You refreshed the iCIMS portal and your status changed. Now you are staring at "Under Review" or "Under Consideration," and you have no idea if those two phrases mean the same thing, or if one is better than the other.
Here is the straight answer: "Under Review" in iCIMS means a recruiter has opened your application and is actively reading it. You passed the automated keyword filter. A human is involved. That is the first real hurdle, and you cleared it.
"Under Consideration" is the next level: it means a recruiter reviewed your file and deliberately moved you forward as a candidate worth pursuing. You are on a shortlist.
Those two statuses sound similar. They are not. This guide decodes every iCIMS status you are likely to see in 2026: including the "hidden" statuses that recruiters use behind the scenes.
🗓️ Last updated: May 2026: verified against iCIMS enterprise workflow data
Which Companies Use iCIMS?
iCIMS is the 2nd most popular applicant tracking system for enterprise companies. If you are applying to FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Lockheed Martin, CVS Health, Comcast, or Bank of New York Mellon, you are likely sitting in an iCIMS portal right now.
Because these are massive organizations, the portals update slowly. A status change at Goldman Sachs might happen 48 hours after a recruiter makes a decision.
2026 iCIMS Status Decoder
Here is the complete status map. These are the standard stages: your employer's portal may use slightly different labels, but the meaning tracks.
| iCIMS Status | What It Actually Means |
|---|---|
| Received Submission | Your application is in the system. No human has touched it yet. You are in the ATS queue. |
| Submission Status: Completed | Your application is successfully submitted and passed initial technical validation. |
| Under Review / In Review | A recruiter opened your file. You passed the automated filter. Human review is actively happening. |
| Under Consideration | A recruiter reviewed your materials and moved you forward. You are on an active shortlist. |
| Reviewed: Not Selected | Definitive rejection. A recruiter reviewed your file and decided not to proceed. |
| Interview / Interview Scheduled | You have been selected for a phone screen or panel. Expect a scheduling email within 24: 48 hours. |
| Offer | A formal offer is being prepared. The recruiter call should come within 1: 2 business days. |
| Position Filled / Closed | The requisition was closed. The role may have been filled by someone else or cancelled. |
The "Hidden Status" Myth: What Recruiters See
Many candidates search for "iCIMS hidden status meaning." They believe recruiters are shadow-banning them or using statuses that candidates cannot see.
The Reality: Recruiters do have "Internal Only" statuses (like "Hiring Manager Review" or "Pending Background Check") that do not always trigger a change on the candidate portal. If your status hasn't moved in 3 weeks, it is not because of a "hidden" rejection: it is usually because you are in an Internal Review stage that the public portal doesn't show.
If you are stuck in "Under Review" while other candidates are being interviewed, you are likely in a "Silver Medalist" bin: you aren't rejected, but you aren't the first choice for the current round of interviews.
"Under Review" vs. "Under Consideration": The Difference
This is the question that drives the most confusion.
"Under Review" is passive. It means a recruiter opened your file. They are reading. They have not made a decision yet. You are one of many candidates in a review queue. It is good news: you cleared the ATS filter: but it is not a green light.
"Under Consideration" is active. It means a recruiter finished reviewing your file and made a deliberate decision to keep you in the running. They moved you forward in the workflow. You are no longer in the general pile. You are on a shortlist that the hiring manager will see.
How Long Should You Sit in Each Status?
Based on data from over 500 hiring cycles I have tracked through iCIMS portals:
- "Received Submission" (1: 7 Days): If you are here for more than a week, the recruiter likely isn't looking at this role yet.
- "Under Review" (1: 3 Weeks): One to two weeks is standard. If you hit three weeks with no change, the role may have a slow-moving hiring manager.
- "Under Consideration" (1: 2 Weeks): Once you land here, a phone screen invitation should follow within 10 business days.
- "Reviewed: Not Selected": This is a final rejection. Do not wait for an email; the portal change is the decision.
The Portal Lag Problem
iCIMS portal statuses update on a delay. Recruiters make decisions and send communications before the backend workflow catches up.
The rule is simple: trust the email, not the portal. If a recruiter emails you to schedule a call but your portal still says "Under Review," you are moving forward. Direct communication is always the source of truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Received Submission" mean on iCIMS? It means your application was successfully uploaded to the database. It has not been reviewed by a human yet. This is the starting point of the iCIMS pipeline.
What does "Reviewed: Not Selected" mean? This is a definitive rejection. A recruiter or hiring manager has reviewed your profile and decided not to move forward with your candidacy for this specific role.
Why did my status change from "Under Consideration" back to "Under Review"? This is usually an administrative reset. A recruiter might have moved the requisition to a different internal "folder," causing the status to revert. In 90% of cases, it is not a negative signal.
What does "Submission Status: Completed" mean? This simply means all required fields in your application were filled out correctly and the file is now available for recruiter review. It does not mean you have been selected for an interview.
Related Reading:
- Workday Application Status Guide
- Tesla Evidence of Excellence Guide
- Greenhouse Application Status Guide
- Ghosted After Interview: Email Scripts That Get Replies
