Is “Application Under Review” a Good Sign for Getting a Job?

“Application Under Review” is neither a good nor a bad sign for getting a job.

This status simply means the recruiter is still reviewing your resume to determine whether to schedule an interview with you.

Once your resume is submitted, it is added to the list of to-be-reviewed resumes. Your job application status will be “application under review” until the recruiter has compared your candidacy with other resumes.

It usually takes two weeks for the recruiter to compare your resume with other candidates and determine whether they should interview you.

Only 1 in 4 Candidates Get Interviewed Once The Review Process is Finished

As the owner of a job board, I know that only 1 in 4 applicants will get an interview once the review process is finished, and this is a generous estimate.

However, your chances of getting hired ultimately depend on your skills, experience, salary expectations, and the talent pool available to the recruiter.

You Are in the 2 nd Step of the Hiring Process

Most HR departments follow the same hiring process to find the best candidates, so you can usually anticipate what’s next.

Since your application is under review, you are in the second step of the hiring process, and you still have a long way to go:

1. Applying – Just after you apply for a job, your resume, CV, or application arrives in the inbox of the person in charge of hiring. At this stage, your status will be marked as “application under process.”
2. Application Under Review – At this stage, the recruiter will read through all of the application materials they received from interested candidates. This process can take only a day if there are only a few other candidates, but it can also take a very long time to pare down the applications.
3. Screening – You may receive a call from the person who read through your job application during the screening process. Screening is a good sign for getting a job since it means that the hirer selected your resume as one of the best.
4. Interview – The interviewer will determine if your goals are ideal for the job, if you have good communication skills, and if you have a genuine interest in the company or business.
5. Background and Reference Checks – Before a business can hire you, they will check with your references to ensure that you will be a suitable job candidate. You might also be subject to a background check or drug screening.
6. Decision and Onboarding – Finally, it’s time for the recruiter to decide whether to onboard you. There are usually only one or two candidates during this process, so you have made it to the end. However, you may be disqualified if anything negative arises during your background and reference checks.

The Bottom Line: Be Patient When Your Application is Under Review

When your job application is under review, you should be patient, keep an eye out for a screening call, keep applying for other positions and jobs, and show an interest in the job in a professional manner.

If more than two weeks have passed and your application is still under review, you may wish to contact a recruiter or the person you submitted your application to express your interest in the job. Doing so usually elicits a response, and the hirer will likely look at your resume right away before responding, which could help you stand out more in a sea of other candidates.

That said, it is crucial to communicate professionally via email or phone and never try to get a hold of the recruiter or hirer’s personal number or email. If you push too hard, you might get disadvantaged.

Similar Questions

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About The Author

Nathan Brunner is a labor market expert.

He is the owner of Salarship, a job board where less-skilled candidates can find accessible employment opportunities.