Quick Answer: "In Progress" means nobody has opened your file yet. You are in the queue, not rejected. "Under Consideration" means a recruiter actually reviewed your resume and moved you forward - fewer than 20% of applicants ever reach it. Here is what every status in between actually means.
You just refreshed your portal and are frantically googling 'what does under consideration mean on workday?' You have no idea if a human finally looked at your resume, if you are one step from an offer, or if it's time to work with a certified professional resume writer for tech or invest in ATS resume optimization services to improve your dashboard response rates.
Here is the answer, straight: "Under Consideration" on Workday means your application passed the initial automated ATS screening and is now being actively reviewed by a human recruiter or hiring manager. You are no longer in the pile. You are in the shortlist.
That is good news. But it is not the whole picture. Because what happens next, and what you should do right now, depends on a few things this guide will walk you through.
Quick Note: Is Your Company Actually Using Workday? More companies than you think run their hiring through Workday's backend. If you applied through a careers portal at any of these companies, you are in Workday: Nvidia, Salesforce, Tesla, Airbnb, Target, Walmart, Bank of America, JP Morgan, Deloitte, Accenture, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, or most Fortune 500 firms in general. According to Workday's own reporting, the platform powers HR operations for over 10,500 organizations worldwide. If you see a login screen asking for your email at a subdomain ending in
.myworkdayjobs.com, this guide applies directly to your situation.
Quick Status Breakdown (Workday 2026)
| Status | Meaning | Action Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| In Progress | Received, but no human has opened it yet. | Wait 3–5 days. |
| Under Consideration | Good News. A human is actively reviewing you. | Top 20% of candidates. |
| Interview | Moving to active loops. | Check email/spam. |
| Process Complete | Soft rejection. Your individual process is over. | Move to next role. |
| No Longer Under Consideration | Definitive rejection for this specific role. | Re-apply to other teams. |
In Progress, In Process & Under Review: What They Mean
"In Progress" means your application landed in the system. It has not been rejected. It has not been reviewed by a human. It is sitting in a database queue waiting for someone on the other side to open it.
That is the honest answer. But it is also incomplete. Because "In Progress" is not one scenario. It is a screen that stays the same while five different things happen behind it.
Scenario 1: Your application is genuinely unread. The recruiter has not gotten to it yet. The average corporate job posting receives 250 resumes. Four to six candidates ever make it to a human review stage. The rest sit in "In Progress" indefinitely. This is the most common scenario and the one that matches the literal meaning of the status.
Scenario 2: A recruiter is reviewing applications in batches. They opened the requisition. They are screening 50 resumes at a time. Yours is in the queue, not rejected, not shortlisted yet. The status does not change while this happens. It just sits there.
Scenario 3: The requisition is frozen. The role was approved, posted, and then something changed. Budget got pulled. Headcount got reallocated. Leadership decided to restructure the team. The job posting stays live. Candidate applications keep flowing in. Nobody is looking at any of them. Every single one shows "In Progress."
Scenario 4: You are a backup candidate. The company is interviewing their top choice right now. They do not want to reject you in case that person declines. You sit in "In Progress" as a hedge. This can last weeks.
Scenario 5: The status is lagging behind reality. Workday is not a real-time dashboard. A recruiter can reject you on Tuesday and the system does not update your portal until Thursday. "In Progress" on Wednesday means nothing if the decision was already made.
"In Progress" vs. "In Process" vs. "Under Review": "In Progress" and "In Process" are identical. Some companies configure Workday to display one, some display the other. "Under Review" means the same thing — your application is in the queue and active, but no human has necessarily seen it yet. JP Morgan heavily uses "Under Review" as their default holding state. Salesforce uses "In Consideration." They all mean your application is in the pipeline and has not been rejected.
How long should "In Progress" last?
If a role is actively hiring and you are in the queue, 3 to 7 business days is normal. If you hit 10 business days with no status change and no communication, the application is probably either still queued behind a backlog or the requisition is not being actively worked. Neither is a good sign. Neither is a definitive rejection.
At 2 weeks with no movement, deprioritize. Keep the application open. Stop checking the portal. Put your energy into other applications. If the status eventually changes, it is a bonus, not something you were counting on.
The most important transition in Workday: "In Progress" → "Under Consideration."
If you went to sleep with "In Progress" and woke up to "Under Consideration," something specific happened. A human looked at your file and made a deliberate choice to advance it. That is not automation. That is not a batch update. A recruiter reviewed your resume, compared it against the job requirements, and decided you belong in the shortlist.
Fewer than 20% of applications ever make this jump. Across the hundreds of hiring cycles I have tracked through Workday, the majority of applicants never leave "In Progress." They either get rejected or the application expires silently without a status update.
What does "In Progress" mean after an interview?
This is the question every candidate asks and nobody answers well.
You finished the onsite. The status was "Interview." Now it says "In Progress." Is that a downgrade?
Not necessarily. After interviews, Workday often reverts to "In Progress" while the hiring team compiles feedback, the recruiter waits for scorecards, or the committee deliberates. It is a holding pattern. It does not mean you failed. It means the decision is unmade.
If you see "In Progress" for more than 2 weeks post-interview with no recruiter contact, the most likely explanation is that you are a backup candidate. The company extended an offer to their first choice and is waiting for their response before closing you out. It is also possible the requisition entered the approval queue for senior-level sign-off. Either way, the status will not tell you which one. Your recruiter will. Send one short follow-up at the 2-week mark. No response is itself a response.
Signs your requisition might be frozen:
The job posting is still live but your status has not moved in 3+ weeks. You see the same role reposted with a different requisition ID. The recruiter stops responding to emails. The company announced layoffs or a hiring slowdown. None of these individually confirm a freeze. Together, they make it the most likely explanation. When a requisition is frozen, your application is not being reviewed. It is not being rejected. It is being ignored by people who have no budget to act on it. Move on.
"In Progress" on a re-application. If you applied, got rejected, and re-applied to the same company for a different role, "In Progress" means the same thing it meant the first time: your application is in the queue. The previous rejection does not automatically flag your new application. Workday treats each requisition independently unless the employer has configured cross-req filtering, which most have not.
| Status | Typical Duration | What Changes It |
|---|---|---|
| Application Received | 1-3 days | Automated confirmation only |
| In Progress | 3-10 business days (active), 2-4+ weeks (frozen or backup) | Recruiter opens file or requisition gets actioned |
| Under Consideration | 1-4 weeks | Recruiter moves to screen or hiring manager reviews |
| Interview | Varies by round count | Recruiter manually updates after each stage |
| Process Complete / Not Selected | Immediate to 2 weeks post-decision | Manual recruiter action or batch disposition |
Is Workday Under Consideration a Good Sign? (Is it Good News?)
Yes. Full stop.
Here is what had to happen for your status to reach this point. First, your resume made it through the initial automated filter (the Workday ATS scan for keywords, experience thresholds, and formatting). That alone eliminates the majority of applicants. Then a human, either a recruiter or a coordinator, had to manually move your application forward by marking it for active review.
In my experience tracking hundreds of hiring cycles across companies using Workday, fewer than 20% of submitted applications ever reach "Under Consideration." Most get auto-rejected or simply expire without a human ever seeing them.
So yes, this status matters. But here is the clarification most people miss: "Under Consideration" does not mean you have an interview scheduled. It means you have earned the right to be evaluated. There is a difference, and knowing that distinction will save you from both over-celebrating and over-panicking.
What does Under Consideration mean on a Job Application (Workday)?
"Under Consideration" on Workday means a human recruiter or hiring manager has reviewed your application and actively moved it forward in the hiring process. Your resume passed the automated ATS keyword filter, a recruiter opened your file, and they made a manual decision to keep you in the candidate pool. You are no longer in the automated pile - you are on a shortlist.
This is different from "In Progress" (received but untouched) or "Interview" (a round has been scheduled). "Under Consideration" sits between those two: you are past the filter, but you have not yet been booked for a screen or interview.
The status typically shows up 3–10 days after you applied, and it can remain there for 1–4 weeks while the recruiter finishes building a shortlist and coordinates with the hiring manager. Seeing it does not guarantee an interview - but it does mean you are being seriously evaluated, which fewer than 20% of applicants ever reach.
How Different Employers Use Workday Statuses
If you are applying to specific large enterprises, they often tweak the default Workday language. Here is how the most-searched companies handle their status pages:
- JP Morgan (Under Review vs. Under Consideration): JP Morgan heavily uses "Under Review" as their default holding state. If your JP Morgan status changes from "Under Review" to "Under Consideration", it means you have passed the initial screen and are on the hiring manager's shortlist. See our full guide on JP Morgan Application Statuses.
- Salesforce ("In Consideration"): Salesforce often drops the "Under" and simply uses "In Consideration". If you see a Salesforce "in consideration" status, it means the exact same thing: you are actively being evaluated by a human. For details on how fast they move, check our Salesforce Interview Response Time guide.
- Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs Workday portal uses "Under Consideration" as a positive signal. It means your resume survived the initial automated screening and a recruiter has opened your file. If it stays there beyond 3 weeks, the role may be on hold.
- Barclays: Barclays' Workday portal shows "Under Consideration" after the initial ATS scan. Candidates report status changes to "Interview" within 1–2 weeks if they pass the recruiter screen.
- Oracle (Oracle Cloud): Oracle's Taleo-to-Workday transition means you may see "Under Consideration" in their newer postings. It carries the same meaning: a recruiter has reviewed and shortlisted your application.
- Honeywell: Honeywell uses "Under Consideration" across their Workday portal. Candidates often see this status for 1–3 weeks before moving to a recruiter phone screen.
- Scotiabank: Scotiabank's Workday instance shows "Application Under Consideration" once it clears the initial filter. Response times vary by division, but expect 2–4 weeks before status changes.
- US Bank: US Bank's Workday portal uses "Under Consideration" after initial screening. Candidates report relatively fast movement, often 1–2 weeks before an interview invite or rejection.
- Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS): BMS uses "Under Consideration" post-screening. Status can remain here for 2–3 weeks during their multi-tier review process.
How Long Does "Under Consideration" Actually Last?
This is the question that drives every candidate to Reddit at midnight. The honest answer is: it varies, but there are clear patterns worth knowing.
1 to 2 weeks: This is the normal review cycle. Recruiters are collecting a shortlist, schedulers are reaching out to candidates in batches, and hiring managers are comparing profiles. If you are sitting at "Under Consideration" for 7 to 10 days, you are in completely normal territory. No action required.
3 to 4 weeks: The role may be paused, or the team is slow to align on decision-making. You are likely still in the running but as a secondary candidate, meaning they are watching how their first-choice candidates progress before circling back. This is the point where you can reasonably send a brief check-in to the recruiter.
5 weeks or more: This is where I would start treating the role as a ghost job or assume a soft rejection. Roles can get frozen due to budget decisions, internal restructuring, or the position being backfilled by an internal candidate. If the job posting is also no longer live on Workday, that is your confirmation. Deprioritize this opportunity and put your energy elsewhere.
The biggest mistake candidates make is obsessively refreshing the portal for 8 weeks, hoping the status will change, instead of running parallel job searches. Treat "Under Consideration" like a trade you placed: you made a good move, now let it work while you move on to the next one.
Workday Application Status Meanings Decoded
While you are here, let's clear up the full status map. Because companies customize Workday, you might see several variations of the same status. Here is the translation for every possible label you might see in your portal:
| Workday Status | What It Actually Means |
|---|---|
| New / Application Received | Your application was successfully submitted. No automated or human review has happened yet. |
| In Progress | The system has your file. It usually means you are in the waiting room before human review. |
| Recruiter Review | A step before "Under Consideration". A recruiter is actively looking at your resume right now to decide if you move to the hiring manager. |
| Under Consideration | Passed initial screening. A human is actively reviewing your profile or has shortlisted you. |
| Interview / Interviews Underway | You are in the active interview loop. If you see "Interviews Underway," they are actively scheduling or conducting rounds. |
| Preliminary Conversations Underway | Company-specific jargon (often used at enterprise firms) indicating you have been selected for an initial recruiter phone screen. |
| Route for Additional Review | Your file has been flagged for a second reviewer (often the hiring manager or a cross-functional lead). Usually a good sign. |
| Offer in Process / Offer Pending | The verbal offer is approved, and HR is generating the formal written compensation package. Expect a call shortly. |
| Process Complete | This is a soft rejection. The process ended for you, even if the role is still being filled. |
| Not Retained / Not Selected | A definitive rejection, similar to "No Longer Under Consideration." You were not chosen for this specific role. |
| Inactive / No Longer Under Consideration | Definitive rejection. The role may still be open with other candidates, but your individual file has been closed. |
One thing worth noting: "Process Complete" is the most misunderstood status in Workday. It does not mean the company stopped hiring. It means your process ended. Nvidia and Salesforce are especially known for using this label in place of a formal rejection email, which is why so many candidates never get closure.
For a full breakdown of company-specific portal quirks, check out our Tech Application Status Dashboard for Netflix, Google, and Meta specific status translations.
What Should You Do Right Now?
Look, refreshing Workday every two hours will not change the outcome. What will change the outcome is a smart follow-up strategy.
Here is exactly what to do based on where you are in the timeline.
If it has been under 2 weeks: Do nothing to the recruiter. Maintain your pipeline by applying to 3 to 5 other comparable roles today. You are in a good position, but one good position is never enough.
If it has been 3 to 4 weeks: Send a single, brief check-in message to the recruiter on LinkedIn or reply to the last email thread you had with them. Keep it to two sentences. Something like: "Hi [Name], I noticed my application is still under consideration for [Role]. I am still very interested and wanted to see if there are any updates on next steps." That is it. No pressure, no desperation, no wall of text.
If it has been 5+ weeks with no response: Send the closure email. Yes, I mean it. If it results in a rejection, considering expert tech career coaching is highly recommended to figure out why your applications are stalling. Across all the job searches I have coached, the candidates who sent a direct closure message (essentially asking for a definitive yes or no) got a response nearly 50% of the time. Because recruiters procrastinate on rejections, but they respond to closure requests. We have the exact word-for-word scripts ready for you: see our Ghosted After Interview Email Scripts for templates that consistently get replies.
Not sure which ATS your target company uses? Workday is common at Fortune 500s, but many high-growth tech companies run on Greenhouse or Lever instead. For the full breakdown, see our Greenhouse application status guide and Lever application status guide.
If your company is currently evaluating recruiting software, we also cover what these platforms actually cost before the sales call: Greenhouse ATS pricing 2026, Lever ATS pricing 2026, and HireVue pricing 2026. Stuck in a cooldown after a rejection? See our Big Tech Interview Cooldown Periods 2026 to see when you can re-apply.
While You Wait - Use This Time Strategically
Most candidates who reach "Under Consideration" make the same mistake: they pause their entire job search and wait. That is the worst thing you can do.
Here is exactly how to use this waiting period to put yourself in a stronger position - whether this offer comes through or not.
Update your LinkedIn profile today. The first thing a recruiter does after moving your status to "Under Consideration" is look you up on LinkedIn. If your headline still says "Open to Work" or your experience section is incomplete, you are leaving a weak impression at the exact moment someone is forming one. Update your headline to reflect your target role, make sure your last two positions have bullet points, and turn off the green "Open to Work" banner - it signals desperation to recruiters.
Prepare for the recruiter screening call now. The next step after "Under Consideration" is almost always a recruiter phone screen, and this is exactly where preparing your financial positioning early with salary negotiation coaching for job offers or tech career coaching pays off. Here is exactly how to prepare for the recruiter call that comes next. Most candidates treat this as casual. It is not. The recruiter is deciding whether to spend their political capital moving you forward to the hiring manager. Have your "tell me about yourself" answer under 90 seconds, know the job description cold, and prepare two specific questions about the team or role. Candidates who walk into this call prepared get moved forward at a significantly higher rate than those who improvise.
Run your resume through a Premium ATS Scanner. You passed Workday's initial scan, but the hiring manager may still request an updated resume before the interview stage. Use a Premium ATS Resume Scanner to check your resume against the exact job description keywords right now. Free scanners often miss critical formatting errors.
Keep applying in parallel. In every search I have coached, the candidates who kept applying in parallel while waiting had better outcomes - not just because they had options, but because they negotiated from confidence instead of desperation. "Under Consideration" is not an offer. Apply to 3 to 5 comparable roles today and treat this application as one strong bet in a diversified search - not your only bet.
What does no longer under consideration mean in workday?
"No Longer Under Consideration" on Workday is a definitive rejection. Your application has been reviewed and a hiring decision has been made. You were not selected to move forward. The role may still be actively hiring with other candidates, but your file has been closed.
You can reapply to different roles at the same company immediately. This rejection does not block you from other listings. For the same role, most companies follow a 6–12 month informal cooling period.
For the full breakdown (including what this status means across every ATS, whether you're blacklisted, and your next 3 moves) see our complete guide to "No Longer Under Consideration".
Frequently Asked Questions
Does "Under Consideration" mean I will get an interview?
Not necessarily, but it means you are in the real candidate pool. A recruiter has reviewed your resume and flagged you as a potential fit. The next step is typically a phone screen or a hiring manager review before an interview is scheduled.
How do I move from "Under Consideration" to an interview faster?
You cannot control the recruiter's timeline, but you can stay top of mind. If you have a mutual connection at the company, now is the right moment to ask for an internal referral or mention to reach out. Research shows that candidates with internal referrals move through Workday pipelines significantly faster than those without any connection.
Should I withdraw and re-apply if I am stuck at "Under Consideration"?
No. Withdrawing does not reset your ranking or put you back at the top of the pile. It wipes your application history and drops you into a fresh pile as a new applicant with no prior review. Stay in place and follow up directly with the recruiter instead.
Can the status go backwards from "Under Consideration" to "In Progress"?
Yes, this can happen if a recruiter accidentally moves files during a batch review, or if a role gets paused and the system reverts statuses. If you see this happen, send a polite check-in note. It is likely an admin error, not a decision about your candidacy.
My status has been "Under Consideration" for 2 months. What does that mean?
It almost certainly means a soft rejection or a role that got frozen. Check if the job posting is still active. If the listing is gone, the seat was likely filled or cancelled. Send a closure email to get confirmation and officially free your mental bandwidth for better opportunities.
What is the difference between Workday Under Review vs. Under Consideration?
While "Under Review" means your application is in the general queue being screened, "Under Consideration" means you have passed the initial screening and a human recruiter has shortlisted your profile for active review.
What does No Longer Under Consideration mean in Workday?
"No Longer Under Consideration" is a definitive rejection for that specific position. However, it does not prevent you from applying to other roles in the same company or re-applying in the future.
What does In Progress mean on Workday?
"In Progress" means your application was received but has not been touched by a human yet. You are essentially in the waiting room before human review.
What does In Process mean on Workday?
"In Process" is usually identical to "In Progress". It means your application is in the system but typically hasn't received active human review yet.
What does Application Received mean on Workday?
"Application Received" is the very first status. It means your resume was successfully uploaded to the ATS, but no automated or human screening has happened yet.
What does Recruiter Review mean in Workday?
"Recruiter Review" means a recruiter is actively looking at your resume right now to decide if you should be moved to the hiring manager. It is a step right before "Under Consideration".
What does under consideration mean after an interview?
If your status is "Under Consideration" after an interview, it usually means the interview loop is complete and the hiring team is convening to make a final decision. It is a holding state while they review feedback.
What does "Preliminary Conversations Underway" mean on Workday?
"Preliminary Conversations Underway" is company-specific Workday jargon (most commonly seen at large enterprises) indicating you have been selected for an initial recruiter phone screen. It is a step ahead of "Under Consideration": a recruiter has not only shortlisted your profile but has actively begun the scheduling process. If you see this status, check your email (and spam folder) for a calendar invite within 2–3 business days.
