Workday Application Status Meanings: What Every Job Application Update Really Means
Workday application statuses tell you where your job application sits in an employer’s recruiting process, but they are not as standardized as they look. “Under Consideration” usually means you are still being considered, “In Progress” or “In Process” generally means the application remains active, and “No Longer Under Consideration” usually means you are no longer being considered for that particular position.
The important catch is that employers using Workday can customize the labels candidates see. Workday’s own documentation says organizations can configure external-facing labels and even prevent candidates from seeing internal terms such as “Interview” or “Offer.” Employers can also delay when an application-status update appears in Candidate Home.
That means your status is useful—but it should not be treated like a secret code telling you exactly what a recruiter is doing.
Workday Application Status Meanings at a Glance
| Workday Status | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|
| Application Submitted | Your application was successfully sent |
| Application Received | The employer’s system received your application |
| Review | Your application entered the review stage |
| Under Review | Your application is being kept in the review process |
| Under Consideration | You have not been rejected and remain a possible candidate |
| In Consideration | Usually similar to Under Consideration |
| In Progress | Your application remains active somewhere in the hiring process |
| In Process | Usually another employer-specific version of In Progress |
| Assessment | An assessment or testing step is involved |
| Interview | You have reached an interview-related stage |
| Offer | The employer has moved your application into an offer stage |
| Background Check | Pre-employment screening is underway or required |
| Ready for Hire | Hiring steps are largely complete internally |
| Process Completed | The employer’s workflow for the application has ended |
| No Longer Under Consideration | You are generally out of consideration for that job |
| Not Selected | You were not chosen for the position |
| Inactive | The application is no longer in an active recruiting workflow |
| Withdrawn | You or the employer withdrew the application |
These are general interpretations. The company that posted the job controls much of the recruiting workflow and can change the candidate-facing wording. Workday officially allows external application labels to be customized.
What Does “Application Submitted” Mean on Workday?
“Application Submitted” is the earliest and simplest status.
It means your application successfully reached the employer’s Workday recruiting system.
It does not necessarily mean a recruiter has opened your résumé.
At this stage, your information may simply be waiting in the candidate queue.
If you submitted the application moments ago and see this status, everything is probably working normally.
You usually do not need to do anything.
What Does “Application Received” Mean?
“Application Received” generally means the company successfully received your application.
It is similar to “Application Submitted.”
The distinction between the two often reflects how a particular employer configured its candidate portal rather than a meaningful difference in your chances.
Think of it as:
Your application is in the system.
It does not necessarily mean:
A recruiter likes your résumé.
That comes later.
What Does “Review” Mean on Workday?
“Review” is an important status because Workday’s recruiting documentation says that when a candidate applies for a job, Workday can initially set the candidate’s status to Review.
In practical terms, your application has entered the employer’s recruiting workflow and is available for evaluation.
A recruiter may be reviewing:
- Your résumé
- Work experience
- Education
- Application questions
- Required qualifications
- Location
- Work authorization
- Salary expectations
However, you should not assume that “Review” means someone is looking at your application at that exact moment.
You may remain in that status for days or weeks.
What Does “Under Review” Mean?
“Under Review” normally means your application remains in the employer’s review stage.
That is usually better than an outright rejection.
However, it does not guarantee that:
- A recruiter has personally reviewed you
- You passed the first screening
- You will receive an interview
- You are on a shortlist
The safest interpretation is:
Your application has not been closed out yet.
If the job received hundreds of applications, “Under Review” may remain on your account while recruiters work through the candidate pool.
What Does “Under Consideration” Mean on Workday?
This is probably the Workday status job seekers search most often.
Under Consideration usually means you are still being considered for the position.
Your application has not been formally rejected or removed from the active candidate pool.
That is positive—but only to a point.
It does not necessarily mean you are:
- A finalist
- About to receive an interview
- The hiring manager’s favorite candidate
- Past every automated screening stage
Because Workday allows employers to create external-facing labels, “Under Consideration” can represent a relatively broad active status at one company and a narrower later-stage status at another.
The most reliable interpretation is simply:
You’re still in.
Does “Under Consideration” Mean You Passed the Resume Screening?
Maybe, but not always.
This is where many online explanations become too confident.
At one employer, “Under Consideration” might appear after a recruiter moves you forward.
At another, it may be the candidate-facing label for a much broader internal stage.
Since organizations can override the labels Workday displays externally, you cannot reliably determine the exact internal recruiting action from the words alone.
If you receive an email requesting a phone screen, assessment, or interview, that communication is much stronger evidence of progress than the status itself.
What Does “In Consideration” Mean?
“In Consideration” generally means the same basic thing as “Under Consideration.”
You have not been formally removed from consideration for the job.
Some employers simply use different language.
It usually indicates an active application rather than a rejection.
You do not need to interpret every wording difference as a separate stage.
What Does “In Progress” Mean on Workday?
“In Progress” normally means the recruiting process involving your application has not finished.
Your application could be:
- Waiting for recruiter review
- With the hiring manager
- Moving toward an interview
- Waiting for interview feedback
- Waiting for approvals
- Going through another recruiting step
Unfortunately, “In Progress” does not tell you which one.
It is best understood as an umbrella status:
Something in the application process is still open.
What Does “In Process” Mean?
“In Process” is usually another version of an active application status.
It commonly means the employer has not completed the recruiting workflow for your application.
Do not assume that “In Process” automatically means you have moved farther ahead than someone marked “Under Consideration.”
Different employers use different candidate-facing labels.
What Does “Assessment” Mean?
An Assessment status usually means testing is part of the recruitment process.
Depending on the role, that could include:
- Personality questionnaire
- Coding assessment
- Numerical reasoning
- Writing test
- Customer-service simulation
- Situational judgment test
- Language assessment
- Technical exercise
If an assessment is required, check both your email and Workday Candidate Home for outstanding tasks.
Workday allows employers to assign candidate tasks and display them in Candidate Home.
What Does “Interview” Mean on Workday?
An Interview status generally means your application reached an interview-related stage.
This could involve:
- Recruiter phone screen
- Hiring-manager interview
- Video interview
- Panel interview
- Final-round interview
However, some employers intentionally hide internal stage names from candidates and replace them with broader labels such as “In Progress.”
Workday specifically allows employers to use an external label instead of exposing internal terms like “Interview” or “Offer.”
So you may already be interviewing while your portal still says “Under Consideration.”
That is normal.
Why Does My Workday Status Still Say “Under Consideration” After an Interview?
Because the candidate-facing status does not necessarily update every time something happens internally.
A recruiter may be:
- Collecting interview feedback
- Comparing candidates
- Waiting for hiring-manager approval
- Scheduling another round
- Completing compensation discussions
- Waiting for budget confirmation
Workday also allows employers to configure delays in candidate application-status updates.
That is why refreshing Workday every hour rarely tells you much.
An unchanged status after an interview is not automatically bad news.
What Does “Offer” Mean on Workday?
“Offer” is obviously one of the strongest statuses you can see.
It generally means the employer has moved your candidacy into its offer process.
Workday’s recruiting documentation identifies Offer as one of the subprocesses that can create a pre-hire record for a candidate.
However, an internal offer stage does not always mean you should resign from your current job.
Wait until you have received and reviewed the actual written offer.
There may still be:
- Internal approvals
- Compensation approval
- Background screening
- Reference checks
- Drug testing where applicable
- Other pre-employment requirements
The written offer and direct communication from the recruiter matter more than the portal label.
What Does “Background Check” Mean?
A Background Check status generally means the company has reached a pre-employment screening stage.
Depending on the employer and role, screening may involve legally permitted checks such as:
- Employment verification
- Education verification
- Criminal-history screening
- Professional licenses
- References
- Identity information
Workday’s documentation lists Background Check among recruiting subprocesses that can occur before hire.
Reaching this stage is usually a strong sign that the employer is seriously interested, but it is not always the final step.
What Does “Ready for Hire” Mean?
“Ready for Hire” generally indicates that the recruiting side of the process is nearly complete and the candidate can move into the employer’s hiring process.
Workday specifically identifies Ready for Hire as one of the recruiting stages associated with creation of a pre-hire record.
If you see this after accepting an offer and completing required checks, it is normally encouraging.
But the recruiter or HR representative should still be your source of truth about:
- Start date
- Onboarding
- Employment conditions
- Outstanding documents
What Does “Process Completed” Mean on Workday?
“Process Completed” is one of the most confusing statuses because it sounds positive.
It simply suggests that the workflow connected with that application has ended.
That could happen because:
- Someone was hired
- You were declined
- The requisition was closed
- The employer completed its internal process
- Your application moved into another workflow
Therefore:
Process Completed does not automatically mean you got the job.
Look for supporting evidence.
If you received an offer and completed onboarding steps, “Process Completed” may be perfectly normal.
If you never interviewed and suddenly see it, the employer may simply have closed your application.
What Does “No Longer Under Consideration” Mean?
Unfortunately, this usually means you are no longer being considered for that particular position.
In plain English:
You were probably rejected for the role.
This does not necessarily mean:
- You are blacklisted
- You cannot apply again
- The company disliked you
- You failed every qualification
It only tells you that your application is no longer active for that particular job.
You may still be a good candidate for another position at the same company.
Can “No Longer Under Consideration” Ever Be a Mistake?
Yes, unusual situations can happen.
An employer might:
- Move candidates to another requisition
- Close an old posting
- Repost the role under a new job number
- Restructure the hiring process
- Make an administrative change
So if a recruiter is actively communicating with you and your portal suddenly says “No Longer Under Consideration,” contact the recruiter before assuming everything is over.
Direct recruiter communication is more reliable than trying to reverse-engineer a portal change.
What Does “Not Selected” Mean?
“Not Selected” is one of the clearest Workday statuses.
It means the employer decided not to select you for that application.
The hiring process for you is effectively finished unless the recruiter contacts you with different information.
There is usually no benefit in repeatedly checking the same application once it shows Not Selected.
Instead, focus on other opportunities.
What Does “Inactive” Mean on Workday?
Workday Candidate Home can separate job applications into active and inactive categories.
An inactive application means it is no longer part of your active recruiting list.
That may happen because:
- You were rejected
- You withdrew
- The requisition closed
- The role was filled
- The application workflow ended
- You were moved into another hiring process
“Inactive” by itself does not explain exactly why the application became inactive.
Look at the more specific status beside it.
For example:
Inactive — No Longer Under Consideration
is much clearer than simply:
Inactive
What Does “Withdrawn” Mean?
Withdrawn normally means your candidacy was removed from the hiring process.
If you clicked Withdraw Application yourself, the meaning is obvious.
In some cases, administrative changes can also affect an application.
Workday allows candidates to withdraw applications through Candidate Home when the employer has configured that functionality.
If you did not withdraw and do not understand why the status changed, contact the company’s recruiting team.
What Does “Candidate Home” Mean on Workday?
Candidate Home is the applicant portal where Workday lets external candidates monitor their applications.
Depending on the employer’s setup, candidates can use it to:
- View active applications
- View inactive applications
- Monitor status
- Complete tasks
- Withdraw applications
- Update contact information
- View suggested jobs
These functions are part of Workday’s Candidate Home configuration.
Your Candidate Home account belongs to that employer’s Workday career site rather than functioning as one universal account for every company using Workday.
Why Does My Workday Application Status Never Change?
There are several ordinary reasons.
The employer may still be reviewing applications.
The recruiter may not update candidate-facing statuses frequently.
The hiring manager could be busy.
The company may be waiting to finish interviews.
The job could temporarily be on hold.
Or the employer may deliberately use one broad external status through several internal recruiting stages.
Workday also lets organizations delay candidate status updates.
An unchanged status therefore does not prove nobody has looked at your application.
How Long Can “Under Consideration” Stay on Workday?
Potentially weeks or even longer.
There is no universal Workday timer that automatically turns “Under Consideration” into rejection after a certain number of days.
Hiring timelines depend on the employer.
Even Workday’s own careers information says its recruitment timelines can vary from a couple of weeks to longer and recommends communicating with the recruiter for current information.
The longer the silence continues, the less useful the status becomes as a predictor.
Continue applying elsewhere rather than waiting on one portal.
Does “Under Consideration” Mean a Human Saw My Resume?
Not necessarily.
This is another common misconception.
A Workday status alone cannot reliably tell you whether a specific recruiter personally opened your résumé.
Organizations can configure recruiting workflows, candidate labels, questionnaires, assessments, and automated candidate actions.
The portal tells you the stage being exposed to candidates.
It does not give you a live view of the recruiter’s computer.
Does “In Progress” Mean You Got an Interview?
No.
“In Progress” is generally positive only in the sense that you have not necessarily been closed out.
An actual email or call inviting you to interview is what confirms an interview.
Do not interpret status wording more strongly than the employer’s direct communication.
Which Workday Status Is the Best Sign?
The most promising statuses are later-stage ones such as:
- Interview
- Offer
- Background Check
- Ready for Hire
But many employers hide those exact words.
You could be in a late-stage interview process while Candidate Home still shows something generic like “In Progress.”
That is why the strongest signal is always the action the employer takes.
An interview invitation means more than “Under Consideration.”
A written offer means more than “Offer” appearing in the portal.
Which Workday Status Usually Means Rejected?
The clearest rejection statuses are:
- No Longer Under Consideration
- Not Selected
- Declined
An application moving to Inactive can also indicate rejection, but Inactive by itself is less specific.
Should You Follow Up When Workday Says “Under Consideration”?
You can, especially if enough time has passed and you have a legitimate contact.
After applying, a short follow-up is usually more useful when:
- A week or two has passed
- A recruiter previously contacted you
- You completed an interview
- The employer gave you a timeline that has passed
Avoid repeatedly emailing recruiters simply because the portal has not changed.
Should You Stop Applying Elsewhere When Your Status Says “Under Consideration”?
No.
Until you have accepted a written offer and satisfied any applicable conditions, continue your job search.
“Under Consideration” is encouraging compared with rejection, but it is not a promise.
Hiring plans can change.
Budgets can change.
Another candidate can be selected.
A job can be canceled.
Keeping multiple opportunities moving prevents you from becoming overly dependent on one application.
Why Workday Statuses Are So Confusing
The confusion comes from assuming that Workday is one company running every hiring process.
It is not.
Workday provides recruiting technology that different employers configure for their own processes.
One organization might display:
Under Review → Interview → Offer
Another might show:
In Progress → In Progress → In Progress
even while internally moving the candidate through several different stages.
Workday explicitly allows external label overrides, meaning recruiters can use one internal stage while candidates see another label.
That is the single most important fact to remember when decoding your application.
Workday Status Cheat Sheet
Application Submitted
Your application was sent.
Application Received
The company received it.
Review / Under Review
Your application is still in the review workflow.
Under Consideration / In Consideration
You remain a possible candidate.
In Progress / In Process
Your application remains active somewhere in the process.
Assessment
A testing or evaluation stage is involved.
Interview
You have reached an interview-related stage.
Offer
The employer has moved you into its offer process.
Background Check
Pre-employment screening is underway or required.
Ready for Hire
Recruiting steps are largely complete.
Process Completed
The workflow ended; check the surrounding context to know why.
No Longer Under Consideration
Usually a rejection for that particular job.
Not Selected
The employer chose not to move forward with you.
Inactive
The application is no longer in your active recruiting list.
Withdrawn
Your candidacy was removed from the process.
The Bottom Line
Workday application statuses can provide useful clues, but they are not a universal hiring-language dictionary.
The easiest way to read them is:
Under Review = still being reviewed.
Under Consideration = still potentially in the running.
In Progress = application process is still active.
Interview = interview stage.
Offer = offer-related process.
Ready for Hire = hiring is approaching completion.
No Longer Under Consideration = usually rejected.
Not Selected = rejected.
The reason the meanings cannot be more precise is that employers can configure their Workday recruiting workflows and customize what candidates see. Workday also supports delayed status updates, so the words on your portal may lag behind what is happening internally.
The best rule is simple:
Trust direct recruiter communication more than the status label.
If the portal says “Under Consideration,” keep applying elsewhere.
If the recruiter invites you to interview, prepare for the interview.
And if you receive a written offer, that matters far more than whatever two words happen to be displayed in Workday.
