What Does it Mean When a Job Application is Under Review? - Lancerbee (2024)

You want to stand out from the crowd while looking for employment. If the firm responds to your resume within a reasonable period, you may begin to doubt their interest. The truth is that application responses from most employers take far longer than anticipated.

It takes time for businesses to sift through the thousands of resumes they get every day. To help them decide who to interview, they may also have candidates fill out additional paperwork. As a result, the time it takes to hear back about your application might range from a few weeks to several months.

Nothing compares to anticipating hearing back after sending in a job application. A job posting may state that it is “under review,” but what does it entail? We’ve laid out the steps of the hiring procedure below so you can follow along with your application at any time.

Application Under Review: What Does it Mean?

When you apply for a job online, there are often several other applicants vying for the same spot. While you wait to hear whether you’ve been selected, you might wonder what happens next.

You could find that you’re being considered for a different role or even rejected altogether. Or perhaps you’ll never know why you didn’t cut.

The answer depends on how urgent a business needs to fill a particular position. If a company is looking to hire a full-time employee immediately, it might take weeks or months to select the person it wants to work for it.

In contrast, companies that don’t necessarily need to fill a specific position immediately might want to see whether anyone applies for the job.

They might consider everyone who applied, but they won’t offer the job to anyone until they’ve read through all applications. This process is called “application under review.”

So what does “under review” really mean? It’s only sometimes that a company sits down and reviews every application.

Sometimes, it’s just a matter of prioritizing. For example, if a company tries to add another marketing manager, it might start by considering those who seem to fit the job well.

Then, once it’s narrowed down the pool of potential hires, it might go through each candidate’s resume and cover letter, checking off boxes based on qualifications and experience.

Finally, it might conduct interviews with a few of the remaining applicants.

Why is my application “under review?”

If you’re wondering why your application isn’t being processed anymore, there are many possible reasons. Here are some of them:

• Your resume needs to match the job requirements.
• You needed to follow instructions properly during the submission process.
• Recruiters need more time to review your application.
• There are too many applicants for the position.
• A hiring manager is waiting to see how other candidates perform.
• You weren’t selected for an interview.
• Your background check still needs to be completed.
• They want to make sure you’re the best candidate for the role.
• Or maybe they just forgot about you.

No matter the reason, you should be patient while waiting to hear back. In most cases, it will only take a few days.

When your application is being reviewed, what steps you should do

When your application is under review, it can feel like a waiting game. But there are things you can do to make sure you take advantage of opportunities because of your lack of patience.

The first thing to remember is that it takes longer to screen applications than it does to hire someone. You could take advantage of a great opportunity if you start getting impatient.

So, while you wait patiently for the next interview round, try focusing on the job itself. Keep up with industry news and learn about what makes the position unique. Learn about the company culture, too.

Consider sending a thank you note to whoever interviewed you. This can help build rapport and demonstrate your professionalism.

But keep in mind that many people apply for jobs without expecting any response. It might be more genuine if you send a polite email asking for feedback.

Also, look into the company’s website and social media accounts. They may have posted something about their hiring process. That way, you’ll know when it’s safe to reach out again.

Of course, you can also search online for information about the company. Just make sure you find reputable sources. Some companies post fake reviews or pay bloggers to write positive articles about themselves.

Once you get an update from the company, you can follow up with a brief email thanking them for taking the time to interview you. Be specific about which aspects of your application impressed them so that you stand out from all the others who applied.

And finally, if you did receive an offer, congratulations! Now you can decide whether you’d like to accept the job.

Job Application “Under Review” For A Month: Is it good or bad?

If a firm tells you that your application is “under evaluation,” but you don’t hear anything in a month, it might suggest that your CV wasn’t strong enough or that they’re too busy to get back to you.

If a company takes a month to review applications, it’s not likely that they require more time than that.

Though there are a few notable outliers. Certain firms’ policy is to quickly skim resumes before moving on to the next potential hire. Others like to consider each application individually carefully.

The common belief among job seekers is that their submissions will remain in limbo until a suitable candidate is found. This holds, but only occasionally, for most businesses.

In some organizations, the application procedure takes two weeks, while in others, it takes several months. If your application has been under evaluation for a month, what does it mean? One interpretation is that…

Well, it could mean one thing… It could simply mean that the company never got around to reviewing your application. You could check back at regular intervals to see if they’ve replied. Or, you could send another application directly to the person who asked for references.

In other words, don’t give up hope yet. Your application should stay active forever.

If your application has yet to be reviewed after a month, try contacting the recruiter or hiring manager to ask why. Sometimes, they need to fill a role quickly, so they’re too swamped to respond.

Other times, they might wait to hear from your referees before making a decision.

The time frame during which an application is “Under Review”

The application process varies depending on where you are applying. Sometimes, it could take anywhere from one week to several months. However, we know that smaller companies tend to be quicker regarding how long it takes to review applications. This is because they typically have fewer applicants to sift through.

They may even have a dedicated person assigned specifically to handling applications. Their job is to ensure that there aren’t too many applicants and that every applicant gets a fair shot at being hired.

Conversely, larger companies often have more applicants than they can handle. Therefore, they usually get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of applications. So, they spend more time going through each application individually.

There are also large companies that hire candidates based on referrals. These companies will only consider applicants with recommendations from their previous employees. As such, these companies tend to be slower when processing applications.

To sum up, the time it takes for an employer to decide whether to accept or reject your application depends on several factors.

Is the phrase “Application Under Review” positive or negative?

The “application under review” status typically indicates that the hiring manager wants to make sure that they get to know you better before making a decision. However, it only sometimes means you have passed the initial screening process.

Companies only accept applicants instantly if they match the criteria. These businesses tend to focus on specific skillsets and qualifications — like programming languages or technical experience. They might ask questions such as, “What is your favorite color?” or “Do you prefer cats or dogs?”

When you apply to one of these companies, there’s no guarantee that you’ll go through the entire interview process. So, if you see the “application under review” label, you shouldn’t panic. Instead, take note of the date and time that you applied. Then, check back every few days to see if you hear anything else.

Once you receive feedback, you can use it to determine if you’ve completed the first step of the application process. If you haven’t heard anything within a couple of weeks, please contact the recruiter directly to find out why you weren’t selected.

Conclusion

All in all, there are many reasons your job application may be under review.

The most important thing you can do is follow up with the company and ensure they have received everything they need from you.

If you’re still feeling stuck, feel free to contact our expert resume writers team for help. We know exactly what employers are looking for and can help you craft the perfect application.

Contact us today to get started!