If you see “Not selected by employer” next to an application in your Indeed account, it means the employer has marked your application as not moving forward for that job. It is Indeed’s version of a rejection notice. It can feel abrupt, but it is useful: you know where you stand and can put your energy elsewhere.
Why You Might See It
- The role was filled by another candidate, sometimes an internal one.
- Your application didn’t match a requirement, such as location, work authorization or years of experience, sometimes through the employer’s screening questions.
- The employer closed or paused the job.
- The employer was clearing out applications after hiring. Some update every remaining applicant at once, so the status can appear weeks after you applied.
The status usually doesn’t say which of these applies, and employers don’t always give feedback.
Can You Reapply?
If the job is still listed, you can try, but it rarely changes the outcome for the same role. A better approach is to look for other roles at the same company that fit you more closely, or to apply again later if your experience changes.
What to Do Next
- Check your resume against the job description. Make sure the skills and job titles it asks for are clearly on your resume. Read how applicant tracking systems read resumes.
- Review your screening answers. If you answered a required question “no”, that may have ruled you out automatically.
- Apply to fewer, better-matched roles, and tailor your resume to each.
- Contact a recruiter or employee at companies you really want to join, rather than relying only on job-board applications.
- Keep applying. A single rejection usually says more about the role and timing than about you.
Other Indeed Statuses
- Applied: your application was sent.
- Viewed: the employer opened your application.
- Interviewing: the employer has invited you to an interview or marked you as interviewing.
- Offer / Hired: you received an offer or were hired.
Status names can change, so check Indeed’s help pages for the current list.
When You Do Get the Interview
Prepare with our common interview questions and practise your answers before the day.
Get Help in the Interview Itself
Preparation gets you most of the way. For the interview itself, ApplyQuick Interview Copilot listens to each question and suggests a structured answer based on your resume and the job description, on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or a phone call. You can also rehearse first with an AI mock interview. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
