Sunday. I simply glance at the role type colors and count how many I applied to that week. If it’s all red (Engineering) and I promised myself I’d break into Product, that’s a signal to shift strategy next week.
Some weeks I don’t apply to any Marketing roles — and that’s OK! But seeing it visually reminds me to be intentional about how I spread my energy. Otherwise, I end up chasing what's “easy” instead of what’s aligned. 🎯
📊 Weekly Application Volume Template (By Color)
| Role Type | Color | This Week | Previous Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product & UX | Blue | 3 | 2 |
| Marketing & Brand | Orange | 1 | 0 |
| Engineering & Data | Red | 4 | 5 |
| Operations | Green | 2 | 2 |
| Remote-Only | Purple | 5 | 3 |
I don’t obsess over being “even,” but this weekly glance helps me stay strategic — not reactive. If I’m burned out from red-coded engineering apps, maybe I pivot to more design roles the following week.
Next, I’ll wrap things up with simple, battle-tested tips to keep your color system from becoming overwhelming or chaotic. Let’s keep it smart and sustainable! 🧘♂️
✅ Tips to Keep It Simple & Sustainable
Color coding can be magical — but if it becomes too complex, it’ll fall apart fast. Trust me, I’ve been there. I once had 12 colors for every possible job variation... and I stopped using it after a week because it felt like a full-time job. 🙃
So here’s the approach that works: keep it clean, purposeful, and aligned with how you think. These are my go-to tips to make sure your color system actually serves you — instead of slowing you down.
Remember, the goal isn’t to make your tracker “pretty” — it’s to make it *functional*. If the system helps you feel in control and confident, you’re doing it right. 💪
🛠️ Color Coding Best Practices
| Tip | Why It Helps | How To Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Use max 5–6 colors | Keeps your system readable | Group roles under broad umbrellas |
| Be consistent | Builds mental associations | Same colors across all platforms |
| Audit weekly | Keeps you strategic, not reactive | Track how much you applied per category |
| Automate if possible | Saves mental bandwidth | Use conditional formatting or Notion tags |
| Don’t stress about perfection | Done is better than perfect | Colors = guidance, not pressure |
I’ve found that when I follow this simpler approach, I actually stick with my tracker — and that consistency pays off. You’ll start to notice patterns faster, improve how you prepare, and feel more in control of your job search.
And honestly? When your tracker feels clean, colorful, and intentional… it just makes the job hunt a little less stressful — and a lot more empowering. 🌈
Let’s close out with a helpful FAQ — where I answer the top 8 questions I’ve gotten about color coding opportunities. 🎯
❓ FAQ
Q1. What if a job fits into more than one role type?
A1. Choose the role type that aligns most with what you’d actually do day-to-day. If it’s truly hybrid, pick the one that reflects your main skill or career goal.
Q2. Can I use different shades of the same color for subcategories?
A2. You can, but it gets hard to distinguish. Unless you're a color-coding pro, stick to clearly different colors for clarity and speed.
Q3. What if my tool doesn’t support color coding?
A3. Use emoji labels instead! For example, 🟦 for Product, 🟨 for Marketing. It’s low-tech but very effective in tools like Excel or basic CRMs.
Q4. Do recruiters care if I organize this way?
A4. Not really — this is for you. But a well-organized applicant is usually better prepared, more responsive, and faster with follow-ups. That *does* get noticed.
Q5. What if I get bored of my color system?
A5. That’s normal! Refresh it every 1–2 months if needed. Just keep the structure stable so you're not constantly starting over.
Q6. How often should I update the colors?
A6. Ideally, update as you add new opportunities. You can also batch-color once a week during your application review session.
Q7. Should I color code stages too (like interview, offer, etc.)?
A7. That’s a great addition! I use different colors for stages in a separate column. Just don’t mix it with role type colors or it’ll get confusing.
Q8. Isn’t this overkill for a small job search?
A8. Not at all. Even with 5–10 active apps, color coding can save you time and mental energy. Plus, it builds a habit that’ll scale as your search grows.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This post shares strategies based on personal workflows and digital organization experience. Your industry, tools, or job search needs may vary — feel free to adapt anything here to work best for your own system!
