Job Application Status Decoder

Application received; not yet reviewed.

• “Application Submitted”

  Your application reached the company's applicant tracking system. A human has not necessarily seen it — most ATSs send this confirmation automatically the moment you hit submit.

  What you can do: Save the confirmation email; it contains the job ID some companies need to look up your application later. No further action unless the job posting asks for an assessment or portfolio.

  Also seen as: Application Received · We've Received Your Application · Submitted Successfully

• “Application Status: Active”

  Your application is in the candidate pool for the role and has not been rejected. "Active" does not mean it has been reviewed — it means it has not been ruled out yet.

  What you can do: Wait. Most companies take 1–4 weeks to begin reviewing applications. If "Active" persists 4+ weeks past the application deadline, a polite recruiter follow-up is reasonable.

Recruiter or hiring manager looking at your file.

• “Under Review”

  Someone — recruiter, hiring manager, or ATS — is actively looking at applications, including possibly yours. The label can mean either active human review or just "in the queue."

  What you can do: Patience is the only useful move. Most companies progress applicants within 1–2 weeks of moving to review. Following up before then often signals impatience.

  Also seen as: Reviewing Applications · In Review · Pending Recruiter Review · Pending HM Review

• “Pending Recruiter Review”

  A specific recruiter is responsible for screening your application. ATS-driven first pass has finished; a human now decides whether to advance you.

  What you can do: Wait. Typical recruiter SLA is 5–10 business days. If silence past two weeks, a brief polite follow-up is reasonable.

• “Pending Hiring Manager Review”

  The recruiter forwarded your application to the team lead or hiring manager for review. This is a stronger positive signal than "Under Review" alone.

  What you can do: The hiring manager's review is the slowest step at most companies — they have full-time jobs. Two-week silences are normal; three-week silences are when follow-up makes sense.

• “Selected for Interview”

  You passed the screening stage. The recruiter or scheduler will reach out to set up an interview within a few business days.

  What you can do: Watch email (including spam) for a scheduling note. Many companies use scheduling tools (Calendly, GoodTime, x.ai) — block calendar time proactively to make booking easier.

  Also seen as: Moving Forward · Advanced to Interview · Selected to Interview

Interview process actively running.

• “Interview Scheduled”

  A specific interview time is on the calendar. Look for a calendar invite with the interviewers, format, and joining link.

  What you can do: Confirm receipt of the invite. Research the interviewers (LinkedIn, company website) and the team. Prep specific examples for behavioural questions and have at least 2 questions ready to ask.

• “Interview Completed”

  Your interview happened and the system marked it done. The next status change depends on how many interview rounds the role has.

  What you can do: Send a thank-you note to interviewers within 24 hours (separately to each, not a group email). Then wait for feedback or the next round invitation.

• “Background Check in Progress”

  You've advanced far enough that the company is verifying your background — employment history, education, sometimes criminal history. Companies typically run this only after deciding to extend an offer.

  What you can do: Respond promptly to background-check vendor emails (Checkr, HireRight, Sterling). Delays here are usually applicant-side (missing previous employer contact) and they pause the offer process.

• “Reference Check in Progress”

  The recruiter or hiring manager is contacting the references you provided. Like background checks, this almost always means the offer decision is essentially made and they are doing final due diligence.

  What you can do: Give your references a heads-up so they answer the call promptly. Slow references are the most common reason for offers slipping by a week.

Offer, rejection, or hold.

• “Offer Extended”

  The company decided to hire you and sent an offer (verbally, in email, or in a formal offer letter). Salary, equity, start date, and benefits are now negotiable.

  What you can do: Take 24–72 hours to evaluate before accepting unless the offer explicitly demands an immediate answer (rare and worth pushing back on). Counter-offers and negotiation are normal — most companies leave 5–15% room.

  Also seen as: Offer Pending · Pending Offer

• “Not Selected”

  The company chose to advance other candidates or close the role. "Not Selected" almost never means "not qualified" — most often it means another candidate was a closer fit for the specific role.

  What you can do: Ask the recruiter politely if they'd share feedback. Most won't for legal reasons, but you might get a useful signal. Stay connected on LinkedIn for future roles.

  Also seen as: Not Moving Forward · Unfortunately… · Other Candidates Were Selected

• “On Hold”

  The company paused decision-making on your application or the role itself. Usually means the role is being rescoped, the budget is being re-evaluated, or the hiring manager is reprioritising.

  What you can do: Recruiter usually shares more context if you ask. "On Hold" can resolve in days or never — it's reasonable to keep interviewing elsewhere.

  Also seen as: Hiring Paused · On Hold - Hiring Freeze

Application or role no longer active.

• “Position Filled”

  The role is no longer open — someone accepted an offer. Your application is no longer being considered for this specific posting.

  What you can do: If you reached late-stage interviews, the recruiter may keep your profile warm for future roles. A short thank-you note expressing continued interest is reasonable.

• “Position Closed”

  The job posting was taken down — could be filled, cancelled, or restructured. Sometimes companies close postings to manage volume even when hiring continues.

  What you can do: Watch the company careers page for related roles. Closed postings sometimes get re-listed with adjusted requirements.

  Also seen as: No Longer Accepting Applications · Requisition Closed

• “Withdrawn”

  You withdrew your application — either explicitly through the ATS or by declining to continue interviewing. The company will not reconsider this specific application.

  What you can do: If you want back in the process later, contact the recruiter directly. Most ATSs allow re-application after a cooldown period (typically 90 days to 1 year).