Key Takeaway: "Under Review" means a recruiter has opened your application and is actively reading it. "Under Consideration" means you have been shortlisted as a strong candidate worth pursuing.
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: October 2026 (verified against iCIMS enterprise workflow data)
Which Companies Use iCIMS? (And iCIMS Meaning)
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 Application 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 to 48 hours. Start preparing for that initial conversation using our guide on how to prepare for a recruiter call. |
| Offer | A formal offer is being prepared. The recruiter call should come within 1 to 2 business days. If you receive an offer, make sure to read our templates on how to respond to a job offer email to properly set up your negotiation. |
| Position Filled / Closed | The requisition was closed. The role may have been filled by someone else or cancelled. |
Behind the Scenes: The iCIMS Recruiter Dashboard Architecture
To understand why your status takes days to shift, you need to understand how recruiters view the iCIMS Talent Cloud interface.
In iCIMS, recruiters do not process resumes one by one. They operate through Workflow Bins:
[Candidate Submits Application]
│
▼
[Bin 1: Initial Screen (Unprocessed Queue)]
│
▼
[Bin 2: Recruiter Review (Keyword & Experience Filter)]
│
▼
[Bin 3: Hiring Manager Review (Shortlist)] ──> [Portal Shows: "Under Consideration"]
│
▼
[Bin 4: Interview Scheduled] ───────────────> [Portal Shows: "Interview"]
│
▼
[Bin 5: Offer / Background Check] ──────────> [Portal Shows: "Offer"]
Batch Actions & Friday Rejections
In enterprise organizations with thousands of applicants, recruiters frequently use Batch Dispositioning. If a hiring manager selects their top 4 candidates for interviews, the recruiter selects the remaining 80 profiles in Bin 2 and clicks "Batch Reject: Not Selected."
Because iCIMS can be configured with delayed notification workflows, your portal status updates to "Reviewed: Not Selected" on Friday afternoon, while the automated email is queued to fire the following Monday morning.
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.
Neo Financial Interview Response Time & Hiring Process 2026
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 your dashboard has stalled here, review your profile against the job description to ensure your keywords align with the specific requisition parameters.
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 hundreds of hiring cycles I have tracked through iCIMS portals:
- "Received Submission" (1 to 7 Days): If you are here for more than a week, the recruiter likely isn't looking at this role yet. Read our guide on how to follow up on a job application to learn when and how to send a check-in.
- "Under Review" (1 to 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 to 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.
Apple Interview Process: Every Stage Explained (2026)
For the complete guide to rejection statuses across every ATS (and your next 3 moves) see "No Longer Under Consideration" and what it actually means.
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.
How to Follow Up on a Stalled iCIMS Status
If you have been sitting in "Under Consideration" for more than 10 business days with no outreach, use this calibrated follow-up note:
Subject: Application Follow-Up: [Job Title] - [Req ID] - [Your Name]
"Hi [Recruiter Name or Talent Acquisition Team],
I hope your week is going well.
I am following up on my application for the [Job Title] position (Req ID: [Number]) submitted on [Date]. I noticed my application status in the career portal is currently marked as 'Under Consideration.'
Given my background leading [Specific Skill or Domain Achievement, e.g., enterprise cloud migration], I remain very enthusiastic about the opportunity to support your team. Please let me know if there are any updates or if you need any additional materials from my side."
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 proceed.
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.
What is the iCIMS meaning?
iCIMS originally stood for Internet Capital Information Management Systems, but today it is simply known as iCIMS, a leading enterprise Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
How does the iCIMS backend workflow actually organize candidate profiles?
In the iCIMS Talent Cloud recruiter interface, candidates sit in standardized workflow bins: Initial Screen, Hiring Manager Review, Interview Scheduled, Offer, or Archive. The public portal status only reflects milestones configured by the employer's HR team.