# Job application status meanings: In process, Inactive and more

> Each employer sets its own status labels, so the same word can mean different things at different companies. "Submitted" only confirms the application is on file; "In process", "In review" and "Under consideration" mean it is open, not that anyone has read it; "Inactive" and "No longer under consideration" usually mean it is closed for that job. Only an interview invitation, an offer or a rejection is definite. Keep applying while you wait, follow up once after one to two weeks if you have a contact, and treat four weeks of silence as a no.

By Arivu, founder of Shortlist. Published 2026-10-26, updated 2026-11-04. Source: https://shortlist.cruscible.com/guides/application-status-meanings

After you apply, many applicant tracking systems show a status next to your application: "Submitted", "In process", "Under consideration", "Inactive". It is natural to read a lot into these words. Most of the time they say less than they seem to, and knowing why saves a lot of refreshing. Below are the statuses people ask about most, one by one, then what each system shows and what to do while you wait.

## Labels are set by each employer

Systems such as Workday, iCIMS and Taleo let each company choose its own status names and decide when they change. The same label can mean "received" at one company and "a recruiter liked it" at another. Some companies update statuses carefully; many never touch them after the application arrives. Status changes often happen without any email to you. Treat a status as a rough stage, not a message.

## The most common statuses, one by one

### "Submitted" or "You are currently submitted to this job"

Your application reached the employer's system and is on file. That is all it says: no one has necessarily looked at it yet. Portals word this in many ways, including "Application received", "Applied" and "You are currently submitted to this job", and all of them mean the same thing. If you see it, you do not need to apply again.

### "In process" or "In progress"

Common on Workday. The application is open and somewhere in the employer's process, which at many companies is every application that has not been closed. It does not tell you which step you are at. Do one thing when you see it: open the company's Candidate Home page and check for a task waiting for you, such as an assessment or a questionnaire, since some processes stop until you complete it. If there is none, there is nothing to do but wait.

### "In review", "Under review" or "Under consideration"

The application is in the pool being screened. At some companies this is the first status every application gets, so it does not prove that a person has read yours. An invitation to interview arrives by email or phone, not as a status change alone.

### "Inactive"

Usually the application is closed for that job: you were not selected, the role was filled, or the job was cancelled. On Greenhouse's MyGreenhouse profile, "Inactive" covers all of these at once. It is rarely about you personally, and it does not stop you applying for other roles at the company.

### "No longer under consideration", "Not selected" or "Not moving forward"

A rejection for this job. Some companies set it after a person reviewed your application, others in bulk when the role is filled. Either way, the job is closed for you; other roles at the company are not.

### "Process completed" or "Closed"

The process for this job has ended. Most often that means the role was filled or closed and you were not chosen, but at some companies a finished step, such as a completed assessment, shows a similar label. If you were not told you got the job, plan as if it is a no.

### "Draft", "Incomplete" or "Submission incomplete"

You have not finished applying, and the employer usually cannot see anything yet. Open the application, complete the missing steps and submit it.

## The stages behind the labels

Whatever the wording, applications move through the same stages.

| Stage | Common labels | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Not sent | Draft, Incomplete, Submission incomplete | You have not submitted it. The employer usually cannot see it yet. |
| Received | Submitted, Application received, You are currently submitted to this job | It arrived. Nobody may have looked at it yet. |
| Screening | In process, In progress, In review, Under review, Under consideration | It is open and in the pool. This does not prove a person has read it. |
| Interviews | Interview, Phone screen, Assessment | You are in the process. You will also hear by email or phone. |
| Offer | Offer, Offer extended | An offer is being made or has been made. |
| Closed | Not selected, No longer under consideration, Not moving forward, Process completed, Position filled, Position cancelled, Inactive, Withdrawn | It is over for this job: a rejection, a filled or cancelled role, or you withdrew. |

## System by system

**Workday.** Each company's Workday site has a Candidate Home page that lists your applications with a status, and any tasks waiting for you. Labels vary a great deal between companies: "Application received", "In review", "Under consideration" and "In process" are all common for an application that is simply open. "Not selected", "No longer under consideration" or "Inactive" means it is closed. Our [Workday guide](/guides/workday-application-tips) covers the form itself.

**Greenhouse.** Most updates come by email. Applications you make on Greenhouse also appear in the optional MyGreenhouse profile, but employers who share a status there show only whether it is active or inactive. Inactive covers rejections and closed or filled roles alike. See our [Greenhouse guide](/guides/greenhouse-application-tips).

**iCIMS.** Each company's iCIMS portal lists your applications. "Under review" means it is in the screening pool; "Not selected" is a rejection for that job; "Position filled" means the job went to someone else or was closed. Statuses can lag behind real decisions.

**Taleo.** Your applications are listed under My Jobpage on each company's Taleo site, with drafts kept separately from submitted ones. "Under consideration" is often the status from the moment you submit, so on its own it means little. A draft has not been sent: finish and submit it. "No longer under consideration" means it is closed. Our guide to [iCIMS, Taleo and SuccessFactors](/guides/icims-taleo-successfactors-application-tips) covers those forms.

**Lever and Ashby.** Neither has a candidate portal. Everything, including interview invitations and rejections, arrives by email. See our [Lever and Ashby guide](/guides/lever-ashby-application-tips).

**LinkedIn Easy Apply.** Applications sent with Easy Apply are listed under My jobs on LinkedIn, where LinkedIn may show that the employer viewed your application. See [Easy Apply or the company website](/guides/linkedin-easy-apply-vs-company-website).

## Why the status does not change

- **Recruiters work in the hiring system, not in your view of it.** Moving a candidate to the next step does not always change the label you see.
- **Many applications are never formally closed.** When a role is filled, the remaining applications can sit at "In review" for months.
- **Many companies never send rejections.** Silence is common and is usually a no.

So a status that has not moved in two weeks tells you very little either way.

## What to do while you wait

**Keep applying.** The best response to an open application is more good applications. Waiting on one company is the most common way job searches stall.

**Follow up once, after one to two weeks,** if you have a recruiter's name or email: two or three lines restating the role, why you fit, and that you are still interested. Do not follow up through the application form or the portal.

**Treat about four weeks of silence as a no** for planning purposes, while staying open to a late reply. Some processes are slow, and roles reopen.

**A closed application does not close the company.** "Not selected" for one role does not stop you applying for another that fits better, and many companies welcome a new application after six months or a year, especially with new experience.

**Fix an incomplete application now.** If a status says draft or incomplete, the employer has probably not received anything.

If most of your applications end at "Inactive" without an interview, the cause is usually something you can change; our checklist for [getting no interviews](/guides/not-getting-interviews) walks through the usual ones.

## Keep your own list

Status pages are scattered across company sites and inboxes. Keep one list of where you applied, when, and what you heard, so you know when to follow up and when to move on. [Shortlist](/) keeps this list for you: the jobs you score and the applications you mark as sent, with dates and fit scores, in the extension and on your dashboard.

## FAQ

### What does "You are currently submitted to this job" mean?

It confirms your application is on file with the employer for that job. It does not mean anyone has reviewed it yet, and you do not need to apply again.

### What does "In process" mean on a job application?

The application is open and somewhere in the employer's process. On Workday it is common for every application that has not been closed. Check the company's Candidate Home page for a task waiting for you, such as an assessment; otherwise, wait.

### Does "Under consideration" mean I will get an interview?

No. At many companies it only means the application is open and in the pool, and at some it is the first status every application gets. An interview invitation comes by email or phone, not as a status change alone.

### How long does an application stay "In review"?

There is no fixed time. Some companies screen within days; others leave applications in review for weeks or never update them. Do not wait on it: keep applying and follow up once after one to two weeks.

### My application says "Inactive". Was I rejected?

Usually it means the application is closed for that job: you were not selected, the role was filled, or it was cancelled. It does not stop you applying for other roles at the company.

### Should I withdraw an old application before applying to another job at the same company?

Usually not. Recruiters can see your other applications, and withdrawing does not make a new one look better. Withdraw only if you are no longer interested or have accepted another offer.

### Can I reapply after "No longer under consideration"?

For other roles, yes. For the same role, only if it is reposted and something important has changed, such as new experience or a stronger resume.