Not Selected by Employer on Indeed: What It Means and Next

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-10-25 · Updated 2026-10-25

6 min read

"Not selected by employer" on Indeed means the employer has turned down your application for that job and set the status themselves; it does not stop you applying for other roles at the same company. The one constraint is what the status does not tell you: it gives no reason, and it can be set in bulk when a job is filled. Indeed's own application status help page defines it in five words: "The employer rejected your application." Below are what each status means, what to do next, and six messages you can send. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

You checked the app on the bus and there it was, two words in grey, no explanation. Indeed is very good at telling you that something happened and very quiet about why. The why is usually more ordinary than the grey text suggests, and there is still something useful to do with it.

What to send after "not selected by employer"

If you had any contact with a person, such as a phone screen or an interview, one short message keeps the door open. Send it through Indeed's messages or by email.

Two sentences of thanks, one sentence of interest, no argument. It costs nothing, and hiring managers do remember the people who wrote one.

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What each Indeed application status means

Indeed's help page groups the statuses by who sets them. The ones the employer sets:

• Application viewed. The employer opened your application.
• Employer reached out. They contacted you through Indeed.
• Not selected by employer. "The employer rejected your application."

The ones Indeed sets:

• Employer reviewing applications. They are reviewing applications but have not reviewed yours yet.
• Response seems unlikely. Indeed says: "We don't expect the employer to reply." It appears when the employer has hired enough candidates or there has been no activity on your application for two weeks.
• Job closed. The job was closed or expired.

One caveat from the same page matters: "Statuses updated by the employer or by Indeed are usually only available for jobs posted directly on Indeed." If you applied on the company's own site, the status in Indeed may never change. The Canadian version of the help page lists the same statuses with the same wording.

Does "not selected" mean a person read your application

Not always. Employers can review applications one by one, but they can also update many applications at once, for example when the job is filled or when screening questions rule applicants out. The status looks the same either way. Treat it as a closed door for this job, not as a verdict on you.

Common reasons, none of which Indeed reports to you:

• The job was filled, sometimes by an internal candidate.
• A screening question answer did not meet a requirement, such as a license, schedule or location.
• The resume did not show the requirements the employer was scanning for.
• The employer received far more applications than they could interview.

Messages to send, by situation

If you see a status that contradicts what a person told you, ask. Bulk updates happen, and a short question is better than guessing.

Tailor my CV to this job

What to do next

• Apply to similar jobs the same week. One closed application is one row in your tracker, not a reason to stop.
• Check the resume against the posting. If several "not selected" statuses arrive within days of applying, the resume is often not showing what the screen looks for. Our ATS friendly resume guide explains what to change.
• Answer screening questions carefully. They often decide the first cut.
• Reapply only to a different role or after your resume has meaningfully changed.
• Keep a log. Our job application tracker template has a status column for exactly this.

When you do get to the interview stage, CareerOneStop, from the U.S. Department of Labor, suggests in its interview tips: "Indicate a time when you may contact the employer to learn of the decision." That gives you a reason to follow up instead of waiting for a status.

CVBooster compares your resume with the posting and lists the gaps before you apply: filling any of the 99 templates is free after you sign in, with the ATS score and the gap list; the PDF and Word download is Pro. For how screeners read applications, see what ATS software actually does.

Frequently asked questions

What does not selected by employer mean on Indeed?

It means the employer has rejected your application for that specific job and changed the status on Indeed. Indeed's help page defines it as "The employer rejected your application." It does not explain why, and it does not stop you from applying to other jobs at the same company.

Can I reapply after not selected by employer on Indeed?

You can apply to other jobs at the same employer at any time. Reapplying to the same posting usually does not help, and Indeed notes that after withdrawing you may not be able to apply again. If the same role reopens later, apply with an updated resume that shows the requirements more clearly.

Is not selected by employer the same as response seems unlikely?

No. "Not selected by employer" is set by the employer and means they rejected the application. "Response seems unlikely" is set by Indeed when the employer has hired enough candidates or there has been no activity on your application for at least two weeks, so the employer may simply never have reviewed it.

Should I contact the employer after being not selected?

Contact them if you spoke to someone, such as after a phone screen or interview: a short thank-you that asks to be kept in mind is fine, and one polite request for feedback is acceptable. If you only applied online and had no contact, move on to the next application instead.

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